The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-04-18 00:00:00

IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT BILL.

Mr. Bass moved the second reading of his hill for the
ithollittpn of Imprisonment for Debt under £5. He sup-
ports:int by reading numerous extracts from the evidence
of County Court Judges in its favour given before the
Select Committee of last year, and pointed out the
economic disadvantages suffered by the working classes by
react) of the reckless credit which was fostered by the pre-
sent system.

Mr. Lopes, in moving the rejection if the hill, argued that
under the present system lielotors were nit imprisoned Vr
non-payment, but were punished for contempt of Court. No
mail was imprisoned until it was shown that he could pay
but would 110 t. mid, if they were thus deprived of credit, the
working classes would have no means of tiding over the
seas, ins of illness or want of employment which would befall
the best conducted.

Sir Henry James admitted that though formerly a strong
opponent of the bill, he had been converted by the eviden
given beforelast year's Committee, which had had convinced
him that, under the existing system, the County Courts were
made the machinery for fostering reckleas credit, and ewe-
relied the honest working man not only to pay heavily for
inferior articles, but to pay for the dishonest debtor who
would not pay. At present, he argued, credit was given, not
tu the min, hot to the power of imprisonment, and to
abolish it would compel the working men to prsctise
thrift and to deal for ready money.
Mr. Holker, Mr. Clive, and Mr Forsyth .spoke against the
bill, and Mr. Sampson Lloyd, arguing on the same side, as-
iiserted that the power was indispensable to compel snarly
well-to-do middle-class debtors to pay their debts, and
mentioned the case of certain colliers who would not pay
until the order for imprisonment was 'signed, although at the
time they were feeding their fighting dogs on butcher.' meat
and port wine
Mr. Roebuck also opposed the hill in the interests of the
working classes, who, he insisted, had as much right to credit
as any other portion of the community.

Mr. Serjeant Simon supported the bill, though regretting
that it did not go further. Imprisonment for non-perforni-
anee of • Simple contract was Contrary to all modern juris-
prudence, and, rather than perpetuate the present system,
be should prefer to make it a crime for a man to have the
means and not to pay. .

_
Mr. Cross, on behalf of the Government, opposed the bill.
which, he pointed out, .lid not comply with the reconmien-
dations of the Committee. The honest debtor, lie argued,
was amply protected, awl. if any hardships were suffered,
they were due, not to the law, but to the administration of
it If any amendment were needed, it should be rather by
he extention of the principle of the Fraudulent Debtors' At
0 this class of cases.

On a division, the bill was thrown out by 215 to 72.
Mr. Cnwper.Temple obtained leave to brine Inn bill ta re-
move doubts as to the power of the Universities of Scotland
ruhnit women as Studrn, . and to ',TWA ih.:4lCeb Ia
iVOMOII, and the linnet. adjourned.