HC Deb 23 April 1850 vol 110 cc765-6

MR. ROEBUCK moved for a Select Committee, to inquire into the defalcations occurring during the registrarship of Sir T. Turton, Registrar of the Supreme Court of Judicature at Bengal. Sir T. Turton had been appointed under the 39th George III., and by the powers of that Act the property of all persons dying intestate in that presidency was, of necessity, placed in his hands. Having so obtained the property in question, it became lost, and the unfortunate sufferers now came and asked the House of Commons to determine what ought to be done with them. There could not be two opinions, that, so far as the sufferers were concerned, they had a clear claim upon somebody to have their property restored. He, therefore, asked for a Committee to inquire where the laches were with respect to these transactions, and to remedy the mischief. He abstained from offering any opinion on the subject, and he had only to hope that his request would not be refused, inasmuch as it was an appeal to the justice of the House.

SIR J. C. HOBHOUSE

thought it impossible for the House of Commons to refuse the inquiry now sought for. A similar unfortunate case had occurred in the year 1828; and in 1830, the House of Commons, almost without any discussion, appointed a Committee to inquire into the circumstances that had produced the defalcations which had occurred in the presidency of Madras. The hon. and learned Member for Sheffield had very properly refrained from offering any opinions upon the present case, and, therefore, it was a perfectly legitimate subject for a Committee to ascertain the extent of the evil, and to remedy it. At present he would not enter into the merits of the case; but the time might come, after the Committee had deliberated and returned their report, when he should feel it his duty to express his opinion in reference to the case. At present he did not feel himself called upon to do more than acquiesce—and, he would say, very cordially acquiesce—in the request of the hon. and learned Member.

SIR J. W. HOGG

said, he entirely acquiesced in all the observations of the hon. and learned Gentleman who had moved for the Committee. It was a fit and proper subject for a Committee, and there could be but one opinion on the merits of the case.

Motion agreed to.