§ MR. WHITESIDEsaid, he wished to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether it is in contemplation of the Irish Government to increase the number of Superior Equity Judges to ten; or whether it is contemplated to confer the jurisdiction of a Court of Chancery upon the Court for the Sale of Landed Estates in Ireland? He had been surprised to find it stated that there were ten Equity Judges in Ireland, for he had been under the impression that there were but two—the Lord Chancellor and the Master of the Rolls. There were also the Masters in Chancery, formerly five in number, but now reduced to four, and one of them was a Receiver Master, with about 1,000 estates to look after. When the Landed Estates Court was established the Government of the Earl of Derby proposed to appoint two Judges; but hon. Gentlemen opposite insisted upon having three. He did not know whether these learned functionaries were to be called Equity Judges.
§ MR. CARDWELLsaid, there was no intention of making any such change as was referred to by the right hon. and learned Member, nor did he know how it had been ascertained that there were ten Equity Judges in Ireland.