HC Deb 06 February 1893 vol 8 cc521-3
CAPTAIN M'CALMONT (Antrim, E.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, acting on the Report of a Committee in 1883, it was decided that, as opportunity offered, the offices of Crown and Sessional Crown Solicitor in Ireland should be amalgamated, and whether the then Law Officers or the Crown drew up rules for such amalgamation; whether the rules have been strictly adhered to since; why these rules have been departed from on the death of the late Sessional Crown Solicitor for Antrim; and what extra expense is incurred by the departure from the rules?

COLONEL WARING (Down, N.)

I may also at the same time ask the Chief Secretary if he will explain why, although in consequence of the Report of a Committee in 1883 it was resolved that, as vacancies occurred, the offices of Crown Solicitor and Sessional Crown Solicitor should be amalgamated, and rules were then drawn up to carry out such arrangement which have been (except in the recent case of the county of Antrim) observed ever since, the practice has been departed from on the occurrence of the late vacancy in the King's County, when Mr. Thomas Mitchell, Sessional Crown Solicitor, was passed over and a fresh appointment made to the superior office; were there any, and what, objections to Mr. Mitchell; and what additional expense will be involved by this fresh departure?

MR. J. MORLEY

[The reply of the right hon. Gentleman was inaudible in the Reporters' Gallery.]

CAPTAIN M'CALMONT

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether a rule was not laid down in 1883, by which, when the Crown or Sessional Crown Solicitor was over 65 years of age, it was directed the amalgamation of the offices should not take place?

An hon. MEMBER: And was not that recommendation followed by a Treasury Minute?

MR. J. MORLEY

I will inquire.

CAPTAIN M'CALMONT

May I ask if the gentleman appointed for the County Antrim is the person who acted as election agent for the hon. Member for Kerry?

MR. J. MORLEY

I really do not know.

MR. SEXTON (Kerry, N.)

I should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman if I interfered in any way with this appointment?

MR. J. MORLEY

The hon. Member certainly did not interfere.

An hon. MEMBER: In connection with this matter, may I ask if the right hon. Gentleman is aware that the former solicitor who occupied the office of Crown Solicitor for Antrim is 71 years of age, and that he was consequently over the age, and that made it impossible to amalgamate the two offices?

MR. J. MORLEY

May I appeal to you, Mr. Speaker, whether notice ought not to be given of these questions?

MR. SPEAKER

I must say that most of the supplementary questions put on this matter ought to have been given notice of.