HC Deb 20 July 1882 vol 272 cc1167-8

Order for Second Reading read.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES)

said, he trusted the House would allow this Bill to be read a second time. The Bill was brought in last year, but in consequence of the pressure of Business it could not be proceeded with. The details of the measure required discussion in Committee, and as the Bill in some shape must be introduced, he hoped the House would assent to the second reading.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."—(Mr. Attorney General.)

MR. H. H. FOWLER

said, it was quite correct that this Bill was brought in to fulfil a pledge given last Session with reference to the patronage which was vested in the Lord Chancellor, the Master of the Rolls, and the Lord Chief Justice. But this Bill went a great deal further than to deal with patronage; it introduced a serious and retrograde alte- ration in the judicature jurisdiction of this country. It was to be deplored that the House was called upon at 2 o'clock in the morning to consider so serious a change as this Bill contemplated. He did not wish to weary the House, but he would indicate the clauses to which he meant to take objection when the House got into Committee. The chief objection he had was to the clause which enabled the Lord Chancellor to place Puisne Judges in the present Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal was now working to the entire satisfaction of the country; he believed there was no Court which had given so much satisfaction. It was now proposed to reintroduce the old system of chance Judges sitting in a chance way in the Court of Appeal. The proper way of dealing with this question was to abolish the necessity of the Lords Justices going Circuit. The Chancery Judges ought also to be relieved from going Circuit; in fact, the working part of the present system was not satisfactory to the Profession or the public. He meant to raise this question in Committee; and he also intended to propose in Committee the insertion of a clause in the Bill dealing with that great public scandal, the Long Vacation.

Motion agreed to.

Bill read a second time, and committed for Monday next.