The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-13 00:00:00

SUNDAY TRADING BILL

Mr. BARING WALL asked the Hon. Member for
Lambeth if he would consent to postpone the second
reading of the Sunday Trading Bill till Friday week?iii
Mr. C. I'EARSON said that, providing that he could
see some opportunity of t•ringing on the Bill on Wednes-
day week, he should have no objection to postpone the
Bill till WedneSday week; but otherwise, at this late
period of the session, he could not consent.
COUNTY COURTS EXTENSION BILE
The House then went into Committee on this Bill;
Mr. BERNAL in the chair.
The AT i ORNEY-GENERAL proposed several ad-
ditional clauses, which were ordered to be brought up.
Sir J. GRAHAM said that he had to make the same
complaint that he had made yesterday; be could not
hear a single word of what was going on. He wished to
call the attention of the Government to the evidence
which had been given before the Committee on this Bill
by a gentleman in the Treasury-office. He understood
that these clauses were respecting the clerks to the
judges in the county courts, and he was very strongly of
opinion that these clerks, though they were ap-
pointed by the Judges and approved by the Lord Chan-
cellor, should be under soma general superintendence,
say of the Secretary of State for the time being. He
thought that the opinion of the country had been pretty
loudly pronounced in favour of the extension of these
courts. There were many other suggestions of very
great importance pointed out by the evidence, but he
would not dwell on them, because, as the law now stood,
the executive had the power of carrying them out. He un-
derstood that a commission of five County Court Judges
had been appointed by the Government, to consider what
alterations in the practice of the courts might be advis-
able. As to the present clause he would suggest that
the Attorney-General should carry it a little further.
Sir G. GREY said he believed that great inconveni-
ence had resulted from the mode in which the clerks

were appointed, because some of them resided in London,
and, therefore, were obliged to be represented by depu-
ties who were sometimes very efficient, but the (Govern-
ment had no power;of interference except in:cases of mis-
conduct. The commission to which the Right Hon.
Baronet had alluded; was appointed under the Act
passed last session, and it was. the intention of
the Executive to adopt any alterations in
the practise of the courts which they might think
necessary.
In reply to Sir JAMES GRAHAM,
Sir G. GREY said the suggestion to diminish the
number of places where cases were tried was under the
consideration of the Uoverrment.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, in reply to Mr. B.
Denison, said it was his intention to produce a general
clause to dismiss clerks for misconduct
rrosooawin
o f The
the ATTORNEY-GENERAL p said. in consequence
s,
t made to him, he proposed to
leave
out
ths
cis
be ettfouto allow
fund that Parties to serve their own summonses, as
utr which he had been induced to in-
Practice would give rise to considerable
ir G.
objections.
Sir
pE
CHELL said although the Attorney-
General spoke on his aide
of the House he had scarcely
Mr. ear, hear.)
heard allwuomrdEutstaeirdedhebTti
shoinaf.o--u
nd it impossible to hear
shouldonl retire to the
speech he had
a word, and suggereed that they
old House„—(Hear, hear.) ne
heard was that of the Right Hou. only
ynet opposite (Sir
J. Graham)
Mr. GOULBURN said it was rather singular, but
although he heard the Attorney General, he could not
h. ar Sir James Graham, notwithstanding he sat behind
him.—(Laughter.)
Sir JAMES GRAHAM said if that were so, it was
owing;entirely to the:defective construction of the House.
Members could hear what passed on one side but not
on the other, end such being the case it was impossible
to go on with business in Committee.—(Hear.)
Mr. STAFFORD said he took great interest in the
Bill, but was in the same predicament as the other Hon.
Members.— ( He ar.)
The ATTORNEY GENERAL said at present as
the Act was worded, if a party. laid his plaint, and
served it upon the defenduot, even though the de-
fendant might not intend to make any defence, the
plaintiff was obliged to go into court with his case, .and
incur all the expense of proving it, even though it was
an undefended plaint. He now meant to propose a
clause the object of which was, whether the defendant
was served with a plaint or not, if he knew a
suit was
about to be instituted he might with the plaintiff agree
about the amount of the debt and enter that agreementin
writing with the clerk of the Court, and thereupon the
Judge should
proceed to hear and dispose of the cause.

SUN,

LONDON,

It would be a most ec nornical measure, and he (the
Attorney-General) thought it would be a satisfactory one
Mr. FITZROY objected to the clause, on the groun
that persons personating a plaintiff, or defendant, migh
impose a statement as to the amount of debt on the clerk
of the court.
The clause was agreed to without a division.
The ATTORNEY- GENERAL proposed another
clause imposing certain conditions on the plaintiff and
defendant, in case they agreed as to the amount of the
debt.--Agreed to.
Mr. HENLEY offered some objection to the clause.
After a few words from Mr. DENISON,

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that he would
consider the matter, and make some amendment in the
clause on bringing up the report.
Clauses G. H., relating to the appointment and dis-
missal of clerks and assistant clerks, were then agi eed
to atter a short discussion, in which Mr. Aglionby, Sir
G. Grey, and Mr. Mullins, took part.
On clause 1, which provided for the hiring of town-
halls and public buildings for the holding of the courts,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that this clause
had been brought under the attention of the Hor. Mem-
ber for Liverpool, and that Hon. Member had drawn up
a clause which he proposed to substitute for his own.
Mr. HENLEY agreed with the principle of the clause,
but thought some words ought to be introduced to pre-
vent any expense falling on the county in respect to the
repairs requin d, in consequence of the town-hall, or
other county building, being used by these courts.

After a short discussion the clause was agreed to.
The other clauses proposed by tae Attorney-General
were then put and agreed to.
Mr. MITCHELL then rose to propose the following
clause:—Be it enacted, that nothing contained in this
Bill shall take away the power of the judges of the .upe-
iior courts to make, or shall interfere with the exurci:4
of their discretion in making, orders for holding de-
fendants to bail in actions commenced in the Superior
Courts for claims not exceeding 50!; and that when,
in any action, any such order shall remain, the provi-
sions of this Act shall not apply with respect to such
action.