asked the Attorney-General if he will devise a means of obviating the loss and damage suffered by appellants to the Court of Criminal Appeal by their being detained in prison, without bail, pending appeal in cases where their convictions are quashed by that Court.

Under Section 14 of the Criminal Appeal Act, 1907, it is entirely a matter for the discretion of the Court whether an appellant should be granted bail while his appeal is pending, and I do not think it would be desirable in any way to interfere in the exercise of that discretion.

Does not my hon. and learned Friend agree that the present system inflicts loss and damage on citizens who may be innocent, and who, very often, are ultimately found to be innocent, and will he take steps to rectify this wrong by awarding compensation or otherwise?

It only happens on the very rarest occasions, and I do not think that the present system can be improved upon.

Is not this Question a demand for the application of the well-known Socialist principle of having the best of both worlds?