HC Deb 24 April 1896 vol 39 c1642
SIR JAMES HASLETT (Belfast, N.)

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, if, when a vacancy occurs in the chairmanship of county Down, he will consider and give effect to the desire of the merchants and citizens of Belfast that the Recorder of that city should be relieved of county business, whereby he would be enabled to hold a monthly Court for civil and criminal business; this, and the ordinary business of Local Bankruptcy Court and Admiralty, would occupy his entire time, and the counties of Down and Antrim could he administered by one chairman?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. JOHN ATKINSON,) Londonderry, N.

It is in contemplation to make arrangements, when a vacancy in the office of Chairman of the county Down shall have occurred, to relieve the Recorder of Belfast of some of his most onerous duties, and enable him, if need be. to sit more frequently for the discharge of business, but without legislation the entire of the county of Antrim cannot be withdrawn from his jurisdiction, nor do I think it necessary or desirable that it should be.

In reply to Mr. M. MCCARTAN,

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND

said, there was no inconvenience in the present arrangement.