§ MR. CONYBEAREI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is any statutory enactment requiring that a County Magistrate who has acted in that capacity for many years should, ipso facto, cease to act merely because he no longer holds the necessary qualification, or be subject to any and what pains and penalties if he continues to so act?
§ MR. ASQUITHAccording to the Act, 18 Geo. II., c. 20, s. 1 and 3, it would appear that any person acting as a Magistrate and not holding the necessary qualifications is liable to a penalty of £100.
§ MR. CONYBEAREI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the 235 frequency with which the statutory landed qualification for a County Magistracy is lent to persons about to be appointed in order to enable them to qualify; whether this evasion of the law subjects either the borrower or the lender or both to any and what penalties; and whether he will deal with the whole question as early as possible next Session, with a view to the abolition of the landed qualification?
§ MR. ASQUITHI have no official information with regard to the first paragraph of my hon. Friend's question. With regard to the second paragraph, I would suggest that if my hon. Friend is aware of such a case he should state the precise facts, and address a question on the subject to the Attorney General. As I have already stated, it is the intention of the Government to ask Parliament to abolish the property qualification for Magistrates in England and Wales.