The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-10 00:00:00

,
-Att.,N - 141
SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Cloek.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

(THisDA Y.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

The Srzatma took the Chair shortly after Twelve
o'clor,k.

REPORT.

The report on the outh-iSfales Railway Bill was
co niiidered and agreci to.
SECOND READING.

The Merionethshire Turnpike Roads Bill was read a
second time, and ordered to Le commiitc,d.
PETITIONS.

: The Etrl of ARUNDEL and SURREY presented
petitions from pliebes in Surrey in favour of the exten-
sion of the jurisdiction of the county courts.
Mr. PLOW DEN presented petitions from several
/liaises hi the Isle of Wight to the same effect.
. WATKINS presented pftitione from several
places compluieing of church-rates and praying fel* their
abolitioe.
t. Mr. BROTLIERTON presented petitions from Sal-
ford, and ether parts of Lancashire, in favour of the
Ten Hours' Bill ; also petitions ht favour of the ex-
tensica of the jurisdiction of county courts ; and a peti-
..tion in. favour of the Libraries Bill introduced by the
Ron. Member for Dumfries.
• Mr. WILLIAMS presented a petition from a place
in Bedfordfordshire against church • rates.
Mr. FITZROY presented several petitions from
places, n Denbighshire in favour of the extension of
the jurisdiction cif the county courts.
Lord R. GIIOSVENOR presented a petition from
Ilieepateed. to the same effect.
Sir R. INGLIS presented a petition from the
county of Reeks praying that the Church of England
might be placed on the same footing as other establish-
mente with respect to the fund for national education;
also ti petition from Sir J. ilerschell and others agaiutt
the Marriage Bill.
Lord EDWARD HOWARD presented petitions in
favour of the extension of the jurisdiction of the county
• Sir J. WALMSLEY presented petitions from places
in Lancashire praying for the abolition of church-rates;
also a petition in favour of the Ten Hours' Bill.
Lord DUDLEY STUART presented petitions from
-several parts of the metropolis against Sunday trading in
the Poet- office.
Mr. BERNAL presented a petition from Rochester
to the same effect.
Lord JAMES STUART presented similar petitions
from different parts of Scotland.
. Mr. BATESON presented petitions from the pro-
pr.::tors and editors-of the Londonderty Standard news-
p.4ptr praying fur the abolition of the taxes on
knowledge,'
'Sir GEiORGE GREY presented a petition from
Northum'aerland praying for the repeal of the malt-tax.
Mr. lII:NLEY presented a petition from Banbury
complaining of agricultural distress, and praying for
relief.
• Mr. C. HOWARD presented a petition from Penrith
iu fneeciur of international arbitration ; also a petition
troth K^ndal in favoer of the extension of the jurisdic-
tion of the county courts.
Mr. CHRISTOPHER presented similar petitions.
J. WILSON presented a petition from Westbury
stgainst ahureb-rates.
'qr. P. 'HOWARD presented a petition from Carlisle
in favour of the extension cf the jurisdiction of the
comity courts.
Mr. J. HOWARD presented a petition from Malmes-
bury that ether places to the same t ffect.
SCULLY presented a petition from Clonmel
•••., against the Irish Fisheries Bill, introduced by the Hon.
and Learned Member for Youghal.
Sir GEO. PECHELL presented petitions from Wor-
thing and
,Gloucester in favour of the extension of the
juriaoietion cot: the county courts.
Mr. HODGES ore:elited similar petitions from places
in the county of Kent.
Mr. COBDEN presented petitions from Doncaster
and other places against Sunday labour in the Poste
office; also a petition from the proprietors of the Leeds
limey newspaper against taxes ou knowledge.
Mr. CARDWELL presented a petition from Liver-
pool praying for the extension of the jurisdiction of the
county courts to debts of 50/.
. )Ir. E‘.-VART presented a petition from Dumfries
• against'the Marriage Bill; also a petition against Sun-
do), labour in the Post-office.
Mee CLAY presented a petition from Hull against the
Marriage Bill; also a. petition from the same place pray-
ing foran extension of the County Courts Act.
Mr.; GIBSON presented a petition from Manchester
• against-taxes-2n the suffusion of knowledge; also a peti-
tion from theTsame place in favour of extending the
'jurisdictien'of county courts.
• Mr. •Alderman SIDNEY presentel a petition from
Stafford also in favour of extending the jurisdiction of
county courts.
..Mr. DUNCAN presented a petition from a place in
Fesfarshire against-it Sunday labour in the Post-office.
Mr. E: I)ENISON presented a petition from Maltoa
in :favour of an extension if the stilt age.
Mr. LOCH presented a petition from Bodmin against
Staeday labour in the Post-office.
'CHRISTY presented a petition from Newcastle
iniavour of extending the jurisdiction of county courts.
•"* COUNTY COURTS EXTENSION BILL.
On the rnotioa for the second reading of this Bill,
•• scr 0. GREY admitted that a desire existed through-
' ',out the-country for an extension of the jurisdiction of
county courts, but he thought the House ought to pro-
- teed- the consideration of this Bill with the greatest
pl3ithle caution. The exiting Act, limiting plaints in
• tdesc- courts t 20/, bad been introduced to Parliareent
'by sieteeesive Governinenrs, and had undergone the
71-30,••t, careful revision, both by successive in Select Com-
Stratees end the highest legal authorities. He believed
it. eras first brought forward by Lord
.Melbourne's Ad-
enalistretime in 1841, but it did not then pass, and
tifl; was again introduced, containing identically the
rttno provisions, by the Government of the Right Hon.
Member for Tam worth. When that Gentleman retired
from office the measure was taken up by the present
Adeeinistration, and eventually let came law. Ile (Sir
• G. 2 Grey) was not prepared to say that Parliament was
preeltidedlfom considering whether an extension of
the-provisions of that Act might not be desirable, but be
thought they ought not hastily to pass the second reading
eta :13i11 which made soimporieut a change in these courts as
.. to take away their character as tribunals for the settle-
ment of small debts. The Bill proposed to extend the
jurisdiction froth 20/. to 501., and in regard to cases of
seiancler and • libel from Si. to 20/., end he presumed, if
this principle were acceded to and worked well, the
lion. Gentleman who had charge of • the measure
would-- census •forward next year, and move that
tbejarlsdiction be extended indefinitely, acoompanied
*vitd•what must necessarily follow, an increase of the
salaries of the judges, as well as of the officers of the
coeirtees Mita a heavy burden would be thrown on the
• •Consolidated Fund. The Right lion. Gentleman then
refdrred:to the most objectionable Farts of the Bill, and
morod as an amendment that the Bill be read a second
Limo that day six months., intimating that if the House
asserated to the Bill, he should object to those provisions
.which • increased the salary of the judges and the clerks.
•Mr.•LAW seconded are amendment.

