The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-11 00:00:00

knowledge of its workings, and best qualified to
bear witness from the personal inconvenience that
they sustained, have subscribed their opinions over
and over again in favour of a change of this sort and
description. Surely, then, the time has arrived
when theory may give place to practice, and when
th design gncan be fairly carried into execution. It is
not surprising that the Government should have
thus early introduced a measure on this subject,
for they must be well acquainted with the delays
that so inevitably interpose themselves in the pur-
suance of any plan, and often render its successful
issue impossible, if it be not taken up in good time.
If this proposal fail again this year it will not be
the fault of those who now so strenuously urge it
forward, and it is but justice to render to the
Government to say that they have creditably ex-
erted themselves in this matter. Lax and supine
they have, indeed, shown themselves to be in respect
to many important changes and desirable reforms,
botrpolitical and social ; but now that they have at
the eleventh hour of their Parliamentary existence,
and perhaps of their own official career, really set
themselves in earnest to adopt and advocate a mea-
sure of this kind, it is to be trusted that the House
will not disappoint them of their hopes nor deny to
that large class whom this proposal affects the
benefit which they desire and the remedial change
that has been so long and anxiously sought for.
The descriptions given by the Attorney-General
speak strongly in favour of the necessity that exists
for his measure to be adopted. The crushing and
inconvenience now experienced is totally unsuitable
to the proper transaction of business, and quite in-
consistent with what should be the dignity and de-
corum attendant on the legal affairs of the country.
Since the Divorce Court has been added to the
Courts of Westminster, the confusion has so greatly
increased that the witnesses cannot obtain admis-
sion in many instances, and are compelled to remain
outside until they are summoned to give evidence.
The present dispersion of the Courts involves a con-
siderable loss of time and money, and as such alone
it is evident that it is inconsistent with the con-
venient and profitable despatch of business. Mr.
SCULLY brought forward most satisfactory evidence
relating to the working of such a scheme in Ireland,
where the concentration of the law courts had been
successfully tried, and with these fifteen courts there
was not one of the London courts, except the Rolls
Court, that would bear a compari son. The Attor-
ney-General, in reply to those who differed from
his financial proposals, declared that the whole ex-
penditure was to be provided by the Treasury, and
that " if there was not a fund to make it good, they
would bear the expense, but they were satisfied that
there was such a fund." It cannot be said that any
great or well-founded objections are in the\ way of
this scheme for concentrating the Court of Law,
while many most important interests demand that
it should be adopted. We may therefore indulge
in a reasonable expectation that good sense
and right judgment will triumph in this
instance over the prejudice and partiality
that seek to retain the old abuses, and that this year
will see the inauguration of a scheme that will con-
fer a benefit on the community at large, and intro-
duce a change that cannot fail to bring solid
advantage to the numerous class immediately con-
cerned, while at the same time it is more in keeping
with the character of the great commercial country
in which it tak es place.