§ MR. BURTasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If his attention has been called to the report of a case which appeared in the "Norfolk News" of February 26th, in which the Trustees of the Long Strutton District Amalgamated League Sick Benefit Society applied to the county court judge for an order to compel the treasurer of the Society to give up the banking book. In the course of the proceedings, the judge is reported to have asked "if the Society had anything to do with the movement with which Mr. Arch was connected." A reply having been given in the affirmative, he said "he should show no mercy to Arch and his lot, as they were a pest to society;" and, whether he can state if the words quoted were used by the judge; and, if so, whether he would deem it right to ask him to refrain from remarks of this character in future?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT, in reply, said, that County Court Judges were not under his jurisdiction, but under that of the Lord Chancellor. He had communicated with the Lord Chancellor on the subject referred to in the Question of the hon. Member, and was enabled to state that a report had been received to the effect that the County Court Judge referred to had indulged largely in political disquisitions on the occasion in question, having denounced school boards, household suffrage, and other things. ["Hear, hear!"] The hon. Member opposite who said, "Hear, hear!" was quite within his right in doing so, not being a County Court Judge. The Judge in question had been communicated with by the Lord Chancellor, and, in reply, the Judge wrote that he made use of some hasty expression on the occasion referred to. He had now expressed his regret in terms satisfactory to the Lord Chancellor. It was to be hoped, therefore, it would be considered that sufficient notice had been taken of the matter.