§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSON (Dundee)asked the Lord Advocate, If the attention of the Government has been called to the inconvenience and expense of holding unnecessary Circuit Courts in Scotland; and, whether the Government intend to deal with the subject next Session?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (MR. J. H. A. MACDONALD) (Edinburgh and St. Andrew's Universities), in reply, said, that some years ago—he thought in 1881—in consequence of complaints that prisoners were detained too long before trial, additional Circuits were ordered to be held in Scotland. They were only held when there were cases making a Circuit necessary. He was not aware that in the case of the ordinary Circuit 1311 Courts there were more maiden Circuits in Scotland than in other parts of the United Kingdom. It was not to be forgotten, moreover, that at these Courts the public had opportunities of bringing up certain classes of civil appeal, and also of making complaints against local Judges. If the Circuit Courts were less in number, the effect would be to curtail these privileges.