Captain CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that in several county courts in Ireland, and, amongst others, in those of Meath, Westmeath, Carlow, and Wicklow, fees for the county court judges' criers are added to the taxed costs in proceedings under the Labourers Act (petitions of appeal) and applications for compensation for criminal injury and other proceedings; and will he call the attention of clerks of the Crown to the fact that there is no jurisdiction to tax litigants by adding criers' fees to the costs that they have to pay, and that criers are not entitled to any fees, but are provided in each county with an annual salary?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI cannot say whether the statements in the first part of the question are correct, but if any illegal exactions are made, as alleged, the matter would appear to be one for the county court judges to deal with. The salaries of the criers, which are fixed by Statute, are intended to remunerate them for their services and expenses.