§ Viscount CRANBORNE (Rochestor)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Dome Department whether there were more than two vacancies on the Bench of the City of Rochester; and, if not, was there a difficulty in finding sufficient Magistrates to do the work; would he explain why the Lord Chancellor has recently appointed five new Magistrates, four of whom are supporters of the present Government and only one a Conservative; and what means he took to discover the fitness of these gentlemen for the position of Magistrates?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. ASQUITH,) Fife, E.The Lord Chancellor is not aware what is meant by "vacancies on the Bench." It has never been the practice of the Lord Chancellors to consider that each Bench is only entitled to a fixed number of Magistrates. The opponents of the present Government on the existing Bench were in a large majority; and, notwithstanding the recent appointments, the Lord Chancellor believes that the supporters of the Government are still in a minority. The Lord Chancellor made full and ample inquiry in the same manner as lie believes has been usually made by his predecessors, and he satisfied himself as to the fitness of the persons appointed.
§ VISCOUNT CRANBORNEBut does the Lord Chancellor, in determining these appointments, only consider the relative proportion of Parties on the Bench?
§ MR. ASQUITHNo, Sir; the Lord Chancellor considers a number of other things.