The Express.
London, England, 1848-07-05 00:00:00

M PLURAL PA RUA ALEN 1.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—TUESDAT, JULY 4.
The LORD CIWICTIILLAR
PRIV took his seat at 5 °Week.
ATE
SECOND READlEoE—Plymouth Great IVeetern Deck Act Amend-
ment ; Dover Ilarbour ; Edinburgh and Northern Railway (Roscobie,
Keltyhead, and Glenerds Branchee); Great Weetern Railway
Linerßanch
Bern Slough to Windsor); Great Western Railway (Loop from
the nirmiesham and Oxford Junction Railway threugh Leamington) ;
Great Western Railway (Birmingham and Oxford Junction, ac.,
Railways Purchase) ; London and South Western Railway Company,
and Southampton and Dorchester Railway Company (Amalgam);
Stirling and Ihinferniline Railway (Amendment and Deviation); Lon-
don and North Western Itailway (Branches and Extensions from Lea-
mington); Wishaw and connive Railway (Deviation., Coanecting
Branch, and Improvement); Fleetwood, Preston, and Went Riding
Junction Railway (Burnley and Colliery Branches); Windsor, Stains,
and Swath Western Railway Act (No. 1) 1647 (Deviations) ; Edinburgh
and Glasgow Railway, and Glm'gow, Airdrie, and Menklanda Junction
Railway (Amendment of Acts) ; North and South Western Railway
(Harrow to Brentford) ; Scottish Midland Junction Railway (Amend-
ment and Branch to Laurcuockirk); Las.
TIIIRD READlNGE—Manchester Corporation Water Works Act
Amendment (Nu. 2) ; Waterford and Kilkenny Hallway Act Amend-
ment ; Dubbn and !dullingar Turnpike hoed; Low's Patent ; East
Linn4nshire Railway (Alteration of Great Grimsby Branch); Leen.
Central Railway Station; Lecidi and Think Railway (Ilarrogate and
Pateley Branch); Bills.
JUVENILE OFFENDERS.
The Duke of RICHMOND, on presenting the petition on
this subject from the City of London, said that the practice
of trying children in courts of justice tended to harden them
in the course of crime ; and he hoped to lay a measure oa
the table next session with the view of *ending children
charged with offences to a reformatory place instead of a
common prison, where they might have some chance of
being reclaimed. In the crowded gaols of this metropolis it
was impossible that they could learn anything that would be
of service to them, and they generally Cal= out much worse
than when they went in.
Lord KINN Al ItO said the subject was well worthy of
'attention, there were 100 OW children is the metropolis
without education, and 30,000 who were vagrants, and who
horded together in dens of iniquity. In Aberdeen it had
been proved that children could be kept in a school with a
view to their reformation for N. a year, and they could be
maintained in London for 61. ; and this would be much
cheapa than transporting them.
Earl GREY said the boys who hail been sent to Parkhurst
were often forwarded to Western Australia as apprentices,
and the system had been found to answer remarkably well.
They must be careful not to place children who bad been
neglected by their parents in a better situation than the
children of poor honest people.
Lord Illt01;1; HAM thought it wan a great evil to subject
children to the contamination of a gaol; corporal punish-
ment should rather be inflicted upon them than that they
should be sent to gaols.
THE NOItTII WALES RAILWAY.
Lord MONTEAGLE, on prownting a petition on the
subject of the conduct of the directors of this railway, said
the case stated by the petitioner was, that he was an original
shareholder; and that the directors had lent money on
insufficient security, and he had been ft:loud acres. to the
accounts. He intended to move for a committee to inquire
into the facts alleged by the petitioner.
Earl GItAN VILLE hoped the noble lord would give
some formal notice of his motion.
Lord WHARNCLIEFE thought the subject ought to be
inquired into.
Lord REDESDALE cvneidered that the legislature ought
to interfere, to compel these great companies to furnish
proper accounts.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE agreed with the noble lord
who had just sat dowr, end was sorry that the bill for
the better auditing of railway accounts had not been allowed
to pass through the other house.
