§ Order for Committee read.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair."
§ MR. RAMSAYin moving that the House go into Committee that day three months said, that the right hon. and learned Lord Advocate had said that the object of the Government was to enable an additional Sheriff substitute to be appointed by Glasgow. No person was more sensible than he of the need there was in Glasgow for more judicial power, but he would remind the House that the application by Glasgow for a stipendiary magistrate had been refused by the Home Secretary. In other parts of the country there were Sheriffs substitute who had nothing to do, and he thought one of these should be employed, so that instead of increasing the expenses they should go towards economy. He would move the postponement of the Committee.
§ Amendment proposed, to leave out from the word "That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words "this House will, upon this day three months, resolve itself into the said Committee,"—(Mr. Ramsay,)—instead thereof.
MR. ASSHETON CROSShoped the House would permit the Bill to be brought in. He admitted the judicial system of Scotland required revision, and said that the subject would engage 82 the attention of the Lord Advocate and himself during the Recess.
GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALEOURalso advocated the withdrawal of the opposition for the present, and to contest the proposals of the Government on the separate clauses of the Bill, and to this way he was quite prepared to give his cordial aid to his hon. Friend (Mr. Ramsay) in every stage of the Bill which was partial in its reforms, instead of being general for all Scotland.
§ MR. CAMPBELL - BANNERMANsuggested that the best way to save the time of the Government was to oppose Bills when they were introduced.
§ Question put, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question."
§ The House divided:—Ayes 57; Noes 29: Majority 28.
§ Main Question proposed, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair."
§ Debate arising.
§ Motion made, and Question, "That the Debate be now adjourned,"—(Mr. Stacpoole,)—put, and negatived.
§ Main Question, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair," put, and agreed to.
§ Matter considered in Committee.
§ (In the Committee.)
§ Resolved, That it is expedient to authorise the payment, out of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom, of the Salaries of certain additional Sheriffs Substitute in Scotland.
§ Resolution to be reported To-morrow, at Two of the clock.