CAP. 84.-An Act to amend the Laws relating to the Assessment and Collection of Rates for the Relief of the Poor. [26th August, 1839.]

S. 1. In case the contribution of the officers of any parish of monies required by the board of guardians of the parish or union, for the performance of their duties, be in arrear, the officers may be summoned before two justices to show cause why the contribution has not been paid, and the justices may issue a warrant for levying the arrears, and costs, from such officers, in the same manner as a poor rate.

S. 2. Orders heretofore made by the poor law commissioners for the appointment of collectors of poor-rates, &c. declared valid.

S. 3. This Act not to affect the right of vestries to give directions for the custody of documents under the 58 Geo. 3, c. 69.

S. 4. The 4 & 5 Will. 4, c. 76, and this Act to be construed as one Act.
S. 5. Act may be amended or repealed this session.

CAP. 85.-An Act to enable Justices of the Peace in Petty Sessions to make Orders
for the support of Bastard Children.
[26th August, 1839.]

S. 1. The powers of the justices in quarter sessions to make orders on putative fathers of bastard children, under the 4 & 5 Will. 4, c. 76, s. 72, transferred to justices in special or petty sessions: but notice to the putative father need only be given 7, instead of 14, days before the sessions.

S. 2. Powers to justices to enforce attendance of witnesses.

S. 3. Parties charged may enter into recognizances for trial of the charge at the quarter sessions and payment of costs, and in such case the justices shall not proceed with the charge, but all further proceedings shall be had before the quarter sessions.

S. 4. Interpretation clause.

S. 5. Act may be amended or repealed this session.

CAP. 86.—An Act to amend an Act passed in the Session holden in the Sixth Year of His late Majesty King William the Fourth, for amending the Laws relating to Bankrupts in Ireland. [26th August, 1839.] CAP. 87.-An Act for improving the Police in Manchester for Two Years, and from thence until the End of the then next Session of Parliament.

[26th August, 1839.] CAP. 88.-An Act for improving the Police of Birmingham for Two Years, and from thence until the End of the then next Session of Parliament.

ment.

[26th August, 1839.] CAP. 89.-An Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund, and the Surplus of Ways and Means, to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parlia[27th August, 1839.] CAP. 90.-An Act for raising the Sum of Twelve millions twenty-six thousand and fifty pounds by Exchequer Bills, for the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine. [27th August, 1839.] CAP. 91.-An Act to continue until the First day of January One thousand eight hundred and forty-one an Act of the last Session of Parliament, relating to the Bank of Ireland. [27th August, 1839.]

CAP. 92. An Act to explain and amend an Act of the First and Second Years of
Her present Majesty, so far as relates to Fines and Penalties levied under the
Revenue Laws in Ireland.
[27th August, 1839.]

CAP. 93.--An Act for the Establishment of County and District Constables by the Authority of Justices of the Peace. [27th August, 1839.]

S. 1. Where it shall appear to the justices in quarter sessions of any county, that the ordinary peace officers are not sufficient, it shall be lawful for them to set forth the same by a report under the hands of a majority of the justices present, and to declare how many constables are in their opinion needed, and the rates of payment expedient to be paid, and such report shall be sent to the secretary of state: Provided, that the number of constables shall not be more than one for every 1000 inhabitants, according to the last census.

S. 2. Quarter sessions may from time to time, with consent of the secretary of state, increase or diminish the number of constables.

S. 3. Rules for the government, pay, clothing, &c. of the constables to be made by the secretary of state and laid before parliament.

S. 4. One chief constable of the county to be appointed by the sessions with the approval of the secretary of state, or two for a county divided for the purpose of returning members to parliament: and the same chief constable may by agreement be appointed for several counties or parts of counties.

S. 5. Notice of proceedings under this Act to be given with the notice of holding the sessions, on the requisition of five justices for the county.

S. 6. The chief constables, subject to the approval of two justices in petty sessions, to appoint the other constables, and a superintendent in each division, and at his pleasure to dismiss them, and to have the general government of all the constables, subject to orders from the justices in quarter sessions, and to the rules established for the government of the force.

S. 7. Chief constable empowered to appoint a deputy in case of his illness or necessary absence; to act also in case of vacancy of the office of chief constable, but not for more than three calendar months.

S. 8. Constables to be sworn in before a justice, and to have the powers and duties in the county and any adjoining county, of constables at common law or under any statute; and the provisions of the 1 & 2 Will. 4, c. 41, extended to them.

