The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-05 00:00:00

EDINBURGH, NOVEMBER 2.

STOCK EXCAANGE.-The sales are-Aberdeen, 181.-Airdrie and
Bathgate, 41.55.-Arbroath and Forfar, 281.-Ditto, Half Shares, 151.
3s.
-Caledonian, 10s.
-1/D. 7s. dl3
r2il. tisSlis. Union,6d.
-Caledonian
an2/d.
Dumbarton, 11.6x.-Clydesdale Junction, 33/. 105.-Direct Northern,
t, 6
New,-
11. 13s. 6d. - Dundee and Arbroath, 371.-Ditto, New, 241.-Dundee
and Perth, 23/.-East of Fife, 11. 3s. 6d.-Edinburgh and Bathgate,
21. 105.-Edinburgh and Gla.wow, 751.-Ditto, Half Shares, 201.-
Ditto, Quarters, 18'. 10s.- Edinburgh, Leith, and Granton, 191.-
Ditto, Preference, 201. N.-Edinburgh and Northern, 14/. 55.-
Ditto, Newport, 3/. 65.-Edinburgh and Perth', 11. 17s. -,Glasgow and
Ayrshire, 68/.-Ditto, New Stoc:c, 361.-Ditto, Quarter Shares, 17/.
155.-Ditto, Halves, 71. 155.-Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle, 11.
14s. fid.-Glasgow and Dundee Junction, 11. 13s. 9d.-Glasgow and
Garnkirk, 40/.-Glasgow and Greenock, 161. 10s.-Ditto, New Stock,
81. 155.-Ditto, Preference, 8/.125. 6d.-Great North of Scotland. IL
2s. 6d.-Great Western, 137/.-London and York, 1/. 17s. 6d.-New -
castle and Berwick, 321.-North British, 371. 10s.-Ditto, Halves,
17/. N.-Ditto, Quarters, cum new, 41. ls.-Ditto, New Quarters,
scrip, 1/. 13s. 6d.-Ditto, Fifths, 61. 10s.- Scottish Central, 201.
10s.- Ditto, New, 101. 155,-Scottish Midland, 131.-Scottish Grand
Junction, 105.- Stirling and Dunfermline, 1/. Is.
GLASGOW, NOBER 2.
STocit Excilarrok. -The sales are-Abe rdeen, 1814 -Calonian,
New, 475.-Caledonian and Dumbartonshire, 265. 6d. -Dundeeed and Perth, New, 755..p.-East of Fife, 1,55.-East Indians Railway, 165.
-Edinburgh and Northern, Newport, 645.-Glasgow Kilmarnock,
and Ayr, 68/.-Dltta, Halves, 71. 115.-Glasgow, Dumfries, and Car-
lisle, 832.--Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ardrossan, 31s. 6d.-Glasgow,
LLAirdrie, and Monkland Junction, 325.-Great North of Scotland, 235.
-2reat Western of Bengal, 98.-Madras, Nellore, and Arcot, 3s.
North British, New Quarters, scrip, 335, W.-Scottish Central,
203 z
is tratinna Junctiov 59a

THE SMALL DEBTS ACT.
The following correspondence, and the details sub-
joined, will, show what progress has been hitherto made
in preparing to carry out this molt important measure:
" Wimbledon, Sept. 16.

" Sir,—lt is the intention of her Majesty's 'Govern-
ment to proceed forthwith to put in execution the Act
recently passed for the recovery of small debts.
" The first thing to be done is the division of the
country into convenient districts, which will be made by
the authority of the. Queen in Council ; but it is ad-
visable that the final consideration of the subject should
be preceded by some local inquiry, in order that a con-
sistent scheme may be brought under the notice of her
Majesty's advisers. .
"It is my wish that you should undertake to conduct
these inquiries, for which you are well qualified by your
knowledge of the details of the Act and of the several
local Acts which it will supersede.
" I annex the particulars of a set of districts with
which I have been furnished ; from which, combined
with the verbal instructions which you have received
from me, you will perceive the principles on which I
wish the division to be proposed.
" You will endeavour to ascertain from those persons
who appear to you most likely to be able to furnish
correct and disinterested information, how far these dis-
tricts are likely to prove convenient, and what altera-
tions may be deemed desirable. You will be careful to
remind those whom you consult that this inquiry is
merely preliminary, and that full opportunity will be
given for the representations of all parties concerned,
after the formal notice required by the Act shall have
been given in the Gazette, of her Majesty's intention to
take the matter into consideration.

