The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-11 00:00:00

THE IRISH JUDGES.

Mr. BRYAN asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland
whether his attention had been called to the constitution
of the Irish Bauch, law and equity, and whether (consi-
dering the advanced age of some of her Majesty's judges),
in the opinion of the Irish Government, its present condi-
tion is satisfactory and conducive to the due administra-
tion of justice in Ireland.
Mr C. FORTESCUE said there was a time of life at
which a judge should not continue in office with advan-
tage to his country and his own dignity In cases where
afailure of mental power incapacitated a judge from ade-
quately performing his duties the proper course to adopt was
for an address to be moved in both houses for his removal,
but such proceeding should be taken when facts sufficient
were in the possession of the Government. The Govern-
ment would not shrink from pursuing that cou.iso when
such an eventuality should arise. He therefore declined
to express any general opinion upon the subject brought
forward by the hon. member.

(LEFT SITTING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS-LAST EVENING.
BANKRUPTCY LAW AMENDMENT BILL.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second read-
ing of this bill. In doing so the hon. and learned gentle-
man referred to the present state of the law, and said that it
was in such a complicated and uncertain state that an amend-
ment was urgently required. The bill he had now the
honour of submitting to the house proposed to abolish
altogether imprisonment for debt, but it was not proposed
to take away the power given to county court judges
where, to their satisfaction, there was ability to pay, and
wilful non-payment. The bill would further prevent
a debtor from wilfully making himself a bankrupt; and
that no bankrupt should obtain his.discharge for six
years without he has paid a dividend of 6s. 8d in the
pound, thus giving the creditors power over the bankrupt's
estate for that period.

Mr. MOFFATT proposed, by way of amendment, that
the bill be referred to a select committee. He pointed out
the peculiarity and advantages attaching to the Scotch
system of sequestration. He complained of the bill, be-
cause it retained so large an array of officials, while pro-
fessing to reduce their number; and stated that it embodied
so small an alteration in the existing law that it could never
command the confidence of the commercial community. In
his opinion the only proper law of bankruptcy was one
which should induce the unfortunate debtor to declare the
fact of his insolvency to his creditors on the moment of its
discovery, and thus tend towards the preservation of the
estate.

Mr.
BARNE T T
AYRTON ridiculed the idea gave his support
ofeeuditno thgthe meeasre
bill
measure.
Mr.
select
thec o
mmitttee. If the house was really in earnest
about
principle of the measure, let them proceed to
the discussion of the clauses, and pass some measure on
the subject as soon as possible.
Mr. FRESHFIELD eriticised the imperfect manner in
which the bill was drawn, and suggested the establish-
ment of some other tribunal than a committee of the house
to consider measures of this class before they went for a
third reading. In the absence of such a body it would be
better to send it to a committee.
Mr. BAZLEY considered that there was nothing in the
bill which could not be dealt with in committee of the
whole house. A morning sitting might well be devoted
to the subject.
Mr. CRAWFORD supported the bill, which he con-
sidered would carry out the provisions of the report of the
select committee. and be eminently satisfactory to the mer-
cantile classes.
Mr. Alderman LUSK, as a commercial man, thanked the
Government for bringing in the bill, which he regarded as
a great
,rh e
discussioni m pr o v e m improvement
was obnr
itehfley e,
The
by
Mr. Cow.c, and
Mr. SAMUELSON.

Mr. LOCKE hoped the house would put confidence in
the Attorney-General, who he thought was far more cap-
able of dealing with the subject than a committee.
Mr. MOFFATT withdrew his opposition.
The bill was then read a second time.
On the motion for going into Committee of Supply in a
house varying from six to ten members,
Mr. SMOLLETT drew attention to the present condi-
tion of land tenure in the PresideacieN of Madras and DOM'.