§ MR. G. A. HAMILTONsaid, he had to ask the right hon. Baronet the Secretary for Ireland a question of which he had given notice. In the year 1845, an Act was passed by which one taxing master was appointed in Ireland, for the Court of Chancery. The society of solicitors at the time stated that it would be quite imposible for a single master to discharge the necessary business of the office; but there being an apprehension that the revenue derived from the fees of the office might be insufficient, one taxing master only was then appointed. He was bound to say that no blame whatever was at- 449 tached by any one to the present taxing master. It was impossible there could he a more active or assiduous officer. But, as had been predicted, the business of the office was too much for any one officer, however diligent, to perform. He, at the beginning of the Session, had presented a petition signed by nearly 700 of the solicitors practising in Dublin: they stated in that petition, that great public inconvenience had arisen from the accumulating of untaxed bills of costs—that at that period there were no fewer than 1885 bills of costs, amounting to 256,000l., untaxed in the office—that it was almost impossible to have bills of costs, of any considerable amount, passed through the office within a less period than twelve months—and that all parties interested in suits were subjected to great losses and inconvenience from such delays. Under these circumstances, and as the revenues of the office were amply sufficient, he begged to ask whether it was the intention of Government to propose any measure for the appointment of additional taxing masters of the Court of Chancery in Ireland?
§ SIR W. SOMERVILLE, in reply to the question put to him by his hon. Friend, was prepared to admit the inconvenience he had stated, from the accumulation of costs in the office of the taxing master of the Court of Chancery. He could also corroborate the statement with regard to the efficiency of the present taxing master. The subject had been under the consideration of Government, and he hoped means would be taken to remedy the inconvenience complained of.