§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it has come to the knowledge of the Lord Chancellor of Ireland that Mr. R. W. Gamble, Q.C., County Court Judge of Armagh, has detained in his hands, for upwards of two weeks, a number of decrees sent to him during the Armagh Sessions for signature, to the great inconvenience, and possible loss, of suitors; whether Mr. Gamble will be admonished; and, whether the Government will bring in a Bill to render the Judge's signature to decrees unnecessary, and to substitute a court seal therefor, so as to obviate the embarrassment constantly caused by County Court Judges detaining decrees for an unnecessary period?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANBeyond the suggestion in the Question, the Lord Chancellor has no knowledge that any decrees sent to the County Court Judge of Armagh for signature were detained by him. There is some necessary delay caused by comparison with the records. The County Court Judges are not responsible to the Government. It will be remembered that last Session a Bill was introduced by my hon. Friend the senior Member for Monaghan for the purpose, amongst others, of substituting a seal for signature. That Bill was, in this respect, supported by the Government; but it met with such opposition that the hon. Member was obliged to withdraw it.