§ The Earl of Buckinghamshire moved the first reading of the bill for authorising the 239 payment of a salary to the chairman of the quarter sessions of the county of Lancaster, on which
§ The Earl of Radnor rose, and expressed his decided disapprobation of the measure. He observed, that the office to which the bill applied was one of antient institution, greatly conducive to the public welfare; and the more so, as it was always performed gratuitously. He was willing to admit that some strong and plausible arguments would apply in the present case. Let their lordships consider the, duties which were imposed on jurymen, to be gratuitously performed, and who were able to be fined if they did not attend; in that respect, what difference should there be between the county of Lancaster and other counties? that part of the country was very populous, but was highly prosperous; why should it possess the advantages of prosperity, without at the same time suffering some of the disadvantages which resulted from it? Were the bill in question passed, there would be applications of a similar kind from other quarters. He had several other objections, but he now objected to the principle of the bill; and, under his impression of it, would move to amend the noble earl's motion, by substituting for the word "now," "this day three months."
§ The Earl of Buckinghamshire said, he was aware of several objections which might be made to the bill; but the truth was, that all those whom he had consulted on the occasion, were impressed with the necessity of the measure, and were of opinion, that it was impossible to carry on the business to which the bill referred, without a provision of the kind; so much so, that he thought he only discharged his duty to the public in supporting it; the part of the county of Lancaster to be affected by the bill contained an immense population, a great part of whom were manufacturers. For the three last years, the office in question was executed by a person who resided thirty miles from the place; the measure under consideration was necessary in the opinion of many conversant with the business of the courts of Justice. His lordship went into a statement of the number of cases tried in the year 1800, and the four following years, and adverted to the serious inconveniences which must ensue, were these, or the greater part of them, left to be tried at the assizes. The salary was to be given only 240 in the event of a person duly qualified for the office not being found willing to act without it. In short, from the opinions of all those he had consulted, and from those most conversant with these things in that part of the country, he was convinced it was an innovation rendered necessary by the peculiar circumstances of the case.
§ The Earl of Bridgewater made a few observations in favour of the measure, and, after, a few words in explanation from the earl of Radnor, the question was put, and the amendment of the latter negatived; after which the bill was read a first, time.