§ MR. E. ROBERTSON (Dundee)I wish to ask the First Lord of the Treasury a Question of which I have given him private Notice, Whether, having regard to the exceptional powers proposed to be conferred on Resident Magistrates in Ireland by the Criminal Law Amendment (Ireland) Bill, he can give an 369 undertaking that all Resident Magistrates who have not had a legal training will be removed, and their places filled by persons who have had legal training?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)Under the provisions of the Bill as it stands, following the precedent set, I believe, by the Bill of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Derby (Sir William Harcourt), one of the Magistrates must have a sufficiency of legal knowledge acting in each ease. Therefore, I see no reason, under those circumstances, for adopting the very drastic suggestion of the hon. Gentleman.
§ MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, whether there are sufficient of these gentlemen in Ireland who have had legal training to supply one for each Court?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHI have reason to believe there is. If not, provision will be made to secure them.
§ MR. T. E. ELLIS (Merionethshire)Who is to be the judge of the sufficiency?
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)I must press the Question. What is the standard of sufficiency?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHDoes the hon. Gentleman realize that it is quite impossible for me to give a satisfactory answer to these Questions? The Government are responsible for every appointment they make.