S. 9. Constables disqualified during their office, or for six calendar months afterwards, from voting at or interfering in elections of members for the county for which they are appointed, or any adjoining county, or any city or borough within them; under a penalty of 201.

S. 10. Constables appointed under this Act not to employ themselves in any other office, and to be exempt from serving on juries and in the militia.

S. 11. Act not to prevent constables from receiving half-pay.

S. 12. Penalty of 101. on constables for neglect of duty.

S. 13. No constable to resign without leave in writing from the chief constable or superintendent, or a month's notice of his intention, on pain of forfeiture of all arrears of pay, and a penalty of 51.

S. 14. Constables dismissed or ceasing to hold the office to deliver up all clothing, accoutrements, &c. to the chief constable or superintendent, under penalty of imprisonment for a month.

S. 15. Penalty of 101. on unlawful possession of accoutrements, &c. and on assuming the dress of constables for any unlawful purpose.

S. 16. Penalty of 5l. on publicans harbouring constables during the hours of duty.

S. 17. Chief constables to attend at quarter sessions and make reports concern

ing the police, and obey orders and warrants of the justices; and superintendents in like manner to attend at petty sessions.

S. 18. Allowances to be made to the chief constable for extraordinary expenses in the exercise of the duties of the constables; to be examined and audited in quarter sessions.

S. 19. Justices may, with the approval of the secretary of state, appoint constables for one or more divisions of the county only, with the like powers: but with one police establishment only.

S. 20. Expenses of putting the act in force to be defrayed out of the county

rate.

S. 21. Where the act is adopted for one or more divisions of a county only, the quarter sessions may increase the county rates on those divisions accordingly. S. 22. Provisions of the 55 Geo. 3, c. 51, to apply to the increased rates hereby authorized.

S. 23. County treasurer to keep separate accounts of the rates levied under this Act.

S. 24. Nothing in the Act contained to enable justices to appoint constables within boroughs incorporated under 5 & 6 Will. 4, c. 76.

S. 25. On the appointment of constables under this Act, the powers of constables within the county (except high constables and special constables) to cease and determine; except as to the collection of arrears of rates: but not to prevent or invalidate the appointment of parochial constables.

S. 26. The power to appoint and pay constables under acts for watching any town, &c. where the population is more than 10,000, to continue for two years. S. 27. All detached parts of counties, hundreds, &c. liberties, and parishes (except the boroughs before mentioned) to be considered for the purposes of this Act as part of the county, hundred, &c. by which it is surrounded, or with which it has the longest common boundary.

S. 28. Interpretation clause.

S. 29. Act may be amended or repealed this session.

CAP. 94.-An Act to exempt the Parliamentary Grant to the Heirs of John Duke of Marlborough from the Payment of the Duty of One shilling and sixpence in the pound. [27th August, 1839.] CAP. 95.-An Act for improving the Police in Bolton for Two Years, and from thence until the End of the then next Session of Parliament.

[27th August, 1839.] CAP. 96.-An Act to authorize Her Majesty, until Six Months after the Commencement of the next Session of Parliament, to carry into effect a Convention between Her Majesty and the King of the French relative to the Fishing on the Coasts of the British Islands and of France.

CAP. 97.-An Act for funding Exchequer Bills.

[27th August, 1839.] [27th August, 1839.]

EVENTS OF THE QUARTER.

ALTHOUGH the results of the last Session remain to be stated in the present Number, our trimestrial summary will be short, the Bill for the Improvement of the Metropolitan Police Courts being the only important step yet taken by the government (for the two or three other Law-bills did not originate with them) towards redeeming the pledge given in the Queen's name, that law reform should receive their earliest and best attention. The mere passing of this Bill, too, proves nothing; for it rather confers the power of making improvements than makes them, and we doubt whether a Home Secretary, like Lord Normanby, will be found capable of carrying out its principle. He has begun badly: for example, a power of raising the salary of the magistrates to 1200l. was conferred for the express purpose of raising the standard of qualification; and the first act of the Home Office is to stipulate with the newly-appointed magistrates that (with the exception of the chief) they should rest satisfied with 1000l.-the object being, we understand, to silence the narrow-minded cavils of some radical stickler for economy. In fact, things are come to such a pass, that the wilful contravention of the plain intentions of the legislature is now deemed a title to public confidence in a ministry

"In the Municipal Bill," says a zealous defender, the House of Commons enacted, that the town councils should by election appoint magistrates in corporate towns: the Lords substituted a power of nomination by the Crown. What does the Minister having the executive power do? Why, request that the town-councils would hold a similar election to that which they would have held if the House of Commons provision had become law; and invariably, or nearly so, he appoints the persons so elected. (See Mr. Gisborne's Pamphlet.) Here, then, it is the executive power that secures to corporate towns the advantage of popular magistrates."

