§ Mr. O'DOHERTYasked the Chief Secretary whether the activity of the chief Crown solicitor during the last few 172W years in the matter of publicans' licences was the result of any special order or regulation made by him; whether his attention had been called to the latest cases in the King's Bench, and could he say who, if anyone, was responsible; was there any account kept of the costs incurred, and if there was any independent taxation of such costs; what proportion of the general bill of costs shown in appropriation accounts was in respect of King's Bench motions of this sort; and how much of such proportion was for fees to the law officers and counsel retained by the chief Crown solicitor?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThere has been no special Order or regulation in respect of the matter mentioned in the question. The chief Crown solicitor has acted throughout under the direction of the Attorney-General. The chief Crown solicitor keeps an account of the costs, which consist of law officers' and counsel's fees which are approved of by the Attorney-General. The account is regularly dealt with by the Audit Office but there is no other taxation. It would not be possible to answer the last paragraph of the question, but if any particular period or cases be indicated the chief Crown solicitor will be able to supply the information required from his books.