§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONE (Edinburgh, Mid Lothian); I wish to ask the 1254 indulgence of the House for a very few moments, that I may say a word or two in the nature of a personal explanation. In the debate last week I mentioned the names of five Resident Magistrates, and stated that, so far as my information went, they were gentlemen of whom considerable complaint had been made. My reason for referring to them was in order that I might make an observation which I did add to the words which I have cited—that they were gentlemen not one of whom had been appointed by Earl Spencer. I find that a misapprehension has gone abroad that I had intended to adopt the complaints made of those five gentlemen. I desire to say that I had no such intention. I must leave these complaints to be tried on, their own merits. Not having had any opportunity of examining them myself, so as to justify either my affirming or denying them, I wish it to be distinctly understood that they were quite independent of the limited purpose I had in view, which was to observe that Earl Spencer was not responsible for the original appointment of these gentlemen.