§ MR. W. F. D. SMITHI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that none of the Justices of the Peace, who act by virtue of their office as Chairmen of Metropolitan Vestries or District Boards, have been nominated for or elected upon the General Committees of Justices for the current year? Is he aware that difficulty has arisen from the fact that the terms of office of the ex-officio Justices do not coincide with the terms of office of the General Committees, the former being elected in May, the latter in January? And will he see if an arrangement can be made to obviate this difficulty?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYI am aware of the difficulty referred to in the Question, and am informed that, in consequence of it, no ex-officio Justices were nominated upon Committees at the London Quarter Sessions in January along with the Justices in the Commission of the Peace. There are serious difficulties in the way of altering the dates for electing Committees, some of which are fixed by Statute and Statutory Rule; but I will make further inquiry with a view to seeing whether arrangements cannot be made as desired.