Star.
London, England, 1830-06-03 00:00:00

THE JUDGES' CHAMBERS.

t OPY OF MEMORIAL TO THE LORDS OF THE TREA-
SURY, AND THEIR LORDSHIPS' REPLY TO IT.
To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's
Treasury.
The Memorial of the Members of the Metropolitan Law Society,
instituted for the purpose of preventing abuses in the Profes-
%ion of the Law, and of the Members of the Northern Agents'
Society, instituted for promoting fair and liberal practice
amongst Attorneys and Solicitors—
SREWE TN,
That the above Societies are composed of respectable
attorneys and solicitors resident in the metropolis, prac-
tising in his Majesty's superior Courts of Law and Equity,
at Westminster.
That your Memorialists, while engaged in their profes-
sional avocations, are often compelled to be in attendance
upon the Courts of Westminster, for four or five hours a
day, and, during such times, are necessitated to hold fre-
quent communications with their clients, and with Coun-
sel, upon matters of great public as well as private im-
portance.
That from the plan adopted in the construction of the
Court of King's Bench, where the greatest pressure of
business exists, the attorneys having business in that Court
are not only personally incommoded from the want of seats,
hut are deprived of the means of conferring with their
Counsel, or with each other, by which the public are sub-
jected to much loss and inconvenience.
That the space allotted in the Court of King's Bench
to the attorneys will not contain more than about twenty
persons, whilst the number in attendance generally ex-
ceeds five times that amount, and even this space is fre-
quently occupied by strangers, or persons not immediately
concerned in the business of the Court.
That the Court is equally inconvenient for the counsel,
the officers of the Court, for students, and also for the
public.
That females and aged persons, in waiting as witnesses,
us well as the attorneys and others who are compelled to
be in attendance upon the Courts, aro not only without
proper accommodations in the Courts, but there are no
rooms, or places adjoining, where they can be in atten-
dance until wanted, except the large hall, which is with-
out seats, and always without a fire.
That it would facilitate the business of the public, be
conducive to the respectability of tho profession, and add
to the dignity of the administration of the laws them-
selves, if suitable rooms adjoining the Courts were ap-
propriated to the use of attorneys and solicitors, in which
they might, during the sittings, either consult with
their clients and each other, or hold conference with
their counsel, as might be requisite for the interests
of their employers and the general despatch of legal
business.
That for the use of such rooms, your Memorialists will
(if necessary) undertake to find responsible persons to
pay such reasonable rent for the hire of the same as may
be required, and upon such terms as your Lordships shall
approve.
That your memorialists also beg to call your Lordship's
attention to the chambers of the Judges in Sergeant's
Inn, wherein an extensive branch of the business of the
Courts is conducted, but which are wholly unfit for the
purposes to which they are applied, and are not capable
of accommodating a tenth part of the persons who are
compelled to attend upon the Judges there.
The attorneys and solicitors contribute largely to the
expenses of the State, in personal taxes, by the payment
of stamp duties upon their articles of clerkship,admisaions,
and annual certificates, which, within the last five years,
cannot have produced less than one million sterling, a
sem they believe more than sufficient to pay the salaries
of the Judges, and the expenses attending the adminis-
tration of justice in England and Wales.
Your Memorialists, therefore, humbly pray that your Lordships
will be pleased to take the subject of this their Memorial into
your early consideration, and cause such alterations and im-
provements to be made in the Court of King's Bench, and the
Judges' Chambers, as will remedy the defects complained of,
and become the dignity of the law, and be suitable to the wealth
and greatness of the British empire.
And your Memorialists, as in duty bound, will ever
pray, &c. Signed, &c.
THE ANSWER.
Treasury Chambers, April 30, 1830.
SlR,—The Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's
Treasury having had under consideration the Memorial
from the Metropolitan Law Society, and the Society of
Northern Agents, praying that some alterations may be
made in the Court of King's Bench, Westminster, and
the Judge's Chambers, in Sergeant's Inn, for the accom-
modation of the attorneys, &c. in attendance upon bu-
siness there ; I have it in command to acquaint you,
that my Lords regret that when the new Courts of Law
were erected, and when they were altered, more ample
accommodation was not afforded, than the present Courts
appear calculated to give, to the several persons who
have occasion to attend them ; but my Lords having made
careful inquiry as to the possibility of extending the ac-
commodation, and as to the cf,i-^se attending the same,
do not consider that they should be justified, under pre-
sent circumstances, in incurring the large expenditure to
which the necessary alterations would give rise, even if
they were prepared' now to direct the building at West-
minster, which has been once partially pulled down, and
rebuilt, to be again subjected to a similar operation
My Lords are fully sensible of the inconvenience of
the Judges' Chambers in Sergeant's Inn, and do not see
the same obstacles as at Westminster to erecting, at a
future period, apartments better suited to the convenient
transaction of official business.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
To James Anderson, Esq. J. STEWART
20, New Bridge.atreet.
At a Meeting of the Committee of the Metropolitan Law Society,
held on Thursday, the 20th day of May;lB3or
Mr. BILIZIMALIC in the Chair, •
It was Resolved,
That the memorial to the Lords of the Treasury, on

behalf of the attorneys and solicitors practising in the
metropolis, with their Lordships reply, be printed and
circulated amongst the members of the profession.
That the expense of the alterations and improvements
guggested in the Courts at Westminster, for the neces-
sary accommodation of the practitioners, will not exceed
13,0001.

That the annual sum paid by attorneys and solicitors,
being not less than 200,0001. and the Court fees and other
disbursements incurred by their clients being enormous,
this Committee conceives that the expense of the pro-
posed improvements is comparatively insignificant, and
ought not to impede the important objects in view.
That whilst the members of the profession do not ob-
ject to pay an annual compensation for the accommodation
required, they feel assured that the community at large,
which is so deeply interested in the most efficient admi-
nistration of justice, would cheerfully consent that the ex-
pense should be borne by the public revenue.
That a petition be presented to the House of Commons
to carry the object into effect, and that the members of the
several Law Societies, as well as of the profession in ge-
neral, be requested to sign the petition : and that copies
thereof be left for signature at the following places, viz.:
At the office of Messrs. Baxendale, Tatham, Upton, and John.
son, solicitors, 5, King's Arm-yard, Coleman-street; Messrs.
Clowes, Orme, and Wedlake, 10, King's Bench-walk, Temple;
Messrs. Brembridge and Cleobury, 'B, Furnival's Inn ; Messrs. G.
and W. Heldere, 17, Clement's Inn ; Messrs. Anderton and Scott,
20, New Bridge-street; and at the office of the Metropolitan Law
Society, Quality-court, Chancery.Ltne, until the 9th day of June
next.
May 23. By order, JAMES ANDERTON, Set.