§ MR. STOREY (Sunderland)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury how many County Magistrates in England and Wales have been appointed since the Resolution of the House of Commons on 5th May otherwise than through the Lord Lieutenants, specifying the counties, and the number in each county?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE,) Edinburgh, MidlothianTwo or three days ago I gave an answer on this subject, and my answer now must be confirmatory of that. I am not in possession of the information, and I believe it would he very difficult to furnish it in a satisfactory form on account of the mixed nature of many of these appointments. The Lord Chancellor is about to receive a deputation of Members of Parliament on this subject, and he will then have an opportunity of giving explanations which will be more full and authoritative than any which I could offer.
§ MR. STOREYI do not want to trouble the Government at this time, but I would remind my right hon. Friend that we were supplied with a Return of the Magistrates appointed up to June 30th, 1892, and I would ask whether an additional Return showing the Magistrates appointed since that date for boroughs and counties could be granted?
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEI imagine there will be no difficulty in the way of complying with the request of my hon. Friend.
§ MAJOR RASCHI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is aware that the Lord Chancellor did not, or could not, advise Her Majesty to place total abstainers or brewers on the Bench; and, if so, whether there was any Statute disqualifying either of those classes, if otherwise eligible, for appointment?
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEI understand from the Lord Chancellor it is not the fact that he does not or cannot place either total abstainers or brewers on the Bench of Magistrates. Neither class is excluded by law, and each case of a brewer or total abstainer is considered on the merits, and is determined according to the considerations affecting it.