§ House in Committee (according to Order).
§ Clauses 1 to 12, inclusive, agreed to.
§ Clause 13 (Courts to be held and duties to be discharged by sheriffs).
§ LORD COLONSAYmoved to omit all the words after the word "authority" in line 11, page 5. The words proposed to be omitted provided that all sheriffs, whether appointed before or after the passing of the Act, should be relieved of the duty of attending the sittings of the Court of Session. The Amendment, if agreed to, would leave them under their present obligation of being compelled to attend the Courts at Edinburgh at least two months in every year—the object, of course, being that they should keep up their knowledge of the progress of the law.
§ LORD CAIRNSsupported the Amendment. The assistant barristers in the County Courts in Ireland were gentlemen who practised in the Superior Courts. What had worked well in Ireland could scarcely fail to be advantageous in Scotland.
§ LORD PENZANCEobjected to the Amendment.
§ On Question, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the clause?"—Their Lordships divided:—Contents 28; Not-Contents 33: Majority 5.
§ Words omitted.
§ An Amendment made.
§ The Report of the Amendments to be received To-morrow; and Bill to be printed, as amended. (No. 257.)