HL Deb 11 May 1897 vol 49 cc186-7

(1.) Where in a specified division no such notice has been so lodged as aforesaid, the Clerk of the Peace shall forthwith report to the Sheriff to that effect, and the Sheriff shall thereupon notify in the prescribed manner all jurors summoned to attend the Court for the purpose of criminal business that their attendance will not be required.

(2.) Every person so summoned and subsequently notified under this section shall be given credit for an attendance as if he had attended in pursuance of the summons.

(3.) Where it is the duty of the Clerk of the Peace to summon jurors to attend at a Court of Quarter Sessions, the duties imposed by this section upon the Sheriff shall be discharged by the Clerk of the Peace, and it shall not be necessary to make a report to the Sheriff.

*LORD MORRIS

said he had an Amendment to propose to the clause, with the object of providing for the expenses of the Sheriff in connection with the duties imposed upon him under the Bill. As the Bill stood, there was no provision; the matter was by the proposed Amendment left entirely in the discretion of the Grand Jury. It was necessary that some provision should be made in the Bill for the new duties east upon the Sheriff. He moved accordingly, as a new Sub-section to Clause 3:— (4.) The expenses of this Act, incurred in connection with the duties hereby imposed on Sheriffs and Clerks of the Peace, shall be defrayed out of the county cess, and it shall be lawful for the Grand Jury of every county, and for every Town Council empowered to make presentment, as the case may be, from time to time, at the next ensuing assizes or presenting term, and they are hereby required, without previous application at presentment sessions, or otherwise, to present all such sums of money as they may deem reasonable and necessary for defraying such expenses.

THE EARL OF DENBIGH

said there was no objection to the Amendment of the noble and learned Lord except that it would be better, as a matter of drafting, that it should be moved as a, new clause.

Amendment agreed to, and inserted as a new clause (Clause 4) after Clause 3.

*LORD MORRIS

further moved, after the clause last inserted, to insert the following new clause:—

Clause 5,— (5.) The Clerks of the Union shall, in compiling the lists of jurors each year for revision, set forth, as far as practicable, in a separate column on the said lists, after the name of each juror, the name of the post office nearest to his residence.

The noble Lord pointed out that the Sheriffs' list did not require that the post town of the juror should be given, and it was obvious that without such a provision as that embodied in this Amendment the letter might miscarry and not reach a juror at all, and it might be impossible for the Sheriff to carry out his duty completely.

THE EARL OF DENBIGH

said the Amendment was somewhat out of order in connection with this particular Bill. It was really an Amendment to Section 9 of the Jurors (Ireland) Act, 1871, and, as such, it was outside the scope and not covered by the title of this Bill. It was the opinion of the Irish Office that it was not necessary to deal with the matter in a fresh Act of Parliament, but that it was competent to the Department to deal with it as an ordinary Instruction, if it were found necessary to do so, as a matter of general convenience to the Sheriffs of Ireland, and in consequence he regretted to say he could pot accept the Amendment.

*LORD MORRIS

asked leave to withdraw the Amendment, intimating that he should bring the subject up again when the. Bill came before the Standing Committee.

Proposed new clause, by leave, withdrawn.

Clause 4,—