§ MR. ANDERSONasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, If his attention has been called to an Order issued by the Lord Chancellor on the 5th June, closing the Chancery Court books from the 21st August to the 28th October,
That the books may be examined and compared, and to adjust the accounts of the suitors with the books kept at the Bank;whether so great a time could be needed for such a purpose, unless the system were defective, and if the inconvenience from the fact that "no money or certificate can be give out during that time," might not be remedied; and, if he would state the causes why, in accordance with 1769 the announcement made to the House a year ago by the then Secretary to the Treasury, that the subject was then under consideration, there has ensued no change?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, in reply, that the closing of the Chancery Court books from the 21st of August to the 28th of October arose from a defective system, but he did not know that anyone was to blame for it. It was the result of intrusting the finances of the Court of Chancery to the judicial authorities of that Court. It would be much better to separate the finances of the Court of Chancery from the judicial authority of that Court. One of the evils of that system was, that a sort of run was made upon the Court of Chancery a day or two before it closed; and last year the sum of £300,000 was carried off in one day from his (the Chancellor of the Exchequer's) balances. The Government had endeavoured to remedy the evil by introducing the Chancery Funds Bill; but he was sorry to say they were obliged to abandon all hope of carrying that measure during the present Session.