The Sun.
London, England, 1835-03-05 00:00:00

IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT IN SCOTLAND.

The LORD ADVOCATE then moved for leave to bring
in a bill for abolishing in Scotland imprisonment for civil
debts of small amount, and for rendering more available the
process of cessio bonoruni, and restraining the arrestment of
wages. He observed that the Scotch Bill would not require
so many provisions as the English Bill. It was his intention
to propose the abolition in Scotland of imprisonment for a
civil debt under the sum of eight pounds six shillings and eight
pence. Of 12,852 imprisonments for civil debts in Scotland,
which had taken place in the five years ending at the close of
1833, 7,160 were for sums under that which he had mentioned,
and 3,109 were for sums under two pounds. Another object
of his measure would be to allow the debtor to apply for relief
to the local Sheriff's Courts, instead of being compelled to
resort to the Court of Session.
Mr. ANDREW JOHNSON wished to know whether the
Report of the Commissioners appointed two years ago to in-
quire into state of Municipal Corporations in Scotland was
ready ; and if so, whether the Learned Lord intended to bring
forward any measure founded upon that report ?
The LORD ADVOCATE said that no report had yet
been made by the Commissioners; that he was very anxious to
see their report, but that, of course, until he had seen it he
could not state whether or not he might think it expedient to
introduce a measure on the subject.
Mr. C UTLAR FERGUSSON thought it highly de-
sirable twat the sheriffs in Scotland should sit in more places
than one for the trial of cases of debt, as their jurisdiction was
much better with reference to that subject than that of the
justices of the peace. If it were not too extensive a revolu-
tion, he would abolish the sheriff substitutes altogether, and
make the sheriffs go a kind of circuit in their counties, and not
leave a single case untried. He also thought that some im-
provement might take place in the proceedings of the sheriffs'
courts, although he begged not to be understood as detracting
in the slightest degree from the merits of that valuable body,
the sheriffs of Scotland.

After some conversation between the Loan ADVOCATE and
Mr. C. FERGUSSON, leave was granted to bring in the Bill.
FORMS OF PROCESS IN THE COURT OF
SESSION.

The LORD ADVOCATE then moved (as we under-
stood) for leave to bring in a Bill for the better regulating of
the forms of process in the Court of Session in Scotland.
Mr. WALLACE stated that the House would be aware
that he had given notice of similar Bills as those now intro-
duced by the Learned Lord Advocate—that leave to bring in
those Bills would have been moved for to-morrow—that the
Bills were actually ready to lay on the table—but that he would
postpone bringing them forward in deference to the law-officer

of the Crown—feeling assured that the Learned Lord would
not oppose the introduction of his Bills, should he find the ob-
jects he had in view were not embraced in those now brought
in, for which the country at large are in duty indebted to the
Learned Lord Advocate, as there was nothing more wanted
in Scotland.

The LORD ADVOCATE expressed his doubt of his
Bills going so far as those of the Hon. Member for Greenock
might do—that he certainly would offer no opposition to the
introduction of his Bills, if he should see it to be his duty to
bring them forward ; being well aware of the great attention
which the Hon. Member had bestowed on the subject.—
( Hear, hear.)
Leave was then granted to bring in the bill.
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTERS.

Mr WALL ACE said that, in consequence of the appoint-
ment of a Committee to investigate the best means of
giving publicity to divisions, he would withdraw the motion
of which he had given notice for allowing the reporters for the
public press to remain within the House while divisions were
being taken.