The LORD CHANCELLOR,in moving that the House go into Committte on this Bill, said he wished to make a single remark with reference to a petition which he had presented to their Lordships on Friday evening last from the Metropolitan and Provincial Law Association, on the subject of one of the clauses. That clause provided that the Examiners should be appointed from the class of barristers. The members of that association complained of that provision, alleging that it was a grievance to them that the chances of appointment should not be extended to solicitors as well as barristers, and that solicitors should be ineligible to those offices. He wished to observe for their satisfaction that the subject had been well considered in another place; but independently of that, it would be impossible not to confine the appointment to barristers without acting on a different principle from that which had been laid down in all analogous cases. The new Vice-Chancellors must be selected from the class of barristers, and the duties of the Examiners were now so extensive and so important, that it would be impossible to secure fit persons to discharge them from any other class than that of barristers. The solicitors must, therefore, not consider that any slur was cast upon them by this provision of the Bill.
§ House in Committee; an Amendment made: the Report thereof to be received To-morrow.
§ House adjourned till To-morrow.