§ The house went into a committee on the Judges' Salaries bill.
§ Mr. Bankesproposed a clause to prevent the sale of the office of Clerk of Assize, and to render it an office during pleasure, in-instead of being as at present, during life.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerobserved, that this office had not been sold during the time of any of the present judges. To reader the person holding the office removable, however, at pleasure, would be to subject him to be removed at the discretion of every senior judge as he went the circuit. It was understood that this office was not in future to be sold.
§ The clause was accordingly withdrawn.
§ Mr. Bankesobjected to the increase to the salaries of the Chief Justices in Wales. In this he was supported by Mr. Abercrombie, and opposed by Mr. Perceval and Mr. Ryder.—The clause was carried.
§ Mr. Bankesobjected to the increase of the salaries of the Welsh Judges generally on the ground of the inutility of the continuance of the four circuits in that country, and of its having been recommended by one of the reports of the Finance Committee to turn the whole into one. The effect of the present increase to all the judges would only be, in the event of an 989 after compliance with this recommendation of the Finance Committee, to occasion a lavish expenditure of the public money, in causing an additional recompense in proportion to the increased salaries to be granted.
The Attorney Generalsaid, the idea of refusing to increase the salaries of the Welsh judges might have the effect of starving them out; but that, he was satisfied, was not the wish of his hon. friend. As to the idea of abolishing any part of the judicial establishment in Wales, he had never heard that this was desired by the people of that country.
§ Sir A. Piggottthought the augmentation essential to the dignity of the judicial character.
§ The Resolution was then agreed to.
§ Mr. Bankesproposed a clause for prohibiting Welsh judges from holding seats in parliament.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerdissented from any such idea. Those judicial characters from Wales who had been candidates for seats in parliament, had been the most distinguished persons from that country.
Sir S. Romillymaintained, that for the last thirty years the Welsh judges, with only three exceptions, had been chosen from among gentlemen of the profession who were members of that house.
§ The clause was negatived.
§ Mr. Hornerproposed a clause for preventing any one of the judges of the principality of Wales from practising as a lawyer during the period he ought to be going the assize.
The Attorney Generalobjected to the clause, on the ground of there being no necessity for it; and that even a whisper would be sufficient to correct the practice without The aid of an act of parliament.
§ The clause was negatived. The other clauses were gone through, and the house resumed, when the report was ordered to be received the next day.