§ Mr. F. Maulebegged to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary for the Home Department a question, to which his attention had recently been drawn, relative to a practice in Scotland, which had been adopted by certain sheriffs. In the case of railways requiring more land, they were frequently in the habit of taking any land contiguous to the railway of which they were in need; and questions not unfrequently arose between the railway company and the former proprietors, as to the amount of compensation to be received by the latter for the land thus taken. In these cases the sheriffs, when called upon to interfere, considering that they were 1179 acting in an extra-judicial duty, believed themselves entitled to remuneration for their services. His object in referring to this matter was, that it might be made known, as he was sure the right hon. Gentleman would not refuse to call the attention of the Government to it, and he was content, therefore, to leave the matter in the hands of the Government.
§ Sir J. Grahamconfessed that, until last week his attention had not been drawn to this subject when he was directed by a paragraph in a newspaper. On general principles, he thought that great inconvenience would arise from officers who received salaries for their official duties, looking for other compensation for their services. If their salaries were not sufficient remuneration for all their duties, they should be increased. But he did not understand that in the case to which the right hon. Gentleman had referred the fees were all paid by one party. He believed that the questions decided were questions of arbitration, and that both parties paid fees to the sheriff. He thought that if that were the case, it would materially alter the complexion of such transactions. However, the subject should not be lost sight of.
§ Subject at an end.