HC Deb 22 June 1920 vol 130 cc2093-4

(1) The provisions relating to the tenure of office by a judge of the Supreme Court of Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland shall apply to the office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland.

(2) Nothing in this Act shall affect—

  1. (a) the powers of the Lord Chancellor with respect to the custody of persons and estates of idiots, lunatics, and persons of unsound mind;
  2. (b) any jurisdiction exercised by him in respect of and on behalf of His Majesty as visitor of any college or other charitable foundation;
  3. (c) any jurisdiction exercised by him with respect to solicitors;
but save as aforesaid, the Lord Chancellor shall not exercise any executive functions, and the Lord Chancellor shall cease to be Keeper of the Great Seal, and the custody thereof and such executive functions as aforesaid shall be transferred to the Lord Lieutenant.

Mr. D. WILSON

I beg to move, in Sub-section (2) to leave out paragraph (a).

When we establish these two courts, one in Northern Ireland and the other in Southern Ireland it will be very expensive and injudicious that the solicitors and others connected with the estates of lunatics in Northern Ireland should have to come to Dublin to get some small matter arranged in regard to these estates. It is proposed to leave this Clause out, and to allow the jurisdiction over the estates of lunatics and others to be exercised by the judges of Northern and Southern Ireland respectively.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendments made: In Subsection (1, b) leave out the word "him" ["jurisdiction exercised by him"], and insert instead thereof the words "the Lord Chancellor."

Leave out paragraph (c).

In Sub-section (1) after the word "Seal" [Keeper of the Great Seal"], insert the words "of Ireland."—[Mr. D. Wilson.]

Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 43 (Provisions as to Master of the Rolls), and 44 (Transitory Provisions) ordered to stand part of the Bill.