Dr. Morganasked the Attorney-General (1) what are the respective ages of the chairman and vice-chairman of the Kingston county bench; and whether justices of the peace reside within the area of their magisterial work and are available to local citizens needing their service;
(2) whether the usual procedure for recommending suitable persons or appropriate nominees for justiceships of the peace has been followed regarding appointments to the Kingston county bench; whether he is aware of the considerable dissatisfaction existing in this area as to the age and residence of the present members of this bench; whether the Lord-Lieutenant of the county has made any recent report to the Lord Chancellor; is the recommending party as to appointments stated in routine reports; and whether some attempt will be made to remedy the present position on this county bench?
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe chairman of the Kingston bench is, I understand, 71 years of age. After a distinguished academic career, he practised for many years as a solicitor and has an exceptional knowledge of the procedure and practice of courts of summary jurisdiction. The two deputy chairmen are aged respectively about 66 and about 59. One of them is my hon. Friend the Member for North Southwark (Mr. Isaacs). I believe that all the justices attached to the Kingston petty sessional division reside within the division, and are available to local citizens needing their services. The usual procedure for recommending to my Noble Friend suitable persons to be appointed justices of the peace for Kingston petty sessional division has been followed, that is to say recommendations have been made by the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee, which is presided over by the Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, who devotes much time and thought to his duties. The Lord-Lieutenant has not made any recent report to the Lord Chancellor, and in his view no necessity for any such report has arisen. My Noble Friend is not aware that there is any well-grounded dissatisfac-244W tion on this matter. If any defect is shown in the constitution of the bench, the Lord Chancellor is confident that the Lord-Lieutenant and the Advisory Committee will consider it with sympathy and will make every effort to remedy it.