Their lordships then, at six o'clock, adjourned.

HOUSE OF CONINIONS.—TyesuAy, JULY 4.

The Sreauta took the chair at 12 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

REPORTS CONSIATEI;.-I.liiiennead Dock Cammi.isioners
(transfer of powers to new COMMiabiOWIN effecting arrangements
with the crown, and amendment of wets) iNu. 2) ; Iliilme and Yorks
Road ; Manchester, Bultim, Mattock, and MidLunis Junction Itailway
Deviation and Branches ; Monkland and Airkwtillocb, Italluebney
and Slanumnan Railways (amalgamation, or sale, or lease, mid ameml-
moot or repeal of acts) ; Royston and Oneida Itailway (extension to
(cnheidge and branches); Bills.
READINUS.—Dunbar Customs., Wider, and tlarbsur Dues
Amendment; West of England and booth Wales Land Draining Com-
pany Incorporation; Bilis.
LORDS' AMENDMENTS CONSlDERED.—Marchester, Sheffield,
and Lincolnshire Railway (station approach in Manchester) ; South
York:aim. Doomster, and Gook Railway Amendment (extension to
Peni•tone and alteration of Dadwurth branch); l'ialcaater and Halton
DLit Turnpike Road (diversion, Ste., of the road iu the parish uf Tod-
mister) ;
POETIC FICSINESS.

COMMlTTEE.—lncombered Egan. Ireland IliIL
PETITIONS.—Mr. Comma, team Derby, on the subject of pone law
superannuation from a place not beard, for the suspension of the
Habeas Corpus Act in Ireland.—ln favour of Mr. Ilume's mutton he
parliamentary reform, by Dr. BOM from 00 inhatmanta of
Dolton ; end from 440 females of the same borough; Lord D. Si IA6T.
from St. Pancras.
INCUMBERED ESTATES (IRELAND) BILL.
On the motion that the house go into committee on this
bill,
Sir L. O'BRIEN rose to move, pursuant to notice,
that it be an instruction to the committee to extend the
opt rations of the bill to England and Scotland. He had
always understood that the principle on which the imperial
government desired to proceed was, that Ireland should be
regarded as an integral part of this country, entitled to the
same laws and in all respects placed upon an equality with
England and with Scotland. It was therefore most issential
that the practice of the law should be placed upon the same
basis in all the three kingdoms. lle complained that so
important a measure should nave been driven oft to s 3 late a
period of the sission ; for the bill, in point of fact,
as it had come down to them from the Lords, was
so changed as to have become altogether a new
measure. The tinancial condition of tho landed
proprietors of the west of Ireland was perfectly deplorable.
Take the case of Mace county. The ordinary taxation of
that county had been about 50,0001. per annum ; hut at the
last grand jury levy this sum had been very nearly doubled,
in consequence of the severe distress of the country. Upon
one portion of his estate, which paid him Ills. an acre rent,
the tenants paid in the shape of rate no less than Its., being
Is. more that their rent. It would, perhaps, be said that
this was all the fault of the gentry of Clam themselves—
that their heavy taxation was owing altogether to the ex•
traysgance of expenditure on the part of the local authea
cities; but long and clog observotion enabled him to say
that he did nut join in the condemnation of the local au-
thorities on any such ground. What he did condemn, how-
ever. and that very strongly, was the manner in which the
loans from this country had been administered in Ireland.
Ile conaidered that, as regarded the advances un :er the
Labour-rate Act, every farthing of these advances ought to
be cancelled from the anuunt between this country and Ire-
land. One half of the advances had already been cancelled, and
the other half ought equally to be removed from the account.
