The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-24 00:00:00

PUBLIC PROSEGUTORS.

Mr. Phillimore's bill for the appointment of public pro-
socutors for conducting the prosecution of criminal offenders
in England has been printed. The Lord Chancellor is to
appoint for this purpose, in districts to be fixed by the
Privy Council, barristers of ten years' standing, whose
salary is not to exceed 1,5001. a-year, including travelling
expenses. The salaries are to be paid out of the consoli-
dated fund. A public prosecutor is to be removable by
the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice for
misconduct or unfittness. At the assizes, if necessary, the
assistance of barristers of three years' standing may be pro-
cured as deputy public prosecutors. They are to be paid
a sum not exceeding 10 guineas for any whole day, and
less in proportion for any part of a day. The Lord Chan-
cellor may also appoint attorneys of seven years' standing
to act as district agents (their salary is not yet fixed in the
bill) for the purpose of performing thedutiesof an attorney
for the prosecution, applying for warrants, conducting the
examination of witnesses beforejustices, collecting evidence,
preparing briefs, and the like; and policemen are to give
information to the district agent as soon as they have rea-
sonable cause to believe that a felony or misdemeanour
has been committed. The duties of the public prosecutor
will be to consider the evidence when transmitted to him
by the district agents ; advise whether the prosecution
shall be proceeded with, and in what way, and conduct
the prosecution at the trial. The Crown may appoint
also a barrister of five years' standing for each county
or sessional division of a county, or for any borough
(four for Middlesex and Westminster) to act as assistant
public prosecutor at quarter sessions ; the salary to be
paid out of the consolidated fund, but not to exceed 3001.
a year, including travelling expenses, and no such as-
sistant public prosecutor is to be revising barrister or
hold other office under the Crown in the district. De-
puty-assistant public prosecutor s at the sessions may
also be appointed, in case of need, the payment not to ex-
coed five guineas a-day. Justices may take the opinion
of the public prosecutor if they think fit. Persons may
present bills before grand juries as heretofore, and the act
is not to extend to indictments for common assaults, libel,
niusance, &c. The bill provides that when a prisoner has
been committed, he may have subpoenas gratis to compel
the attendance of his witnesses (other than to character),
and the costs of such witnesses may be allowed by the
judge at the trial. It is also provided that where a person
is accused of giving to his master's horse more food than
his master allowed him to give, it sh 41 not be a felony or
misdemeanour, but the servant may be taken before a ma-
gistrate within a week, and the magistrate may order the
loss to be deducted from the wages. It will be noticed
that the provisions we have last described have no neces-
sary connexion with the general object of the bill, and,
perhaps at a future day they may be less easily found in
consequence of their being tacked on to a bill for appoint-
ing public prosecutors.