§ *MR. W. E. M. TOMLINSON (Preston), in moving the Second Reading of this Bill, said: This Bill is framed to carry out a very necessary improvement. The Bill is at present limited to Liverpool and Manchester, but it is capable of 244 expansion. The object of the Bill is to give the Sheriff power to summon a greater number of Special Jurymen than the present insufficient number which the Common Law Procedure Act of 1863 gives him the power to do. The proposal of the Bill is to extend the number of Special Jurymen from 48 to 96, and to give the Sheriff power, with the sanction of the Judge of Assize, to assign days of attendance to the jurymen when summoned. I beg to move the Second Reading of the Bill.
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir RICHARD WEBSTER,) Isle of WightThis Bill deals with the difficulty as to getting a sufficient number of Jurymen. Of course, Amendments will be able to be taken. I suggest to my hon. and learned Friend that the Committee stage should not be taken until this day week.
§ MR. MICHAEL DAVITT (Mayo, S.)If this Bill is to pass to-night I should like to ask that some leave be given as to Jurymen in Ireland. Jurors in Ireland are frequently summoned and detained without any remuneration. I should like to have some guarantee as to the Jurors in Ireland.
§ DR. C. K. D. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid)If this Bill applies to Liverpool and Manchester, I do not see why it cannot equally well apply to Belfast and Dublin, and, perhaps, even to Cork; and I would hope that the right, hon. Gentleman, in giving his benediction to this Bill, will also extend its provisions to Ireland.
§ MR. DAVITTI understand the Attorney General to say that he contemplates Amendments to that effect.
§ SIR RICHARD WEBSTERI will communicate with the right hon. Gentleman the Attorney General for Ireland, on the Bill.
The Bill was then read a second time; the Committee stage appointed to be taken on 7th March 1898.
§ The House adjourned at 10.55.