He considered that the money thus expended should lie re-
garded as essentially an imperial expenditure, to obviate, as
nearly so possible, the effects of an imperial calamity. At a
momeut:of distress like this—and distress occasioned to so
great an extent by calamities impossible for man to avert—
he considered that it would be most unjus.. to give the cre-
ditors of estate in Ireland powers over the debtors which
were not in force in the other portions of the empire. This
bill had been put forward as a boon to the land-
lords of Ireland, as enabling them voluntarily to
part with outlying portions of their estates to redeem
the rest. Such a bill would have been welcomed ; but
this bill, as it now stood, was to no such purpose.
The bill, instead of being a loon, would expose the land-
lords of Ireland to every spccies of annoyance to which
creditors could resort. The present was en inopp irtune moo-
meld fur bringing in such a penal measure. the question
became now a constitutional one, viewing the measure as an
infringement of the law of entail. He was not going to en-
ter into the question as to the grounds of that law, but it
was recognised from the succeasicn of the crown down to
the smallest inheritance in the empire, and as such should
not without better reasons than were alleged in favour of
the bill be disturbed. If the bill were carried into law the
tenant fur life would have the extraordinary power of
raising money on the real value of the estate, and the next
heir, instead of succeeding to his property, would find that a
power to sell wise lodged with the creditors of his predecessor,
and that a small balance arising from the surplus produce of
the sale would be lodged to his credit at his banker's, in-
stead of taking possession of his hereditary landed estate.
The bill even west so far as to give the morteagee power to
sell the estate by private contract, so that it might be sold
under its real value, and thus not even a surplus might exist
for the next heir, Ile begged pardon for having occupied
so much time, but he come forward manfully as the apolo-
gist for the lauded classes of Ireland, and as such must be
remitted to state his ease, for in his belief a mom honour-
able class of men did not exist. He liked to put the saddle
on the right horse, and in his opinion the blame attached to
the peewit condition of the landlords of Ireland was to be
ascribed to the ltgislative course which hod been pursued to-
words them. The fault ley in the mode of levying
and imposing county rates. In his own case he had often
been obliged to pay the rates for tenants from whom
he had not received a shilling rent. Whenever a landlord
was obliged to eject tenants for non-payment of their rents,
he must either pull down the house or else pay the county
rates for unoccupied tenements. There was no other remedy
for this injustice than in pulling down the houses of ejected
ten. nts ; if he built a house in a village, and put a tenant
into it, he might never get a shilling of rent, and be three or
four years before he was able to eject him and obtain pos-
session of his property. Having thus stated his views, he
begged to move that it he an instruction to the committee
to extend the operation of the bill to England a- d Scotland.
The SPEAKER having put the original question and tho
amendment,
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said that since the bill had
origirally been introduced there had Ihren alterations and
amendments made in it of a very important demription, the
nature and effects of which were not fully understood. He
therefore begged the attention of the house, whilst he
endeavoured to explain the provisions of the measure, and
the difficulties which it was intended to remove with respect
to the disposal of landed property in Ireland. With re-
spect to the clauses that bad been introduced and printed in
the bill since it was first brought in, he admitted that they
had been introduced at an unseasonable hour in a former
stripe of the measure ; but he considered that it was better
to have those clauses printed, in order to let hon. members
hive the opportunity for fixity ascertaining their purport,
than to postpone them until the bill was in committee. He
would not follow the hon. baronet opposite into the discur-
sive topics which he had introduced, but would confine
himself to a statement of the facts. The object of the bill
was to make land a marketable commodity in Ireland, which
at present it was not, owing to the particular state of the
law. There was plenty of capital in Ireland, which was evi-
denced by the fact, that even during the height of the famine
large sums were transmitted thence for investment in Eng-

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 5, 1848.

land; and there could be no question but that if land could e
be purchased in small pieces capital would be plentifully in-
vested in it, and thus produce the most beneficial results.
