The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-07 00:00:00

CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND.

The salary of this office is 5,5001. The Committee
are aware that changes in the local government of Ire-
land are contemplated. They recommend that, in case
these changes are not made, the salary of the Chief
Secretary be reduced to a sum not exceeding 3,0001. per
annum; the reduction to take effect on the next vacancy,
or, in case of no vacancy, at the close of the present Par-
liament.

POOR-LAW BOARD.
The salaries in this department, which came under
the consideration of your Committee, are those of the
Chief Commissioner and the two secretaries. Your
Committee do not recommend any alteration in the
salary of the Chief Commissioner; but they are led to
believe that the duties of secretary might be efficiently
performed at a salary of 1,0004; looking, however, to the
circumstances under which one of the present secre-
taries accepted the office, your Committee recommend
that the immediate reduction should take place only in
the case of the Parliamentary secretary, and that the
salary of the other secretary should be reduced on the
first vacancy.
JUDICIAL SALARIES.--ENGLAND.
Your Committee next proceed to the second part of
the inquiry referred to them; namely, the salaries and
emoluments of judicial officers in the superior courts of
law and equity in the United Kingdom.
They have taken evidence from some of.the most emi-
nent men connected with the courts of each country;
they have referred to evidence given before the Com-
mittee which sat in 1830-31, and have called for returns
showing the changes which have been made from time
to time in the salaries and emoluments of the judges; to
all of which documents they respectfully call the atten-
tion of the House. After giving a careful consideration
to this subject, they have determined to recommend to
the House the following scale of salaries for the various
judicial offices of law and equity in England:—
Lord Chancellor ... £3,000
The Master of the Rolls ... ... 6,000
Vice-Chancellor of England ... 5,000
Second Vice-Chancellor ... . . ~. 5,000

Masters in Chancery, each ... ... 2,000
The Accountant-General ... 2,000
It is understood that the office of the third Vice-
Chancellor is to be abolished en the first vacancy.
Chief Justice of Queen's Bench ... £7,000
Ditto Common Pleas ... 6,000
Chief Baron of Exchequer ... 6,000
Twelve Puisne Judges, each 5,000

The Committee recommend that the retiring allow-
ances of the Judges be adjusted so as to bear the
same proportion as at present to their salaries for actual
service.
The attention of tote Committee has been directed to
the large emoluments of the law advisers of the Crown.
These emoluments are derived from various sources, in-
cluding fees on briefs and patents, and appear to your
Committee to be excessive. They do not, however, ex-
press any opinion on the subject, beyond a general re-
commendation that they be reduced; but they suggest
to the consideration of the Government whether the
duties of Attorney and Solicitor-General might
not be as efficiently performed, and a saving effected to
the public, if they were paid by fixed salary instead
of fees.
In recommending that the Accountant-General be
paid by a fixed salary, equal to that of the Masters in
Chancery, they would also suggest that such arrangements
should be made with regard to the brokerage on invest-
ments in stock, which now forms a part of the emolu-
ments of this office, as may most conduce to the interests
of the suitors in the Court of Chancery.
In agreeing to these salaries for Judges and other
officers in the courts of justice, the Committee have not
adverted to the questions of patronage and fees, now
under the consideration of another Committee f this
House. They must, however, express a decided opinion,
from some statements in the evidence, that no fees of
any description should bo added to these salaries; that
the regulations hitherto provided and which may be
further recommended with respect to appointments of
av,bn.eh (m
whole subordinate
l officers in the courts of law and equity shall
strictlynominateddu t
duties
sno
of enforced;
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odera moderato
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by
The Committee also venture to express a hope that re-
formsload to considerable reduction.ofgs t
ihne
u d icourtseiai
establishments
in the proceedings maygradually.
whole system of the emoluments,oNce establishment, and
The appointment,
of Accountant-Gene-
ral, should undergo revision. It is in evidence be-

fore them that the most unecessary delays an•d deten-
tions prevail in the offices of Masters in (.1 tiancery.
which might be easily and immedis ti dy re-
moved, so as to reduce largely the amount of ' business,
and claims on the time of the Master. Sue fs reforms,
betides conducing to economy, would facilitate the course
of justice, and give the greatest relief to sui, ors in the
courts of equity.
The Committee further recommend to the serious at-
tention of the Government the enormous expi ,nse of legal
proceedings on behalf of the public. The vig its nt super-
vision of the Board of Treasury over this bre hof pub-
lic expenditure in all the departments seeind, a ssentially
necessary.

Your Committee recommend that all fees tY 3 appoint
ment to office be abolished.

SCOTLAND.
The Committee recommend the folio wi tag scale of
salaries for the Judges of the superior cc arts in Scot-
land :
Thevi
siLordonof
h
President
to
of
fthe e
.cession
of Session
.. m . £4,300
Lord Justice Clerk and President of See( Di-
... 4,000
Lords of Session, Justiciary, and Exchegi ter,
each 3 000
They do not recommend. any alteration ira the offices
of Lord Advocate and Solicitor. General.
It has bean given in evidence to your Coral t aittee that
the business transacted in the various courts of Scotland
is of a very unequal amount ; and they ha% e every rea-
son to believe that the number of Judges is larger than
the population and business of that part•of the United
Kingdom require, and might be diminished. It has, in-
deed, been stated that measures are in cor .templation,
whereby the present inequality may be in s ome degree
rectified; but your Committee would press on the at-
tention of the Government, that when any v: teancy may
occur, thia subject may be well considered, sad that the
opinion of this Committee with regard to thee number of
Judges should be attended to.

IRELAND.
They propose the following salaries of the judicial
offices in the Irish Courts :
Lord Chancellor ... ...
... ... ... £6,000
Master of the Rolls ..„ ... ... ... 4,000
Chief Justice of Queen's Bench... ... "' 4,300
Ditto Common Pleas .. ... .., ... 4,000
Chief Baron of Exchequer ... ... 4,000
Puisae Judges, each .
... .., „.. 3,000
Masters in Chancery, each ...
... ... 2,000
Your Committee would make the same suggestion with
regard to the number of Irish Judges which they have
already offered in referring to the judicial establishment
in Scotland.