HC Deb 09 July 1875 vol 225 cc1313-5

SUPPLY—considered in Committee.

(In the Committee.)

(1.) Motion made, and Question proposed, That a sum, not exceeding £51,305, be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March 1876, for Salaries and incidental Expenses connected with Criminal Proceedings in Scotland.

MR. DILLWYN

objected to Supply being taken at half-past 12 o'clock, and moved that Progress be reported.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Chairman do report Progress, and ask leave to sit again."—(Mr. Dillwyn.)

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHE-QUER

I think it would be more practical if the hon. Member, instead of telling us when we are not to take Supply, would tell us when we are to do so.

MR. W. H. SMITH

appealed to the hon. Member not to press his Motion.

Motion, by leave, withdrawn.

Original Question put, and agreed to.

(2.) £44,396, to complete the sum for Courts of Law and Justice, Scotland.

(3.) £23,916, to complete the sum for the Register House Departments, Edinburgh.

(4.) £18,471, to complete the sum for Prisons, and Judicial Statistics, Scotland.

(5.) £32,851, to complete the sum for the Court of Chancery in Ireland.

(6.) £20,740, to complete the sum for the Common Law Courts, Ireland.

(7.) £7,085, to complete the sum for the Court of Bankruptcy in Ireland.

(8.) £9,481, to complete the sum for the Landed Estates Court, Ireland.

MR. MELDON

complained of the insufficiency of the staff. He maintained that one Judge for the Court was in-sufficient.

MR. MITCHELL HENRY

mentioned that the Judge of the Court had himself expressed the opinion that no additional Judge was necessary.

SIR PATRICK O'BRIEN

said, it was within the knowledge of every professional man in Ireland that the working power in the Landed Estates Court was quite inadequate; the delay to suitors being in many cases intolerable. His hon. and learned Friend was quite justified in stating that the staff of the Landed Estates Court was not sufficient to effectually discharge the heavy and important duties of that Court.

MR. BUTT

said, that the Act of Parliament appeared to require that there should be two Judges of this Court. The last Government thought they could dispense with the second Judge, but the general opinion of the profession was that the work was too much for one Judge. He had to investigate the titles, and all other matters connected with the estates and the sale of them. He considered that the work was too great for any one man to discharge in a Court where mistakes were liable to occur, and from which there was no appeal.

SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH

admitted that there was a strong feeling among the Bench, the Bar, and the solicitors of Ireland in favour of the appointment of a second Judge. The facts stated by hon. Members showed however, that there were great difficulties connected with the subject. The hon. and learned Member for Kildare was perfectly justified in the course he had taken; and in any change that might be deemed necessary in the Judicature system of Ireland the state of the Landed Estates Courts would not be lost sight of with a view to improvement.

MR. WHITWELL

hoped that in any change that might be made in reference to the business of the Landed Estates Court, the Court would be made a self-sustaining Court.

MR. MITCHELL HENRY

said, he did not object to the appointment of a second Judge, but only wished that he should not be appointed before the rearrangement of the Irish Judicature system.

Vote agreed, to.

(9.) £8,773, to complete the sum for the Probate Court, Ireland.

(10.) £1,255, to complete the sum for the Admiralty Court Registry, Ireland.

(11.) £13,891, to complete the sum for the Registry of Deeds, Ireland.

(12.) £2,403, to complete the sum for the Registry of Judgments, Ireland.

(13.) £101,368, to complete the sum for the Dublin Metropolitan Police.

Motion made, and Question proposed, That a sum, not exceeding £745,037, be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March 1876, for the Constabulary Force in Ireland.

MR. MELDON

said, that considerable discussion would arise on this Vote, and therefore he moved that the Chairman report Progress.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Chairman do report Progress, and ask leave to sit again."—(Mr. Meldon.)

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHE-QUER

pointed out that there were only three other Votes in this class, and he hoped they would be taken before Progress was reported.

MR. BUTT

said, the choice was between passing these Votes without discussion—["No, no!"]—and reporting Progress.

MR. W. H. SMITH

said, he would postpone the Vote.

Motion, by leave, withdrawn.

Original Motion, by leave, withdrawn.

(14.) £30,800, to complete the sum for Government Prisons, &c., Ireland.

(15.) £67,721, to complete the sum for County Prisons and Reformatories, Ireland.

(16.) £4,081, to complete the sum for Dundrum Criminal Lunatic Asylum, Ireland.

House resumed.

Resolutions to be reported upon Monday next;

Committee to sit again upon Monday next.