1

The advantage in question has been rendered rather problematical by what recently took place in Birmingham, and we incline to think that, had Lord John Russell been consulted, he would have begged the writer to choose some other topic of commendation. But we quote the passage to illustrate the folly of trusting anything to his or his colleagues' discretion, and shew the depth to which political morality must have sunk, when the organ of a party can venture to employ such arguments. "True, the government are unable to carry any one measure of consequence; true, scheme after scheme is defeated through their incapacity, and principle after principle surrendered by

""

'The Edinburgh Review, No. 141, p. 267, note.—At p. 275 we find enumerated amongst Whig performances the consolidation into one volume of the Commercial Laws of the Empire." We should be glad to know where this volume is to be procured.

their fears. But they have no silly scruples about the distribution of their pa tronage, no weak reluctance to trusting demagogues with power. Neither the administration of justice, nor the security of property, nor the preservation of the peace, is held too sacred to be sacrificed at the shrine of popularity; and so long as they retain the loaves and fishes, their friends are certain of the fragments." The only plausible apology for the reduced salary is, that the government have notwithstanding secured the services of such men as Mr. Long and Mr. Jardine.

Of the Bills that failed during the last session, the most remarkable were the Admiralty Court Bill, the Copyhold Enfranchisement Bill, the Copyright Bill, and the Registration of Electors' Bill. As their failure was principally attributable to the press of business or defect in form, they will all doubtless be reproduced without delay. We trust that the Attorney General will at length be induced to put the last, the Registration Bill, into a shape less calculated to attract opposition, since every year brings fresh evidence of the indecent haste and extreme carelessness with which the Reform Bill was prepared. Do what they will, it is quite impossible for the revising barristers to reduce its inconsistent and clumsily expressed provisions to uniformity; yet though a short declaratory act, an appeal court, and an improved machinery for giving the required notices, would set every thing to rights, the government officials will do nothing because they cannot clog the measure with one essentially distinct. Can it be seriously contended that a change of the tribunal is inextricably involved in an alteration of the law?

No equity reform measure failed, because none was introduced. The law reformers in both houses contented themselves with talking about it. Yet it is quite impossible for the present state of things to last the judges are admitted on all hands to be hopelessly unequal to their work, and four years is the shortest period within which a case of difficulty can arrive at a conclusive hearing. We regret to say that the arrears in the Queen's Bench, also, have increased to such an extent as to leave the judges of that court very little chance of subduing them without assistance. Another case like Stockdale and Hansard, and they are undone.

We have heard nothing more about the closing of the Common Pleas. It seems that the Chief Justice wisely shrinks from the responsibility of declaring the warrant illegal, and prefers abiding by the decision of the legislature; but will parliament re-establish an injurious monopoly merely to save the judges the painful necessity of enforcing the attendance of the bar?

It is said that Lord Melbourne, who hates exertion of any sort, is wont to receive the tidings of a bishop's death with an exclamation by no means respectful to the Right Reverend bench, and, under existing circumstances, he might well be betrayed into similar marks of impatience by the unlooked-for death of a judge. When a prime minister is free to take fitness as the test, he is seldom much embarrassed in his choice; but when he has to decide with reference to party services and the comparative security of seats, he may be pardoned for procrastinating. To the best of our information, he has not yet decided who is to succeed Mr. Justice Vaughan. The candidates most confidently named are Mr. Erle, Mr. Serjeant Talfourd, Mr. Wightman, and the Solicitor General. There has also been a rumour to the effect, that Sir William Follett would have the refusal; and if Sir William Follett could be persuaded to accept an appointment so much below his well-founded pretensions, it is not improbable that the offer would be made, for the ministry would thus get rid of a formidable opponent and gain credit for a good action at a blow.

We shall endeavour to collect a few biographical particulars regarding Mr. Justice