§ MR. COBB(for Mr. CONYBEARE) (Cornwall, Camborne)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the complaints recently made on more than one occasion in The Cumberland and Westmoreland Advertiser, as to the absence of magistrates from the Penrith Bench; whether it is the fact that on the 2nd instant there were three prisoners to be tried, the Court was opened and the officials ready to begin at 11 o'clock, but after waiting three-quarters of an hour the Court had to be closed owing to the non-arrival of any magistrate, and whether, in consequence, the prisoners were kept unnecessarily locked up in the cells, and were returned to gaol without having an opportunity of being tried; whether such additional and unnecessary imprisonment will be taken into account in fixing the term of their sentences, if any; whether, on the 5th instant, a case was brought up at the police court in the same town which required the presence of two magistrates, and that, as only one was in attendance, it had to be put back until the next day, when, the same thing occurring, the prisoner had to be discharged; and, whether he will consider some means of providing a remedy for such grievances?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)I am in communication with the Lord Lieutenant of the county on this matter. He is now making inquiries, which he has not had time to complete, with regard to the alleged want of magistrates in this district. No complaint has been made to him of any such want, and no complaint has been made to the Court of Quarter Sessions. I will inform the 206 hon. Member of the result of the inquiries that are being made.