The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-06-07 00:00:00

THE ARREARS IN CHANCERY.

A great deal of sensation has been awakened
in legal circles by the appearance during the
last few days of a clever satire, which iu
forcible yet amusing manner, directs attention
to the arrears which exist in the Courts of Chan-
cery. The brochure takes the form of a " motion'
made in an imaginary case of Jones r. Smith,"
in the Court of Vice.Chancelior Sir Dickiiin
Railings and the counsel engaged respectively
for the plaintiff and defendant are Mr. &ankle,
and !dr. WI-jigging. This bit of pleasantry may
to some appear rather severe, but the fearful
dead lock in Chancery business may perhaps be
an ail-sufficient answer to the objection. As it
is, public indignation is already beginning to
make itself heard, and there can be little doubt
that the pamphlet to which we allude
.will upon
the principle laid down by Horace—

_ _
---Ridicelem scri
Forties menus imema.rlettiniqUc t•cc.tt ret
do • great deal tos Ards removing, or at least.
remedying, the fearful delay which at tile pre
sent time afflicts Chancery procedure. It does
not require is very acute or lengthy search to
disciver the real secret of this evil. At the
commencement of the Trinity term n now in pro-
gress there were nearly 600 causes set down for
hearing in the Courts of Equity, the niachitier:.
of which is totally inadequate to grapple with
such an enormous mass ut litigation. For the
benefit of the unlearned in each matters we may
be allowed to explain that the High Court of
Chancery consists of seven judges, viz.—the
Lord Chancellor, the Master of the Rolls, the
Lords Justices, and three Vice• Chancellors.
The Lord Chancellors aud the Lords Justiets
constitute two courts of appeal from the de-
cisions of the remaiuing four, but at the period
at which we write, the Lord Chancellor has
posed upon hirn the duty of sitting as Master
of the Rolls, that office vacated mune months
ego by Lord 'tonality not having been liiled up.
Therefore the case stands thus. Six hundred
menses to be disposed of in four courts. One
court is shut up all day on Monday, two others
close at halt past two; whilst the other is open
—occasionally. Can it be wondered at that a
feeling of angry remonstrance is being excited
In people's minds?
It is not easy to see any practical solution to
this state of rffitirs, except one which would
necessarily involve an additional outlay from the
public purse. Under the present system one
Vice-Chancellor has also to act, as Chief Judge
in bankruptcy, whilst the others have to per-
form duties which in the common law courts
are satisfactorily dischatged :by the masters of
the same. Why cannot Chancery practice
adopt something similar? In the first place,
let the present talented Vice-Chancellor Bacon
be appointed permanently the Bankruptcy
Judge, and another be raised to his place, or
else let a Bankruptcy Judge be created from the
ranks of the Equity Bar and Vice-Chancellor
Bacon devote his whole time to the Chancery
work. At all events let the two offices be kept
apart and distinct. In the next place, why
should public time be wasted by the hearing of
paltry little squabbles which could be better de-
cided in some inferior tribunal? We venture
to say that half-a-dozen officials who should hold
posts equivalent to the Masters of the Common
Law Courts would soon sweep away the count-
less" petitions," "motions," and "further con-
siderations," which serve to successfully block
up the way as much as the celebrated case of
Jerodyee e.Jarndyee" which Dickens immor-
talised.

_
again this week are not sanguine that till the
Whit week his expired that they shall secure all
the labouc they requir,.. Prices were strong
this afternoon, alike for pig and finished iron.
The vendors assert their inability to quote lower
pt ices than they have recently named. The
c .mplaints were loud as to the continued enor-
iii prices demanded for best coal. On the
pa t of several large consumers there is an
anxious desire to secure a combined action that
h ill bring about a very decided drop in the
prate of fuel; and 'there are consumers of the
b. at coal who, without such a compact, are
themselves reducing their consumption very
considerably. Coal is being brought from York-
shire at high prices, the consumers, who are
pig-iron makers, preferring to buy front that
quarter rather than purchase at the existing
rates nearer home. Finished iron-makers are
likewise tying-up their boats. There is an area
of the canal between Birmingham and this town
where as many as 40 boats belonging to one
finished-iron firm may be seen tethered. Yet
the, consumption of the proprietors of the boats
is thousands of tons per week. Nevertheless
it is only the forge coal of an inferior quality
that to-day shows any signs of weakness.

There was a good attendance of ironmasters
at the Birtainghani Exchange on Thnrsday, but
comparatively little business was transacted.
Most of the ironworks have been closed since
Saturday, in consequence of the holidays, and
many will not resume work till Monday next.
Purchasers have been moving very cautiously
of late, and seem disposed to withhold orders
till a reduction is made in prices. In no part
of the district have orders of any consequence
been booked for several weeks past, but at the
some time makers have had quite sufficient to
keep their works fully occupied. Quotations
see firm for finished iron and pigs. Large con-
tracts arc expected from the colonies forfinished
iron. Complaints were made on all bands as to
the continued high price of fuel. Producers
ailirm that they cannot possibly reduce their
rites until fuel has been reduced in price.
Rumours were current that several of the largest
makers contemplate a couibiued action which
must have the effect of bringing the price of
fuel down considerably. It is very probable
that many furnaces may be blown out and other
Steps taken for the purpose of reducing the con-
samption of coal. There are no signs of a re-
duction at present.