§ MR. E. ROBERTSON (Dundee)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it was true, as stated in The Standard of that morning, that—
It had been decided to retire a number of the senior Resident Magistrates, and to fill then-places with younger men, who will be bettor able to discharge the onerous duties involved by the operation of the Crimes Act;and, if so, whether the Government had selected persons of whose sufficient legal knowledge the Lord Chancellor had been satisfied?
§ MR. MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)asked, Whether it was intended to subject to retirement, compulsory or otherwise, a number of these magistrates; how many new appointments to the post of Resident Magistrate the Government in tended to make; were Resident Magistrates in Ireland appointed by the war rant of the Lord Lieutenant; did they hold their offices, not for a stated period, but during the pleasure of the Government; and were they liable to instant dismissal, without cause assigned, and without pension or other compensation? Having regard to the fact that the circumstances attending the appointment to the post of Resident Magistrate in Ireland, and the character and qualifications of the persons who were usually placed in that position had been frequently exposed in that House and else where, would the right hon. Gentleman have any——
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! the hon. Gentleman is exceeding the fair limits of a Question.
MR. MAC NEILL,continuing, asked, whether the right hon. Gentleman would have any objection to lay on the Table of the House a list of the gentlemen who were to fill the appointments, with their ages, their antecedent occupations, and their qualifications, if any, for exercising judicial functions?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, K)I am afraid 50 I must ask for Notice of both those Questions.