That was the object of the bill, and he would leave it to the
house to judge if it was not a beneficial one. The difficulties
which the government had encountered in framing the bill
arose out of the state of the law he Ireland with respect
to lace and its incumbrances, and these difficulties would
oonstitute a sufficient answer to the amendment of the
honourable baronet. The honourable and learned gentle-
man here entered into an elubonste legal statement respect-
ing the technicalities of the registries of deeds and mort-
gagee
as well as of crown debts in Ireland, and of the effect
which the successive incumbrances on land had upon the
value of that commodity. The expense ot tracing the
different incumbrances and their dates of priority, as well u
of getting the tenants in fee to convey their claims, was
sufficient to deter any one from entering into such negoti-
atoms for the purchase of landed property in Ireland. In
order to deal with these complicated difficulties, the
drawers of the bill tried to effect this object. They en-
deavoured to provide the means for enabling the tenant for
life, or the incumbrancers to sell the estate, and to substitute
in its place the money-value of it, which was to be endowed
with all the properties of laud, and to remain subject to all
the incumbrances that had existed on the estate, of which it
was the representative. Thus, the money-value would
descend in succession to the next heirs, and the land would
be freed for all the purposes of commerce. The country
would thus be relieved from its present condition of having
the laud in such a position that no dealing could take place
in it, and the owner of the land would bar placed in an inde-
pendent situation as far as the incumbrances were concerned.
The nominal owner of the hind in Ireland was the person
who was considered to bear the burthen of improving it,
and of protecting his tenantry, whilst, in point of fact, he in
the majority of cases posseseed no interest in it beyond that
of deriving a life rental, and in exacting this ho incurred no
responsibility in the public estimation. The government
considered that the object which was hail in view of convert-
file incumbered estate' into money value might be accom-
plished in two ways. The first was by compulsory sale through
the instrumentality of the Court of Chancery, whereby the
various claimants would receive the amouut of their re•
spective ineunthr times according to priority, and the *arse-
tage would be given to the purchaser of a parliamentary
title, which would give him possession of the e,.tato against
the world, and sweep away all necessity for previous search-
ing of the registries. That proposed was, in fact, the sub
stance of the bill which came last year front the House of
Lords. But it was thought that a chancery suit would prone
a gnat impediment in the way of selling an estate, if it was
necessary to file a bill as the find step towards a sale, for no
class of nuns were more expensive or dilatory than those
which involved inquiries into incumbrances on end titles to
estates. The next provision which the big contained was to
sell the property by consent, and to assume that consent in
all cases where, after due notice had publicly and in a
timely manner been given, no opposition was offered to such
tale; and a subsequent clause was introduced, by which it
wee enacted that in those cases where all the parties inter-
ested in an estate thought it ought to be sold, such estate
could be sold without tho intervention of the Court of
Chancery, upon condition that the money arising float the
sale was brought into court to be dealt with according to the
various claimants on the estate which it represented. In
order to effect this object, it was requi.ite that al: the parties
interested should hate duo notice, and it was also highly
immetant to guard against the possibility of fraudulent sales.
The mode in which these precautio, s were effected was as
follows. The house was aware that the tenant for life
of an estate could not sell without the leave of
the next heir, unless such an incumbrance existed
as affected the whole estate. It was intended
to guard against the possibility of a tenant for lite incumber-
nig the estate to an extent Oat would justify him under the
other provisions of the bill in selling it to clear off such
mortgage. That would be provided for by the third section
of the act. But the power which the bill would give was
that of (hairline the tenant for lite to sell the estate, in order
to clear off the incumbrances which existed when he took
it, and this which had been objected to constituted in point
of fact the greatest advantage of the measure. If the tenant
refused to sell, then the first ineumbraneer would hove the
right to do so, and if he refused, this right was to descend ac-
cording to priority down to the last mortgagee. This provi-
sion had been objected to on the part of the Irish landholders,
but as the law of England stood, any incumbrancer of an
estate might sell it without the instrumentality of a
bill in Chancery. The power had been disputed. hut
he believed he was correct in stating that such was the law of
England, and his hon. and learned friend the Lord Advocate
would tell the house that a still greater pewee was given to
the mortgagee of land in Scotland. Bet in order to guard
against fraudulent sales, every precaution was taken of ex-
acting a complete extract from the two registries of all incum-
brances on the land, so that all who had any claim upon it
might receive their due. The notice of sale, also, w,,s to be
made public in every lapsible form, and affidavits of notice of
sale to all incumbrancers would be rigorously exacted from
the parties, who before the sale was itli tied would also be re-
quired to prove that ecareh into the renistri, a had been strictly
made. NVhen the estate was sold the accounts ilegen, ral would
he authorised to receive the amount of the purchase-money.
