§ MR. HADFIELDsaid, he rose to call attention to the Commission for inquiry concerning the laws of Jersey, and to inquire of the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the Commissioners had not pursued their inquiries in Jersey since August last? why had they not already investigated the law affecting land tenure, and concerning bankruptcy and insolvency in the island? also, Whether the Commissioners were continuing their labours, and when their Report would be made? A Commission, embracing these topics, had been appointed by the late Government, and the announcement was received with great joy by the inhabitants of the island. Ever since August last, however, they had ceased to pursue the investigation, and great inconvenience had in consequence been occasioned. He might add, that when they adjourned they had arrived at a point of the inquiry which was of great interest to the inhabitants of Jersey—the law connected with the tenure of land—and that he could discover no good reason why they should have allowed a period of more than five months to elapse without resuming the duties which they had been appointed to discharge. It was of great importance to the district that this Commission should be speedily executed, and two Royal Commissions, involving much more labour than this, had, since it was issued, completed their inquiries and made their Reports. The adjournment had been made to January, but January had passed and nothing further had been heard on the subject. In these circumstances he had felt it his duty, at the request of the inhabitants of Jersey, to call the attention of the Secretary of State for the Home Department to the delay which had taken place.
SIR GEORGE LEWISsaid, a Commis- 526 sion, consisting of three persons, at the head of which was Sir John Awdry, a retired Indian Judge, bad been appointed to inquire into the laws of the island of Jersey. The Commissioners visited the island in the course of the summer and autumn, and at the end of August they left the island. Having brought their inquiries to a conclusion they had since been employed in the preparation of their Report, and he had been assured by the Secretary of the Commission that it was in a state of forwardness, and that it would be presented at no distant period. With regard to the questions of land tenure, and of bankruptcy and insolvency, the Commissioners had made inquiry on those subjects, and were in possession of documentary evidence on those matters. The hon. Gentleman was doubtless aware, that though he had a strong opinion as to the policy of assimilating the law of Jersey to that of England, the people of Jersey had a strong attachment to the old laws and traditions of their country. When this Commission was appointed he believed it was understood that it should not sit longer than a year. He was not, however, at that moment able to specify the particular time when the Report would be ready.