§ MR. COBBI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been directed to the unusually long time, nine days, which appears by the Summer Circuit Paper to be allowed for the Assizes at Bury St. Edmunds on the South Eastern Circuit; whether this prolongation has been arranged with the people of the locality in consequence of the approaching race meeting of the neighbouring town of Newmarket, which commences about the middle of the nine days, and to enable some of those connected with the Assizes to attend it after the business is concluded; and whether he will communicate with the senior Judge who is going on the circuit, with a view of altering the arrangements for the greater convenience of the Bar, and for saving the public expense?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI gather from the published Circuit Paper that the Commission day at Bury St. Edmunds is Friday, the 10th, and the next Commission day is the 18th. This arrangement, therefore, gives six sitting days for the Bury Assizes, one of which is a Saturday. I have no knowledge of the reasons which have led to this arrangement. The duty of fixing Commission days on circuit is intrusted by the Judicature Acts and the Orders in Council to the Judges who go the circuit. It is no part of my duty to interfere with their discretion. Any complaint should be addressed either to the Lord Chief Justice or to the Circuit Judge.