HC Deb 22 February 1886 vol 302 cc894-5
LORD CLAUD HAMILTON

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether any appointment has yet been made to the vacant Re-cordership of Liverpool; whether the Home Office have received any communication from the Corporation of Liverpool in regard to the salary attached to this office; whether any reply has yet been sent to such communication; what arrangements would be made with regard to sittings; and, whether the new Recorder will be allowed to engage in private practice?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. CHILDERS)

Yes, Sir; Mr. Hopwood has been appointed. A letter has been received, not from the Town Council, but from the Finance Committee of the Town Council of Liverpool, asking that the salary may be reduced. I have replied that Mr. Hopwood accepted this office subject to any alteration in the salary approved by the Secretary of State; and whatever the Town Council may recommend will receive my careful attention. In reply to the further Questions of the noble Lord, I can only say from memory that I believe the same number of sittings will be held at Liverpool as heretofore; and that, as to private practice, Mr. Hopwood will certainly not depart from his Predecessor's rule. If his Predecessor did not take private practice as an understood condition of his taking office, neither will Mr. Hopwood; but I can say no more without Notice.

MR. FORWOOD

asked if the right hon. Gentleman would be good enough to hold over any further action in the matter until the Corporation had had an opportunity of considering his letter?

MR. CHILDERS

said, there was no further action to be taken. The appointment had been made on the expressed conditions as to salary which he had explained.

LORD CLAUD HAMILTON

said, he was sorry to trouble the right hon. Gentleman further; but he must ask if he had any objections to apply to Mr. Hopwood the same limitations which were in force as regarded his Predecessor? The matter was really of great importance to Liverpool.

MR. CHILDERS

said that if the noble Lord had given him Notice he could have said what communications had passed, and how they had been dealt with; but, as he had stated, Mr. Hopwood would be governed by the same rules as his Predecessor in office with regard to private practice.

MR. AMBROSE

wished to point out that there was some misapprehension with regard to the Recorder of Liverpool taking private practice. That official always had taken private practice; and, so far from its being——

MR. SPEAKER

The hon. Member is entitled to put a Question, but not to argue.