Star.
London, England, 1830-04-28 00:00:00

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICZ BILL.

The ATTORXEY-GINXILAL moved the Order of the Day for
the second reading of the Administration of Justice
After a few words from Mr. E. DAVVIPORT, which were inau-
dible in the gallery in consequence of the confusion which prevailed
in the body of the House,
Mr. JONES said he certainly should divide the House if the
Honourable and Learned Gentleman persisted in his motion. After
what had taken place he considered it as indecent to press the
second reading of the Bill at such an hour. The Bill might
be divided into two parts, which had no necessary connection with
each other, and ought not therefore to have been brought to.
gether. The one part proposed alterations in Westminster Hall,
and the other part the abolition of the present system of Judicature
in Wales. But besides this, the Bill was miserably deficient. A
more thorough skeleton of a Bill he never saw—and it would re-
quire six months in Committee to put flesh upon it. Of all the
compositions of the kind he had ever seen it was the most defective,
excepting a Poor Bill which the Hon. and Learned Attorney.oe-
nerd had introduced a few years ago. The hon. and learned gent.
had taken two years to prepare that Bill, and it proved the veriest
abortion that was ever seen, and was consigned to the tomb. The
present Bill was short, but, short as it was, such a jumble of absur-
dities he had seldom met with, and he protested against its second
reading being pressed at so late an hour.
Mr. Secretary PEEL said he had never heard any thing more
unfair than the plan of his hon. friend who had just sat down, which
was to attack a bill, and then say if they attempted to discuss its
merits he would move an adjournment. The arguments of his hon.
friend against the principle of the bill appeared to be extremely
weak, for he had been compelled to allude to a bill which his hon.
and learned friend had introduced some years ago. and which had
no connection whatever with the measure to be discussed. The
discussion was to be on the principle of the Bill, and he could not
see any thing improper in the motion of his hon. and learned friend
(the Attorney-General.)
Mr. O'CONNELL contended that the bill contained three dis.
tinct and different principles, and could not be properly argued in
its present shape. If it was to be discussed as it then stood, ample
time ought to be given for the consideration of the three principles.
The speech from the throne spoke of great legal reforms, and look.
ing at this bill as the promised change, he must say that he regarded
it as an abortion. The bill might provide for the accommodation
of judges and barristers in great practice, but it made law no cheaper.
On the question being put,
Mr. GREEN moved the adjournment of the House.
Mr. JONES seconded the amendment.
On the amendment being put,
' The AT rORNEY-GENERAL said if the house adopted the
amendment be could not hope to carry the bill that session. The
hon. gentlemen who called for delay, in his opinion wished to pro.
duce such an effect, but if that were the case let them act openly.
If it were not the ease, why had they not pointed out some other
day upon which the motion for the second reading might come on ?
For his own part he could conceive no time mote fitting for his
motion that the present. The bon. and learned gentleman, who in
his zeal had travelled out of' the bill and attacked him personally,
had not pointed out any other time, or the inconvenience of the
present. He did not believe that the hon. gent. who required ad.
journment understood the bill—(" Hear" from Mr. Jones)—he did
not know whether they even would understand it ; but he contended
that the one part was naturally connected with the other. Without
the one the other would not have been proposed. The connection
was therefore natural, but still he should not object to the Bill being
made into two Bills. That might be desirable, and if so it ought
to be done in Committee. So hilly had the time of the house been
occupied, that it was one o'clock when he bad obtained permission
to introduce the Bill. The arguments which he had then beard
against it, he thought worth little, but he had expected that, on the
present occasion, honourable gentlemen who were opposed to the
measure would readily have availed themselves of an opportunity to
express their objections. The question, however, before the house
was, whether it would adjourn, and whether it would proceed to do
that which it appeared to him convenience and propriety invited it
to do.

Mr. F. LEWIS did not wish to enter upon the discussion at that
time. As other stages must take place, there would be opportu-
nities to examine all the bearings of the subject. To the principle
of the bill his constituents would assent. They did not object to a
change in the judicature of Wales, but they were desirous of know.
leg what that change was to be. The house would go into com-
mittee, and the hon. and learned gentleman would no doubt state
the outline of the intended measures to be substituted for Welch
judicature. It vas impossible to do justice to their constituents
until they knew what the change was to be. They could not agree
to the adoption of any measure which would leave the question of
Welch judicature in doubt.
Colonel WOOD begged, as he had the honour to represent a
Welch county, that the House would excuse him for offering a few
observations at a late hour. He had no hesitation in saying that
the decided opinion of the Principality was for alteration of the
Welsh judicature : at the same time some of the propositions made
by the Law Commissioners were objectionable. The proposition,
for instance, to consolidate Welsh counties with English counties,
was so objectionable, that he should move in the Committee that
part of the bill be expunged. With respect to the judges, he might
say, it was quite inconvenient for the same judge always to go the
same circuit, but in Committee many of the objections would no
doubt be removed.

