§ MR. ALFRED HUTTON (York, W.R., Morley)I beg to ask the Attorney General, whether, in creating 1495 a new Bench of Magistrates for Eastbourne, the Lord Chancellor has followed the precedents created by the ex-Lord Chancellor of placing an equal number of gentlemen from both political parties on all new Benches?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir RICHARD WEBSTER,) Isle of WightMost careful consideration is always given by the Lord Chancellor to the question of appointment of magistrates, and to any recommendation submitted to him upon the subject. I must decline to express any opinion upon the action of the Lord Chancellor in any particular case, but it would, in my opinion, be most dangerous to adopt the view that political are the only qualifications for that which, in effect, is a judicial office. ["Hear, hear!"]