They expected that these regulations would b. a considerable
check on improper sales. Every person interested might
with ordinary diligence obtain notice of sale, and could apply
to the court to stop it if cessary. They proposed to pm-
vide also against fraudulent mks, by enacting that pirliamen-
tary titles should not become valid until the end of five years
front the time of purchase, a provision which was analogous
to the English law, and would give ample time for the dis-
covery of any fraud, or the remedy of any irregularity in the
transaction. The purchaser would have to take the pro-
perty subject to dispute as to title within five yeses, but
after that he would hold it against all the world. lie ex-
pected great benefit to asise from the provision
giving the owner of the property the first right
to sell. When an incumbrancer sold, he sold
only as much as suited his own purpose, and provided he
realised his claim, cared not how he sold the property,
whereas the owner would naturally seek the hest market,
and set. his property at the best time and to the best 'silvan
tage. ( Hear, hear.) For these reasons the clause allowing
ineumbrancers to sell was only a means of compelling the
owner to sell, and enabling him to do so on more freourable
terms than would be obtained by the other party. lie was
firmly convineed that this provision would turn cut a boon
to the lendlords of Ireland. (Hear, hear.) It had been
suggested that the occupier Wright, out of spite, sell an old
family estate for the purpose of thwarting and disappointing
his successor. But why could not the successor apply to the
Court of Chancery to stop the sale ? lie might easily obtain
notice, and he (the Solicitor Gsneral) proposed to insert a
clause permitting a caveat to be entered under such circum•
stances.
tlr.liEOOH—Thesuecessermight be abroad. (Hear.)
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL.—He might be abroad or
a minor, it was true. In the latter cam, which was the
most difficult to provide for, any person might apple on his
behalf to the Court of Chancery in England or Ireland to
stop the sale. lie did not think it probable that any one
would act hoetilely. to his own child ; but even in that case
any person might interfere in the manner he had described,
and stop the sale. In the case of a person abroad he had
suggested that Warty should be given to enter a caveat, and
to serve notice on the register requiring to he
served with notice of sale at a certain place
appointed. An objection had been made to the hill that it
would throw too great a quantity of land into the market at
one time, but it should he recollected that the Action of the
bill would be slow, and it would be a great many years le-
fore all the land coming under its operation could be sold.
The only injury the bill would inflict would be on the
lawyers. (Hear, and a laugh ) Every lawyer naturally
felt that he had a vested interest in the landed estates, but
in this instance his interests must he held subservient to the
aceeral eon'. Nobeilv could deny that the word thirsts for
I an Irish estate were a Chancery suit and a receiver. They had
only to look into that expreasivereturn which had been lately
prepared to see the injury which property suffered under
such management. There was one ease in which out of the
whole rents received 2,0001. only was spent in improving the
estate, and 20,0001. in lawyers' costs. The effect of this bill
would be to put an end to receivers in Ireland. Wherever
there were incumbrances the estate would be cold, and tho
purchaser would be provided with a cheap and clear title.
(Hear, hear.) Annher good effect it would have would be
to increase the class of small proprietors in fee. In England
it had been ascertained that the number of such persons ex-
ceeded 200,000; mid if this hill enabled people with small
capital to make small purchases it would be an invaluable
aid in improving the social condition of Ireland. (Hear,
hear.) lie hail now stated the general outline of the bill.