" I have not thought it necessary that you should be
furnished with more formal authority than this letter for
instituting these inquiries, not doubting that you will.
meet with ready co-operation from all persons capable of
assisting you in obtaining for her Majesty's Governmen
the means 21, perfecting this measure, the proper adjust.
ment of wITTch imports so highly to the common ad.
vantage.

" r aiii, &c.,
" COTTENHAM.

" J. E. D. Bothune, Esq., &c."

" Gwyder House, Whitehall, October, 184 G.
" Sir,—Enclosed I send you some copies of a map
showing the boundary of a district, which it bas been
proposad to place under one julge for the purposes of
the Small Debt Court Act.

" These districts have been formed by consideration of
the division of the country under the Act for Register-
ing Births, Deaths, and Marriages. The district No.
) consists of the superintendent-registrar's di:•
tricts, which are named in tht accompanying list ; and
it is proposed that courts should be held in the towns
named at the foot of the list. I have not thought it ad-
visable at present to mark on the map any subdivisions
of the district, because these cannot be well adjusted
until the principle of the main division into districts is
settled ; and it is desirable to learn in the first instance
how far that is likely to prove satisfactory. The towns
have been selected so as to cover the whole country with
courts as equally as possible, having somereferencealso

to those towns in which courts are now held under local
Acts. It is not proposed that courts should be held
at the same intervals in all these towns ; once a week or
oftener will be necessary in some, while in others
once a fortnight or month, or even less frequently,
will be found sufficient. I request that you will take the
trouble of communicating these lists to those gentlemen
of your county who, in your opinion, are most likely to
have considered the subject, and to intimate to them
that I shall be glad to profit by any suggestions they
may wish to make. These may be addressed, either to
me, or to my secretary, Emilius Clayton, Esq., at Gwy-
der House, Whitehall, and endorsed Small Debts
Courts.' After revising the lists upon such information
as I shall receive in consequence of this first communi-
cation I intend to send the maps, corrected as may be
necessary, to each bench of magistrates in the county,
and by these means I hope to be enabled to present an
accurate report to the Lord Chancellor for his consi-
deration.

" I take leave again to remind you that the inquiry
with which I am charged in this matter is wholly preli-
minary, and that the subject will come to be discussed
by her Majesty in Council, after the statutory month's
notice has been given i❑ the Gazette, which will not be
until after the Lord Chanellor has received my report.
" The information which I now seek is, whether
the towns selected are well chosen, whether any
others ought to be added or substituted for those
in the list ; also whether any part of the pro-
posed district would be more advantageously an-
nexed to an adjoining district, or any addition
taken into it. For the purpose of facilitating the
consideration of these questions I have had the situation
of some of the chief towns in the adjacent districts lying
near the boundary marked in the margin of each map.
" I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant,
" J. E. D. BETHUNE.
"I have enclosed some additional copies of the Lord
Chancellor's letter of instructions to me."

DISTRICT NO. I.
Proposed to consist of t
Registrar's Districts :

-NORTHUMBERLAND.
he following Superintendent

Name. Population. Name. Population.
Alnwick ... 18,768 Morpeth ... 14,995
Belford ... 6,421 Newcastle ... ... 71,850
Bellingham ... ... 7,462 Rothbury ... ... 7 297
Berwick ... ... 20,938 Tynemouth ... 55,625
Castleward 14,537 Gateshead ... 38,747
Glendale ... 14,217
Haltwhistle ... 5,949
Hexham ... 27,929

Towns in which it is prt
held :—Berwick, Belford, 1,
Morpeth, Newcastle, Nortl
whistle.

304,735

'posed that Courts should be
%Tooler Alnwiek, Rothbury,
1 Shields, Hexham, Halt-

DISTRICT No. 2.— DURHAM.

