§ SIR THOMAS DEWAR (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)To ask Mr. Attorney-General whether his attention has been called to remarks by His Majesty's Judges, notably Judge Emden, when sitting at Lambeth County Court in January last, condemning the separate system between the High Court and County Court; and seeing that the procedure under which petty actions are remitted from the High Court to County Court entails on litigants costs in excess of the amount in dispute, will he consider the expediency of taking steps to amend the present system.
(Answered by Sir Robert Finlay.) I am aware that the question of the relations between the High Court and County Courts has formed the subject of discussion. The extension of the jurisdiction of the County Courts forms the subject of a Bill now before this House. If petty actions are brought in the High Court, it is proper that they should be remitted. There is not, so far as I am aware, any adequate reason for treating separately the question of the amount of costs incurred in this particular connection.