§ Sir J. Grahammoved for leave to bring in a Bill for Payment of Justices' Clerks and Clerks of the Peace, by Salaries instead of Fees, and for regulating Fees in Criminal Proceedings.
§ Mr. Ferrandwished to know whether it was the intention of the right hon. Baronet, by any enactment in this Bill, to withdraw from individual magistrates the power of appointing their own clerks? If this were so, many magistrates would retire from the Commission altogether.
§ Mr. Escottapprehended that was not the proper time to discuss the clauses of this Bill. He must, however, sincerely thank the right hon. Baronet for introducing so important a measure. The object which he should keep in view in the further progress of the measure would be to take care that no provision was introduced into the Bill to enable any person who derived profit from former extortionate practices to be remunerated in proportion to his past extortion.
§ Sir J. Grahambegged to state, in reply to the hon. Member for Knaresborough, that he did not seek by his Bill to deprive magistrates of the power of appointing their own clerks, but he objected to allowing them to receive any fees except in Petty Sessions or in open court.
§ Leave given.