He hail thought it Letter to confine himself strictly
within its purview, and not to touch upon any point con-
nected with the complicated relationsof landlord and tenant.
The object of the bill woo to facilitate the male of incum-
hered estates and to give the purchaser a toed title. If the
latter condition were once obtained capital would soon How

in, and thus an ample means would be afforded of Ilene-
ficisUy employing the population. (Hear, hear.) There
were sine other points requiring explanati.m, hut he had
confined himself to a general outline, believieg that as to
d. tails the better way would be to eintine all discussion re-
specting them to the committee. (Cheers.)
Mr. N AI'IER objected to the principle of the bill shops.
ther. Its operation would be to give every possible facility
to the incumbrancer, and no protection whatever to the
holder in remainder. Property might be sold at half its
value, and an entire family left without the provision which
they had a right to expect. He denied that the bill was a
boon to the landlords. Where was the boon ? The owner
got the first right to sell, but he was compelled to do so
under unfavourable circumstances. At the present moment
there was no capital, no bidders for property in Ireland. A
large estate of the Duke of Buckingham, which had been
valued at 130,0001., had recently been sold to the mortgagee
for 70,0001., little more than half its value. He objected
also to the notice. Nobody ever read the Gazelle, as
that most unjust sales might easily pen unnoticed.
By this bill every judgmer t creditor would have the power
of selling the land. The first part of the bill gives that
power only to the first incumbrancer under the control of
the Court of Chancery—that was intelligible; but the second
part gave the same power, uncontrolled, to every incum-
brancer—every men who might happen to have a judgment
for a small amount against the estate. Such a power would
result in the majority of cans in utter ruin. He had no
objection to giving lull protection to the rights of :he ineum-
braneers ; but those who held incumbrances on property had
the power, under their securities, to sell and secure them-
selves, therefore they wanted no ad dtional powers. The
bill, however, provided th it the property should not be
forced into the mark,t by the owner against the Mourn-
In...neer'. wish ; but while they thus protected the incum-
brancer, were thi p not to protect the tenants in remainder,
who were in many eases h. pleas children and women ? This
bill, instead of being a h.on, would be a serious injury to
the landed proprietors of Ireland, and it could only be
justified by a case of overwhelming wessity, which he
contended did set exist—at all events no such case of necea•
sit; had been pro red.

Mr. MONSELL should be sorry if it went forth to the I
dofle.Larish.d
flrianenddlor(dmsr.coNnacupirr4l.,i,dn
the hon. baronet the member for Clare (Sir L. O'Bnen)—
ow:inr IL that
wi
ha eh/.
nkuornntr
(hear, beery—that because of some possible, and only pos-
sible, injustice to tenants in remsinder, the vast number of
incumbered estates in Ireland were to be left in their pre-
sent position—a position fraught not only with pantiee evil
to the nominal proprietor, hut with absolute misery to the
occupiers. (Hear, hear.) His hen. and learned friend said '
that nothing but a case of overwhelming necessity could
justify such a measure; but could there be • more urgent
ease of neceesity than the existence of a system with so
much evil and misery ? And he contended that, unlike
other cases where change was proposed, in this case the coda
probattdi lay with those who would perpetuate that system.
In one respect be thought the bill did not go far enough. It
was desirable not only that facilities for the sale of incum-
bered estates should be given, but that there should
be a pow, r to divide such estates into small portions
in order that the greatest amount of competition might be
excited, and by a larger number of urchasers being brought
into the market the property might be made op roduce ass
much a+ possible. Ile believed the bill was necessary for the
improvement of the social state of Ireland and for the well
being of that country, and he entreated the house not to
impair its efficiency by interfering with that stringency the
object of which was that the nominal proprietors of Irish
property should be the real pioprietors. (Cheers.)
