§ MR. KENNYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it is a fact, as stated in a recent issue of the "Freeman's Journal," that the county Kildare Crown Solicitorship now vacant is worth £700 per annum; if it is a fact that the sub-inspectors of police prosecute at petty sessions and the Sessional Crown Solicitors at quarter sessions; and, if so, what functions besides attending assizes for six or seven days a-year, and supplying the prosecuting barristers with copies of depositions taken at petty and quarter sessions, devolve upon the Crown Solicitor; if it is a fact that a movement is on foot amongst Irish Crown Solicitors for an increase of pay; and, if this is the only reason why a sum so disproportionate to the incomes made by country solicitors practising at their profession is paid to the Crown Prosecutor of Kildare?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, the vacant office, to which a salary of £700 a-year is attached, is for two counties—namely, Kildare and Meath. The duties of a Crown Solicitor in connection with Assizes are but imperfectly and inadequately described in the Question. They must be men of skill and experience in their Profession, and they have responsible and important public duties to perform. These were probably the circumstances which weighed with the Treasury authorities in fixing the amount of their remuneration, rather than a consideration of the average incomes of other gentlemen of their Profession engaged in private practice. I am not aware that a movement is on foot among them to obtain an increase of pay.