Mr. J. EVANS said, parties who had now debt; of
:•!4',.‘i 204 before these small debts' courts were enabled to
recover those debts speedily and cheaply. The simple
'question now before the House was, whether they should
they had been called upon
extend the unanimous
ta 504
voice of the country to do, namely, t b
xtend
jurisdiction of the county courts. lle would sup the
port
this Bill, considering it wiis a judicious extension of
a system which had already been found to work well.
_Under' the now cauity court system they could do
What they *Could' not do in a superior court of law,
rtdinay:', 'recover a do bt without quibble and without
hear.) Another advantage arising
..) fri.,ta,the. Small Debts Act was, that it brought the par-
ti -togefber personally, a hich facilitated the settlement
.. • of ;their dispute, but witich never happened in any ut the
„ superior cottons. A great deal of expense was also saved
, admittiog the llogants to state their own case them-
, skAtiv-', and. to give evidence iu support of it. He would
vote for ;LW proposed extension. _
• Mr. MARTIN considered the proposed extension was
. . a step towards doing away with trial by jury altogether.
. Ho I.,elieveil. the hest system of judicature was that
„ .:which . had: existed time out of mind, namely,
-Jot juries to decide upon matters of fast, and
for -judges • to decide on matters of law.
did not believe that the expense of law in this
• country tires so great as to justify any departure from
Cot ancient practice of adjudiLation in this country, that
loolvo.4g.the question of facts to be decided by a jury,
slid. ,ho question of law by a learned judge. lle might
be tho.upht to be speaking for his own interest,but the
cafe,con-
and he should be borne out in this state-
"' t,,,rtl; hvg‘litie red Friends in the House. He did not ay
; lib Learned
sot many things in the practice of the
thatuperi .tatere were
con n _
rts' which might be amended, but that he
ttw+rglgt that that sor
ought to be lett in the hands of the
private Member could carry it out. He
Amid just mention the unomaty of allowing judges' clerks
a. receive te ion circuit and in the judges' chambers,
naktione during term; and also the payment of fees
,a 4 trials at nisi price, when none were . allowed
. at fitting noose Nand a measure
• tig banco. if the
IQ.4oohsh> them , he believed that, with the exception of
ex Dell Se of wittiesses, which must ale ays be to some
cntrut fluctuating, the administration of justice would
.4,? cheapti . this cont. try
1;". ":‘,llf. He thought that if the At orne,) -Genera
as in any other country cfl
br;.ogrit,in some measure of this suit he was sure that
lie N. UUla not only d 0 much tu retain •
a•,cient custom
,
ot ttial by jury iu this tuur,try, but al.o du more than
fir, everload dory to the eleaper and wore effective ad-
, naistei:ratien,of justice.
CRISTOPHER thouf2,bt that if any arguments of
any ri"'tl weight hl-3-1 "I'd to convince 11:e House
ul the-nrceasity of acceding to the second reading of
this Bill, they were thole that had been used by the
lion. cud Learned G -ntteman who had just sat down.
hits was one calcul.ted to remove an abuse which
cumplained f from one end of the country to the
other, tie should not now enter into the que3tiin c f
, • eateries, which was involved in this Bill, but coutine him-
seif so the aetua! necesLity or the Bill. He could not tee
necessity why dobts of any amount should 1
not be nicde recoverable by these courts. He knew '
many instances where tradesmen had Lean induced to
relinquish a great part of their debts in
erder to sae fir 201. merely before the county
c-orts' as a more expeditious mode of recovery.
lie was ',surprise,' to hear trout the Learned Gentleman
Poltztitt) that the ccucty court tystem was likely
- io do U;v7ty with the alai by jury.- hid that Learned
GLntiotnan I.rgt:t that in the county courts any party