§ MR. JENNINGS (Stockport)asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the office of the Middlesex Land Registry was connected with the office of Land Registry, and whether it was under the control of the Treasury or any Department of the Government; whether it was the fact that Lord Truro, as Registrar of the Middlesex Land Registry, received fees to the average annual amount of £5,000 a-year, and scarcely ever entered the office, the whole of the work being done by deputy; and in whose gift was this appointment?
§ *MR. JACKSONThe Middlesex Registry was created by a Statute of Queen Anne, and has no connection with the Land Registry. The Lord Chancellor has power to make rules for the regulation of the office. No portion of the cost of the Registry falls on the Exchequer. The entire cost is defrayed from the fees, and the Registrars, of whom there were originally four, are by Statute entitled to retain the surplus fees for their own benefit. Lord Truro is the sole surviving Registrar; but under an Act of 1859 the Queen's Remembrancer, who had previously been ex-officio a Registrar, continues to receive for the Exchequer his share of the net fees. This share at present represents one-half, and amounted for the year 1888–9 to £4,054 18s. 2d. The appointment of Registrars is in the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief 1563 Justice alternately; but on the occurrence of the last three vacancies no appointments were made, and the office will disappear on the passing of the Land Transfer Bill, now before the House of Lords.