§ On the Motion that the Lord Chancellor's Salary Bill be read a first time.
1304The Lord Chancellorsaid, he wished to make one observation relative to statements which had been made elsewhere. It was said that there was no ground for so large a salary as this Bill proposed, inasmuch as there had been a great decrease of labour since the institution of the Bankruptcy Court. Now there could not be a greater delusion than that, for there was as much business now before the Court of Chancery as formerly, notwithstanding the Bankruptcy Court, or any other Court. The Court sat as long, and was as much occupied, as when a variety of other business was before it. If the Bankruptcy Court had diminished any business in Chancery, it was most likely to do so in the Vice Chancellor's Court; but even there the labours of the Vice-Chancellor were as great as ever. The arrears had been nearly got rid of, but the business had, in many respects, increased. Within the last seven months, there had been no less than 258 more Bills filed than in 1829, when there was the greatest number known.
§ Bill read a first time.