The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-27 00:00:00

THE COURTS OF LAW.

Mr. M'MAHON asked the hon. member for Droit-
wich when the commission appointed to inquire into the
present arrangements for transacting the• judicial busi-
ness, civil and criminal, of the superior courts of common
law, would be likely to make its report ; and whether he
hal any expectation that such report may be made in
time to have a measure founded np )n it introduced in
the present sessi,n ?

Sir J. PAKINGTON said the report was nearly
ready, and ho was unable to answer the question.

BANKS.

Sir J. SHELLEY moved for a return of the name of
every bank, other than private banks, whether unincer-
porate or incorporate, trading in the United Kingdom
or the colonies, specifyi❑g the nature of the liability of
the shareholders i❑ every such bank, whether the liability
is limited or unlimited, and, if limited, to what extent.
—A greed to.
SALES AT THE TOWER, &c.

Mr. SCOTT moved for returns, in tabularform, of the
sales made at the Tower and the several yards of the
home establishment, since the Ist of January, 1555,
stating the amount received for each description of
store, with the average rate, and number of purchasers
at each sale.—Agreed to.
LIFE INSURANCE OFFICES.

Mr. K. SEYMER a.ked the Secretary to the Trea-
sury whether he intended to name an early day for the
introduction of his promised measure on Life Insurance
offices ?

Mr. WILSON said that he had had a motion on the
paper for several evenings past for leave to bring in the
bill, but the late hour on which it came on had pre-
vented him from doing so. He would take the earliest
opportunity of introducing the bill.
SCOTCH LUNACY BILL.
On the motion for the adjournment of the house till
Monday,

In answer to a question from Mr. BUXTON,
The LORD ADVOCATE raid that he intended to
move the second reading of the Scotch Lunacy Bill on
Monday week.
LAND TAX COMMISSIONERS' BILL.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS asked whether members for
boroughs would have equal right with members for
counties to recommend persomenames to be inserted in the
Land Tax Commissioners Bill to be introduced this session?
He had sent in a list, but it was returned because it
was not signed by a county member. He wanted to
know why borough members did Lot possess the same
privileges as county members. He claimed for borough
members the same rights and privileges as were pos-
sessed by county members.
Lord PALMERSTOINT said that the distinction com-
plained of was not oae arbitrarily established by the
Government, or that rested with them to relax,
but it was pursued in consequence of the terms of an
Act of Parliament, and must be continued until that
act was repealed. He was unable then to state the
principle on which that distinction was based. So long
as the law remained in its present state it was the duty
of members of that house to obey the law. He saw no
reason why the hon. member should not introduce a bill
to repeal this act.
THE REVIEW IN HYDE-PARK.

Sir C. NAPIER, after congratulating the Govern-
ment on the representation of the army to-day in Hyde-
park, regretted so few naval men wore present, and he
asked the Government, on another similar occasion, to
make a better naval display. He thought at least 1,000
men might have been brought up, and instead of being
in their blue coats and white trowsers only, they shoult)
have come np with the light gnus, and have passed be-
fore the Queen in a proper manner. After some remarks
upon the Greenwich pensioners present the g illant ad-
miral expressed an opinion that such a paltry display on
the part of the navy would never occur again.
Col. FRENCH called attention to what he called the
admirable arrangements made by the Government.
Tae subject then dropped.
INDIA.
Sir E. PERRY asked the President of the Board of
Control whether, on the reference to India of the judi-
cial reforms proposed by her Majesty's Ministers, it was
competent to the Legislative Council in India to reject
those reforms altogether, even though the Home Go-
vernment approved of them ; and whether it was true
that the Legislative Council, consisting of nine Corn.
',any's servants and two Queen's judges, chimed to act
as an independent Legi,lature.?
Mr. VERNON SMITH defended the present
constitution of the Legislative Council, which was
more capable of eflectuaUy legislating for India than
this house, from the remarks that had been made
against it in this house and elsewhere, and he said that
the Legislative Assembly of India had the power to re-
ject reforms approved of by the home Government, and
he declined to state what his views were on such con-
duct, if it had been pursued, until he had heard from
India. He supported the independent action of the
Council. The bill, no doubt afoul! he ultimately
passed, though the maj rr.ity of the Council should not
accord with the views of this house.

Mr. WILLOUGHBY deprocat;d the introduction
of such important questions on the motion of the ad-
j )urrioacnt of the house, and he asked the noble lord
to consider the necessity of renewing the Indian debate
on an early day, as an act of justice t > India. Ile pro-
ceeded b ref.r to the cotton question and the speeches
of the hoc. member on that debate.
Sir J. PAKINGTON spoke to order.
Llrd A. V. TEMPEST supported the suggestion of
the last speaker, for an cagy removal of the Indian de-
bate.

