§ MR. J. STUARTbegged to ask the noble Lord at the head of the Government, whether Her Majesty's Government intend to bring in, without delay, a Bill to authorise the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor in the room of Sir James Wigram, who has resigned? and whether the noble Lord is aware of the enormous expense and distress to suitors for justice in the Court of Chancery, whose complaints are now standing for hearing, from the want of a competent Judge to discharge the judicial duties heretofore discharged by Sir James Wigram?
§ LORD J. RUSSELLsaid, that the hon. and learned Gentleman and the House were aware that he had stated at the end of last Session, that it was his intention to propose, on the part of the Government, a measure for the better administration of justice in the Court of Chancery; and he could now only state further that it was his intention very shortly to introduce a measure for that purpose. Considering the present state of business in the Court of Chancery, and the great quantity of business that, owing to some recent Acts of Parliament, had been brought before the Court, making a considerable amount of cases standing for hearing, it would be necessary to appoint a Vice-Chancellor in 508 place of the late Vice-Chancellor Sir James Wigram. When he brought forward the measure, he would state the reasons why he thought such an appointment was necessary.