§ MR. MAURICE HEALY (Cork)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the further observations in reference to English Winter Assize arrangements made by Mr. Justice Grantham at Hertford, and reported in Wednesday's Standard; whether it is the fact, as stated by the learned Judge, that there have been 1226 cases in which, owing to the transfer of prisoners and witnesses from one county to another, the prosecution of a petty larceny has cost as much as £100; whether other English Judges entertain, and have expressed, views similar to those of Mr. Justice Grantham; and, when the decision of the Lord Chancellor as to the re-arrangement of Circuits may be expected?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)I have seen, Sir, in the newspaper, the observations attributed to Mr. Justice Grantham. As to the second part of the Question, I am informed by the Examiner of Costs that he knows of no case in which the cost of a prosecution for a larceny has reached £100, and that the average cost of prosecutions at Assizes throughout the year is under £15. As to the third part of the Question, I have not been made acquainted with the views entertained by the other English Judges in reference to this subject. A Committee of Judges is considering the subject, and the Lord Chancellor hopes he may be able shortly to recommend a scheme for dealing with the subject.
§ MR. MAURICE HEALYWould the right hon. and learned Gentleman say what is the cost of prosecutions at Winter Assizes as compared with prosecutions at other Assizes?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI cannot do so, Sir.