§ MR. H. D. GREENE (Shrewsbury)To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the representations of magistrates and 570 Reports of Departmental Committees extending back for many years as to the necessity for increasing the number of metropolitan magistrates, His Majesty's Government intend to take steps to enable additional appointments to be made.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Akers Douglas.) This question has been, as the hon. Member indicates, the subject of several representations and has engaged the attention of successive Secretaries of State. It is true that difficulties occasionally arise with the present number of magistrates, especially when one of the magistrates attached to a Police Court is absent on leave and the other is unable, e.g., by reason of sudden illness, to attend; but in view of the normal amount of work in the Courts my predecessors have felt great difficulty in pressing on the Treasury the appointment of additional magistrates. I do not, however, think that the matter has been considered as finally settled, and it shall have my consideration.