§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD LOREBURN)I propose to ask your Lordships to read a first time a very short Bill, which I believe to be entirely non-controversial. Your Lordships may recollect that last year a Joint Committee of both Houses was appointed to consider the condition of the business in the King's Bench Division. That Committee sat and made the unanimous recommendation that two fresh Judges of the King's Bench Division should for the time be appointed, but they did not recommend that the additional Judges should be permanent unless, after further experience, Parliament should so decide. That was not exactly my view, because I thought Commissioners would suffice, but I thoroughly and loyally accept the preference expressed by the Joint Committee, and this Bill is brought in for the purpose of carrying out literally the recommendation I have read to your Lordships. There is one other part of the Joint Committee's Report, to my mind very valuable, relating to other recommendations for the improvement of business in that Division. I should have liked to include that in this Bill, but the Committee thought the appointment of the Judges ought to be proceeded with at once. I 123 cannot conceal from myself that some of the other part of the Report may be controversial, and I wish to confine myself at the moment to the non-controversial proposals. The Bill will be printed and circulated, and, inasmuch as undoubtedly time presses, I shall try, if the House after seeing the Bill do not object, on Monday or Tuesday next to get the assent of the House to its passing through all its stages, so that we may get the Bill through at once. I beg to move that the Bill be now read a first time.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 1a.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
§ EARL CAWDORAs Chairman of the Joint Committee to which the noble and learned Lord has referred, I am glad that the Lord Chancellor has thought it right to introduce this Bill at an early stage of the session. So far as I am aware, that part of the question to which the noble and learned Lord has referred is quite non-controversial, having had the unanimous approval of the Committee, the members of which were drawn from both sides in both Houses of Parliament. Therefore I trust that the Bill may be passed through all its stages as rapidly as possible.
§ On Question, Bill read 1a; to be printed; to be read 2a on Tuesday next, and Standing Order No. XXXIX to be considered in order to its being dispensed with. (No. 11.)