Mr. BATLEY supported the bill. It was of the highest bn.
portance that this measure should not be delayed.
Mr. DAVENPORT opposed the bill as containing serious ineoaw
venienees to the law establishments of the county of Chester.
Mr. GREEN said he had moved an adjournment, because seve-
lAI gentlemen of Wales had left the house. If there was a desire to
fe on, he should not insist uron his motion.
The question was then put for the second reading of the bill, and
carried in the affirmative.
Mr. GREEN spin addressed the house, and contended that the
time for bringing in this bill had been ill chosen. It was said that
reforms in the practice of the law were necessary, and he admitted
that to he the fact, but it would be necessary to see what the reforms
were, before they gave up the judicature of Wales The compen-
latloll which individuals would require in case the Welch
Judicature was done away, would amount, as he had been in-
,.,nued, to 100,0001. lie submitted that point to the considers-
uo^. of the hnnourable member for Aberdeen, who studied economy.
Th • hon, member complained of the way in which be had
hem treated by the learned commissioners. After answer-
ing their queries they had charged him with prejudice. The evi-
dencv upon which the bill was founded did not appear to be the
best. Memorials had been transmitted from the county of Car.
digan by the agent of Lord Cawdor, which could not be relied en.
lie did not see why North Wales might not be thrown into one
circuit, and South Wales into another. If they annihilated theWelab
judicaturc,what was to be done with the records, fines, and recoveries?
The bill said nothing on those subjects. With respect to prisoners,
he might ask, was it not hard to make a suspected criminal travel 40
miles for the purpose of being tried by three Judges from West-
minster Hall ? On the whole, if the thange took place, his hope
was that his Majesty's Ministers would attend to all the evidence.
The Hon. Member quoted the saying of a lawyer in the time of
Cromwell, who cautioned the House of Commons to avoid rash
changes and alterations in public institutions.
Mr. C. W. WYNN did not wish to go into debate on that
occasion, but he thought the House cught to have full expla-
nation of the plan to be adopted by his Majesty's Government.
The principle to be carried into effect he took to be this : To
complete the union between England and Wales, by giving the
the Welch the benefits of English Judicature. The defect in the
present system was occasioned by having improper Judges. It was
Important that the J•idges should be proper person to administer
justice in Wales. The best and only security they could have for
a due administration of justice would be to have English Judges,
who were constantly in the practice of the law. A person who re.
cusincd unemployed six months in the year could not have the ad.
vantage in point of knowledge which the English Judges
Ile thought the bill should pans the second reading, and pow,
was hie
retention to reserve his final opinion until the bill was in Com-
atke.

Mr. R. TREVOR war satisfied that the bill, when amended,
would wear a different form. It contained one principle, namely,
the abolition of the Welch judicature, and it was said that the law
reforms could not be made without this bill was carried into a law.
' ithout giving up the Welsh judicature, they could not have the
three additional judges. Thu principality certainly did not look
'Ton the change as an advantage ; they had two excellent judges on
the Welch Circuits, and therefore a wait of judges could not be the
ground for this measure. It was subject to many objections, and
particularly to the expense it would bring upon the people of Wales.
He objected particularly to the consolidation of three counties into
one Assist Circuit, and this he verily believed was the principal
source of opposition to the bill.
The ATTORNEY-OENERAL said the comes he proposed
was:to have the bill now read a second time. committed pro forum
printed, and recommitted, when the principle might be dimmed.'
The principle of the bill was to assimilate the jurisdiction of the
Principality of Wales and England, and to place them both es the
same footing, so as to make the ring's writs run in the of Wales and Principalitythe county of Chester in the same wayi the counties of England. With sect to compensation his
was, that such officers as would maths a loss of 8111011111101 t
measure ought to receive cam pawls&
.81r JOHN OWEN opposed the bilL

FOREIGN FUN[
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Do. Ace. 491 55 4 S 21 3/
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AT TWO Orb MIL.

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India Stock, 240
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8 MORNING.
a. D.
1 Usboo 0
O Jamaica 0
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O Brasil . 0
O Mexico 0

THE EVENING STAR.

LON DON.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28.

THE KING.

Notwithstanding the alarm that has been excited by
the recent indisposition of the KING —an alarm which,
we must say, has been unnecessarily heightened by the
irregularity and inexplicitness of the Bulletins—we are
enabled to state, upon the best authority, that Isis Ms-
esz les attention to State affairs has never been re-
mitted; but that he receives every evening the Cabinet
boxes with despatches from all the departments of go-
vernment; and in cases requiring the royal signature, his
MAJESTY'S hand-writing is said to have even a bolder
and more vigorous character than when the KING was
in the full enjoyment of health.

The following Bulletin has been issued this day :
1, WINDSOR CASTLE, APRIL 28, ELEVEN O'CLOCIE,
" The KING has suffered less from the attacks of
embarrassment in his breathing since our report of yes -
terday, and his MAJESTY has passed a good night."

(Signed)

" HENRY HALFORD.
" MATTHEW J. TIERNEY."

Despatches from Lisbon, dated the 18th instant, were
this day received at the Foreign Office, in Downing-
street.

Shio Letters from Bombay of the 26th of December,
and from the Cape of Good Hope of the 24th of February,
have been received in town by the Lady haffies, Tucker,
arrived at Deal.

When Mr. GouLausx's novel expedient for alle-
viating the existing distresses of the country by the pro-
spective remission of o*►x inconsiderable tax, and the
immediate imposition of AN OT R—and a very oppres-
sive, tax, was first promulgated ; the people, who, from
the obdurate rejection of every supplication for the re-
dress of their grievances, or even for inquiry into the
causes of their unprecedented suffering, bad begun to
abandon all hope of succour, were startled by the un-
expected promise of an abatement of any portion of the
great burthen of taxation ; and, in the sudden ecstasy of
"this unlooked-for joy," they received the proposed umm_
nue as a boon so precious and sobountifid that it would be