§ MR. ROEBUCKsaid, he rose to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he means to propose any measure for the relief of the Clerks of the Insolvent Debtors' Court; and whether he intends to introduce a Declaratory Act fur that purpose?
THE ATTORNEY GENERALsaid, the circumstances to which the question of the hon. and learned Gentleman referred certainly required full investigation. If compensation was to be awarded to the Clerks of the Insolvent Debtors' Court, the amount must of course be voted by that House, and the House could not be expected to proceed in the matter until it was satisfied of the justice and extent of the claims put forward. The Government remained of the opinion they had previously expressed, that the proper course to be pursued was that the Clerks should petition the House, sitting forth the nature and amount of their claims. The Government would not object to such a Petition being referred to a Select Committee, and would be further prepared to act upon the Report of that Committee. He need not add that there was no intention on the part of the Government to bring in any declaratory measure upon the subject.