Sir G. GREY said the day for fixing the debate was
named by the mover of that motion. When that day
c,lme it would be the duty of the house to fix a day if it
eoull not be res=umed on Tuesday.
The subject then dropped.
THE ORDNANCE SURVEY.

Mr. LIDDELL asked the Secretary of the Treasury
whether it was competent for the proprietors of land in
Durham to obtain, by paying the expenses, maps on the
twenty-five inch scab after the vote of the former night ;
and whether, if there was any obj-!etion to present a re-
turn of the tames of the parishes and places in Northurn-
beiland and Durham on the twenty-five inch survey,
distinguihing those persons already furnished from those
not furnished.

%Yr, WILSON said that there could be no obj ction
to the return, nor to supply gEntlltnen with maps of the
estates at their own ex on se.

The su'-ject then dropped.

Toe motion for adjournment was then agreed to.
PROBA.TES AND LETTERS OF AD VIINISTR

TION BILL

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL Foicl that he consi-
dered it superfluous to enter into the consideration of
the necessity of an alteration le this country which had
been attempted for 30 years by successive Governments.
No doubt they would have succumbed before this had it
not been for the divided opinion of the assailants
as to what should be substituted for them. He then re-
ferred to the state of the law, to allow the house to ju Ige
how far the provision of this bill was likely to meet ti e
necesities of the age, and also to the anomalies that
existed in the a ?ministration of the law, owing to the
divided "procedure under the present law, and said that
it was better to take the matter from the Ec.ilesiastieal
Courts, and the Corninoe LAN Courts, and vest inqui-.
ries under one Court possessing the functions of
both, with one simple ascertained mode of
proceeding, viz., by a judge and jury by which
mode they would obiain simplicity and equality. This
bill proposed to abolish the ecclesiastical and all pecu-
liar courts for the proof of wills amounting to 400 spread
over the whole of the country, and could only be con-
sidered as pitfalls. After some further remarks on
other details of the bill, the hon, gentleman said that he
believed there was scarcely au inconvenience which the
commissioners had touched on that the bill did not in
the best manner endeavour to meet, and in reference to
the privileges of the proctors, he stated that the hilt had
made provision for protecting their rights and privileges
in such a manner as he thought satisfactory to them and
the house. The bill also made provision for Lord Ken-
yon's annuity relative to his reversionary right to the
office of Registrar of the Diocese of Canterbury. The
bill proposed to make certain amendments in the law,
which had from time to time been suggested and urged
by eminent men and lawyers on the subject, and in con-
c'usion he called upon the house to agree to the second
reading of the bill, though it might not be of that large
and comprehensive character that many might have
wished.

Mr. HENLEY, having paid much attention to this
claw:Lion, and agreeing generally in the principle, seconded
the motion. He rejoiced that the Attorney-general had
yielded up his own wishes for a theoretically perfect
measure, and had brought forward this bill, which would
remedy abuses with the least po3sible disturbance. Thera
wero some details on which he had doubts, bet these
would be better considered in committee.

Mr. COLLIER did not mean to oppose the bill, but
ha strongly complained of the proposition to make a new
judge and a new court at the very time that there was
an outcry in the country againbt the number of judges
already existing. It would have been a much simpler
and equally efficient course to have sent all the conten-
tious business to be tried io the courts of common law,
and to have the non-contentious business transacted by
a registrar, with 1,5001. a year. He intimated that in
committee he would endeavour to mould the bill in
cordance with those principles.
Mr. BOLT contended tht; Mr. Collier must entirely
misapprehend the nature of the business to be transacted
in these courts, if he thought it could be transferred to
a court of common law; or that the common form busi-
heas could be done by anybody- that would accept it at
a salary of 1,5001. a year. He approved of the princilli
of the. bill, and would support it ; for though there were
, points of which he did not approve, he felt that the time
!Ad ensue when men must give up their own opinions
for the general good. He indicated his opinion that the
changes
made in their position by this bill.
Mr.- MA.T.,/xs -
also supported the second reading,
t Londonjeeti as welldetails.onato
He
pleaded
as thecountry
proctors, and intimated that his future support of the
bill would depend upon
for thoughcom h
the Government conceding this
poin's
After some remArka from Mr. Westhead and Mr.
Hudson with regard to the via_
yin which this measure
would affeot the ecclesiasticallcoadition of York, and by