dges going together to each assize town, it was arranged that one
judge should go by himself to certain selected places--practically, it
may be said, to all except the more important provincial centres. The
only places to which two judges now go are Exeter, Winchester, Bristol,
Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham, Stafford, Birmingham, Newcastle,
Durham, York, Leeds, Chester, and Cardiff or Swansea.

It could scarcely be said that, even with the amendments introduced
under orders in council, the circuit system was altogether satisfactory
or that the last word had been pronounced on the subject. In the first
report of the Judicature Commission, dated March 25th, 1869, p. 17
(_Parl. Papers_, 1868-1869), the majority report that "the necessity for
holding assizes in every county without regard to the extent of the
business to be transacted in such county leads, in our judgment, to a
great waste of judicial strength and a great loss of time in going from
one circuit town to another, and causes much unnecessary cost and
inconvenience to those whose attendance is necessary or customary at the
assizes." And in their second report, dated July 3rd, 1872 (_Parl.
Papers_, 1872, vol. xx.), they dwell upon the advisability of grouping
or a discontinuance of holding assizes "in several counties, for
example, Rutland and Westmorland, where it is manifestly an idle waste
of time and money to have assizes." It is thought that the grouping of
counties which has been effected for the autumn assizes might be carried
still further and applied to all the assizes; and that the system of
holding the assizes alternately in one of two towns within a county
might be extended to two towns in adjoining counties, for example,
Gloucester and Worcester. The facility of railway communication renders
this reform comparatively easy, and reforms in this direction have been
approved by the judges, but ancient custom and local patriotism,
interests, or susceptibility bar the way. The Assizes and Quarter
Sessions Act 1908 contributed something to reform by dispensing with the
obligation to hold assizes at a fixed date if there is no business to be
transacted. Nor can it be said that the single-judge system has been
altogether a success. When there is only one judge for both civil and
criminal work, he properly takes the criminal business first. He can fix
only approximately the time when he can hope to be free for the civil
business. If the calendar is exceptio