§ DR. FARQUHARSONI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the proceedings before the Midhurst Bench on 30th April, as reported in the British Medical Journal for 30th May, from which it appears that the chairman refused to accept the 1433 evidence of an essential witness in an important case, because he claimed to be sworn in the Scotch fashion; and whether, seeing that any witness has an absolute right by statute to demand to be sworn in the Scottish fashion without kissing the book, he will call the attention of the Lord Chancellor to the matter?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYI have made inquiries, and am informed that the report is incorrect. It seems that the Clerk to the Justices was on the point of administering the oath to a witness in the case alluded to in the Scotch form, when it appeared that the evidence which he was about to give was immaterial, and on an intimation from the Justices that they regarded it in that light, the solicitor for the defence withdrew the witness. In no instance, I am informed, have the Justices refused to administer the oath in the Scotch form.