Proposed to consist of the following Superintendent
Registrar's Districts:—

Name. Population.i Name. Population.
Auckland 21,979"Stockton&Sedgefield 39,856
Chester-le-street... 18,357ISunderland 56,226
Darlington ... 21,488 Teesdale ... ... 19,574
Durham and Lan- Weardale ... 10,174
Chester 38,8651Stokesley ... 9,046
Easington 15,357Guisborough ... 10,543
Houghton ... ... 16,067
South Shields ... 28,907

Towns in which it is pror
held :—Durham, Sunderlam
Stockton, Darlington, Bish,
Barnard Castle.

306,839
losed that Courts should be
I, South Shields, Haitlepool,
Dps Auckland, Walsingham,

DISTRICT No. 3.—CLIMB]
Proposed to consist of LI
egistrar's Districts:—

:RLAND, WESTMORELAND.
Le following Superintendent

Name. Population. Name. Population.
Alston ... ... 6,063 Wigtown ... 23,366
Bootle ... ... 5,516 East Ward 13,807
Brampton ... ... 10,525 Kendal ... ... 34,694
Carlisle 36,084 West Ward ... 7,968
Cockermouth ... 35,676 Ulverstone ... 26,746
Longtown ... 9,722 Sedbergh ... 4,836
Penrith... ... 20,989
Whitehaven... ... 29,971 265,963
Towns in which it is proposed that Courts should be
held :—Carlisle, Wigton, Cockermouth, Whitehaven,
Keswick, Penrith, Appleby, Kendal, Ambleside, Kirkby
Lonsdale, Ulverstone.

[LIRE, PART OF (PRESTON).
ie following Superintendent

DIRTRICT NO, 4.—LANCAS
Proposed to consist of tl
Registrar's Districts :
Name. Population. Name. Population.
Blackburn ... ... 75,091 Lancaster ... ... 34,748
Chorley ... ... 38,836 Preston ... ... 77,189
Fylde ... ... ... 20,940
Garstang ... ... 13,017
Towns in which it is prop
held :—Lancaster, Garstang
burn, Chorley.
DISTRICT No. 5. LANCASHIRE, PART OF (WIGAN).
Proposed to consist of the following Superintendent
Registrar's Districts :
I
Name. Population. Name. Population.
Ormskirk ... .. 34,97 Wigan ... ... ... 66,032
Pr, scot ... ... 43,739
West Derby ... 88,652 233,398
Towns in which it is proposed that Courts should be
held :—Ormskirk, St. llelen't4 Prescot, Wigan.

I 259,821
iosed that Courts should be
;., Kirkgam, Preston, Black-

DISTRICT NO. 6.—LANCASHIRB, PART 07.
Proposed to consist of the following Superintendent
Ltegistrar's District :
Name. Population.
Liverpool ... ... 223,054
Town in which it is proposed that Courts should be
held:—Liverpool.

DISTRICT No. 7.--LANCASI
Proposed to consist of th
Registrar's Districts:—
Name. Population Name. Population.
Bolton
••• 97,519 Warrington ... ... 31,732
Leigh
... 26,588 Worsley 9,710
Salford ... •• • 70,228

HIRE, PART OF (BOLTON).
Le following Superintendent

Towns in which it is prop
held:— Salford, Bolton, Leigi

235,777
)used that Courts should be
h, Warrington.

DISTRICT No. No. 8.--LANCASHIRE, PART OF (MAN..
CHESTER).
Proposed to consist of the following Superintendent
Registrar's Districts:—
Name.
Manchester
Choriton

Population.
•.. 192,408
..• 93,736

286,144
Town in which it is proposed that Courts should be
held:—Manchester.
DISTRICT No. 9.— LANCASHIRE, PART OF CHESHIRE,
PART OF (ASHTON).
Proposed to consist of the following Superintendent
Registrar's Districts:--
Name. Population. Name. Population.
Ashton andOldham 173,964 gafielda: Glossopp 24,091
Stockport ••• ... 85,672
Saddleworth ... 16,829
Towns in which it is pro]
held:—Middleton, Oldham,

30,556
posed that Courts should be
Ashton, Stockport.