The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-22 00:00:00

CONSOLIDATED FUND (APPROPRIATION)

BILL:
On the house going into committee on this bill,
Lurd MONTEAGLE rose, and was
(LEFT SPEAKING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.--(This Day.)
The SPEAKER took the chair shortly after 12 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Llrds' amendments to the following bills were
considered and agreed to :—Aberdeen and Sc•ittisl
Midland Junction Railway Companies Amalgamation,
Oxford, Worcester, and WolverhAmpton Railway (Ex-
tension of time, &e.), Severn Navigation Improvement
Commission, and Westminster Terminus Railway Bills.
The following bills were read a third time and passed :
—Bell's Estate. Dallington Estate, and Thoroton's and
Croft's Estate Bills.

TORTURE IN INDIA.
Mr. OTWAY presented a petition from the President
of Madras, complaining of the present mode of torture in
India, and praying the house to appoint a mixed com-
mission of Europeans and Indians to inquire into the
subject, with a view to putting a stop to it.
COUNTY COURTS ACTS AMENDMENT BILL.
On the motion for the third reading of this bill,
Mr. GLADSTONE called the attention of the Go-
vernment to the state of the courts in Westminster-hall,
which was a matter that ought to be taken up by the
executive rather than by a private individual member
of the honie. He wished to ask if her Majesty's Go.
veroment were dispbsei to make any inquiry during the
recess into the state of the judicial establishments in
Westminster-hall, particularly into the present number
of judges, evecially taking into view the immense relie
and diminution of busine-s in Westminster-hall, which
had been brought about by the establishment of County
Courts.

Sir G. GREY said that from information be bad ob-
tained he found that the civil business in the Superior
Courts had not decreased as was anticipated, nor had it
diminished on circuit, except in one or two instances.
The question of reducing the number of judges was one
requiring grave consideration, because in addition to
civil business they had the criminal business of the coun-
try to attend to, and be had received several commu-
nications from Glamorganshire, complaining of inconve-
nience from one judge only being sent there on circuit
business. At present there was but one learned judge
in town, the others being fully occupied on circuit. He
would consider the matter during the recess.
Several verbal amendments were agreed to in the bill,
and clauses added.
Mr. HADFIELD moved the addition of the follow-
ing clause:—" Clerks articled to attorneys or solicitors
may, after serving two years under articles, and with
consent of their masters, appear as advocates;
the clerk to any attorney or solicitor who has
already been, or who hereafter shall become
articled to such attorney or solicitor, and who may have
served two years under hii articles with such attorney
or'sOlicitor,' may appear as advocate on behalf Of any
party to any proceedings in the County Court, on pro-
ducing to the registrar of the court his articles, and also
a certificate from his master that he consents thereto;
and the attorney to whom such clerk is or may be arti-
cled shall be entitled to the same fees as if he had per-
sonally attended the said court, provided that the clerk
shall be subject to the same rules and regulations as
attorneys now are or hereafter may be subject to."
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL resisted the clatise
on the ground that these courts ooght not to be dealt
withks echools for professional education. In no court
of law were persons who were qualifying themselves for
a particular status allowed to exercise the functions of an
advocate. The courts of law exercised control over ad-
mitted attorneys, but they bad no control over attor-
neys' clerks. Under all circumstances, he thought it
desirable that this clause should be rejected.
Sir J. GRAHAM opposed the clause on public
grounds,,and as* regarded the interests of the public, and
not with reference' to the educational part of the
question.
After some remarks from Mr. Stafford, Mr. Glad-
stone,4 Mr. Cranfurd, Sir E. Perry, Mr. Mullings, and
Mr. Fitzroy, in the course 9f which it was stated that
agents, not professional men, were allowed by the judge
to attend in these courts for plaintiffs or defendants, but
tbat they had no power to award him a fee as in the case
of an attorney.
The clause was ultimately withdrawn.

Mr. HA.DFIELD then moved the following clause :
"Any attorney may act for another attorney concerned