Sir O. GREY suggested that as the house had been sitting
since twelve o'clock, and was to proceed with its ordinary
business at Ave o'clock, the Speaker should now be permit-
ted to leave the chair until that hour. (Hear, hear.) lie
would propose that the debate should stand adjourned till
Mond ,y when he would fix a day for proceeding with it.
Mr. OSBORNE was anxious that the house should under-
stand what was the prnpoeition before it, because the speeches
which had been made by the hon. hart. (Sir L. O'Brien)
and by the hon. awl learned member, were not directed to
the amendment, which it was their purpose to support. The
hon. member for Clare made a speech about the labour rate
and the financial condition of the county he represented, and
concluded by moving an instruction t the committee on the
bill that it be extended to England and Ireland. It was
evident that the attempt of that hon. hart. was a mere party
m.,ve to get up the feelings of the proprietors of this country,
and se to prevent the passing of a useful anal intelligent bill.
(Hear.) Ile hoped the house, befsre it adjourned, would
divide on the amendment, which was nothing more than a
subterfuge to gain time end defeat the object of the bill.
Mr. ()ROGAN reminded the house that the bill hail been
brought into the other house in Feb. last, and though it had
been alvved and amended there, it appeared that various
alterations were yet to be made in it by the Solicitor-General,
under whose charge it was. He thought it would save time
to refer the measure to a select committee, where its various
details might be arranged, and then bring it forward (or the
assent of the homes. (Cries of " Divide.")
Sir 0. GREY suggested that the amendment should be
withdrawn or negatived at once—(no, no) ; and that on
the next occasion the discussion be taken on the main ques-
tion. (Cries of " Divide," "Go on," and " Adjourn. ') At
all events, he hoped the Speaker would now uo allowed to
leave the chair. (Hear, hear.)
Col. DUNNE, who had before risen to address tho house,
said he had no objection to the course suggested, provided it
was distinctly unfit rstood that the merit., of the bill should be
discussed before going into committee. (Hear, hear.)
tiir L. EN refused to withdraw the amendmin., and
strangers wi re ordered to withdraw, but there was no divi-
sion, Mr. HENLEY objecting that he and others wished to
steak on the amendment, and moving that the debate be ad-
journed.
After a few words from Mr. Mosere.t. and Mr. S Tar-
Font', strangers were again ordered to withdraw, and durin.;
their absence the motion for adjourning the debate was
agreed to, and the house rose till . o'clock.
The SPEAKER resumed the chair at a gender pasts o'clock.
LEGAL EDUCATION.
Mr. G. A. HAMILTON inquired from the Attorney-
General whether any steps hail been taken by her Ma-
jesty's government or by the Inns of Court, or by the
King's Inns, Dublin, to give effect to any of the recom-
meniltitione with respect to the improvement of legal edu-
cation, contained in the report of the select committee
over which Mr. Wyse, late member fur Waterford, presi.led
during the session of 1516.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL replied that the hon.
member would concur with him that the government had
no authority to int'rlere on the subject of legal education—it
was a matter entirely under the control and authority of
the inns of courts. With respect to what hail been done by
the Society of King's Inns, Dublin, he t the Attorney-Gene-
ral) had no means of knowing, but he could state that the
Inns of Court in this country had, during the sitting of the
committee to which allusion hail been made, appointed lec-
turers at considerable salaries, and had since mit in confer-
ence at the different inns, with • view of arranging an uni-
form mode of leoal education in order to admission to the
bar.
Mr. G. A. HAMILTON begged also to inquire whether
it was intended by the government to i traduce a bill by
which Irish hungers might be •Juthori•ed to practise in the
courts in England, and English banisters in the courts in
Ireland, in which they were now competent to preside, or by
which a reciprocity of practice in the profession in both
countries might be established ?
The ATTORNEY-UENERAL said that this was a sub-
ject worthy of the serious consideration of the house, and if
introduced to its notice by the hou. member, he (the At-
torney. General) would render him every assistance in taking
the sense of parliament upon it. It however was not tho
intention of the government to move in the matter.