HC Deb 20 July 1893 vol 15 cc109-10
DR. MACGREGOR (Invernessshire)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is aware that in the Counties of Inverness and Perth the proportion of Liberals to Conservatives on the Commission of the Peace is 5 and 3 per cent, respectively; and whether the Government will take immediate steps to redress this disparity?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE,) Edinburgh, Midlothian

My hon. Friend is aware that Her Majesty's Government have no means of operating in such cases as this excepting through the Lord Chancellor; and I think he is also aware from statements previously made, and particularly from a statement made by the Home Secretary with respect to the Metropolitan Counties, that the Lord Chancellor has been, and continues to be, employed in redeeming the pledge that has been given on his behalf as to giving effect to the Resolution of the House of Commons. I will take this opportunity of removing one misapprehension that prevails. It is supposed that the Magistrates who have been appointed by the Lord Chancellor Since this Matter came under consideration have been in all cases Magistrates recommended to him by Lords Lieutenant. It is not so. He has gladly and wisely availed himself of the assistance of the Lords Lieutenant, and he has found that assistance to be cor- dially given; he has also thought it his duty to avail himself of other means of obtaining recommendations and examining into the fitness of those recommended, and he will, of course, continue to avail himself of such assistance to the utmost extent that he can obtain it. But he will not consider his duties in the matter to be confined within these limits; he will pursue all the means in his power to carry into effect, as rapidly as it can be done with safety, the changes that are in contemplation.

MR. MACFARLANE

May I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that in the County of Argyll out of 164 Justices of the Peace, except officio Justices who are appointed by the Lord Lieutenant, only five are believed to hold Liberal opinions?

MR. W. E. GLADSTONE

I am not aware of it except from the hon. Member's statement. It is expedient that such cases should be brought under notice. They fall under the general answer I have given, and they will obtain attention in the effort to redress, as far as may be, existing inequalities.

MR. W. WHITELAW

Have any complaints reached the Government as to the way in which the Justices of the County of Perth have discharged their duties?

MR. W. E. GLADSTONE

such complaints, if they existed—and I do not suggest that they do exist—would probably not reach me.