216 Report of Commissioners in Lanavy........ selves to such studies, are devolved without is, generally speaking, in a satisfactory state. concern to the ordinary solicitor throughout In some cases, however, the commissioners Ireland, whose means and zeal for the acquisi- have suggested improvements in ventilation, or tion of legal knowledge are, as we have seen, additions to the clothing or comforts of the confessedly inferior to those possessed by the patients; in others, a better classification, an solicitor in England. Nor is this individual increase of attendants, and a relaxation of reneglect made up by any public effort. A so-straint. In two instances, where they conciety there is, constituted for the benefit of the sidered the supply of food insufficient or of an profession, under the name of the Attornies' unfit nature, they have felt themselves bound Society, but not only is it purely voluntary, like to exercise the powers vested in them by the that of Manchester and other law societies al- 82nd section of the act, and have prescribed a ready noticed in England, but unlike those so- fixed dietary for pauper lunatics; in another cieties, it in nowise contemplates the education case, they have thought it right to inspect one of its members; it is a mere society for the of the licensed houses in the provinces, at purposes of a library, and for holding meetings. night, in pursuance of the powers given by the The sum total, therefore, of an Irish solicitor's 71st section of the act; and in a third, they professional education, seems to amount to just have entered into a minute and laborious inthat quantity of mere formal experience (it quiry, in reference to certain alleged abuses would be hard to dignify it with the name of which, as they were informed, existed in one of knowledge) which he may pick up, if he be so the large provincial asylums. disposed, in doing the routine business of his master in the office, or in the courts." REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS IN LUNACY. Office of Commissioners in Lunacy, IN pursuance of the 88th section of the act 8 & 9 Vict. c. 100, the commissioners in lunacy beg to submit to the Lord Chancellor the annexed statement, containing a list of the various County asylums, hospitals, and licensed houses receiving lunatics in England and Wales, and setting forth the number of insane patients in each at the date of the last visit of the commissioners. In the discharge of their official duty during the last year, many circumstances have come under the observation of the commissioners which they propose to make the subject of a special report hereafter. At present, the commission has been in operation only between 10 and 11 months; and the various returns and reports to which the commissioners must resort, in order to enable them to render a full and detailed account of the several matters entrusted to their care, are imperfect, and apply only to a section of the year. They propose, therefore, as soon as practicable after the first year of their labours shall have terminated, and they shall have obtained more ample materials, to submit to the Lord Chancellor a more minute report of all such matters coming under their cognizance as they shall consider worthy his especial notice. In the meantime they deem it sufficient to advert in general terms to the condition of the various lunatic establishments, and also to some of the more prominent subjects to which their attention has been directed. The condition of the asylums, hospitals, and licensed houses throughout England and Wales See evidence of Mr. Mahony and Mr. Latouche. No case has occurred in which the commissioners have themselves been called upon actually to discharge any person confined as a lunatic; but they have repeatedly promoted and been the cause of the liberation of patients whose apparent convalescence justified, as they thought, their interference. The 86th section of the act has been found to be useful, and many cases have occurred in which the commissioners have been induced to authorize the removal of patients, for a limited time, to the sea-side or other places, for the benefit of their health. The commissioners have also occasionally exercised the power given to them by the 85th section, by ordering the admission to patients of their relations and friends; and after a careful examination of many of the registers and other books kept by the medical attendants of licensed houses, they considered it expedient to put in force their authority, under the 60th section; and on the 9th day of January last issued an order, containing directions for the form of a "casebook," and which, if duly followed, will place upon record the history, the character of the disease, and the treatment of every lunatic patient thereafter confined in any of the hospitals or licensed houses in the kingdom. The commissioners have, from time to time, received communications from various persons, that lunatics have been received in houses that had not been licensed. In each of these cases the commissioners made inquiries into the subject, but they have not (except in one instance) discovered that any wilful breach of the law had been committed. In the one instance adverted to, they thought it expedient to institute a prosecution against the offending party, who pleaded guilty to the indictment. In another instance, their inquiries induced a person receiving two lunatics to apply for a license, which the commissioners did not think themselves justified in refusing, the circumstances of the case being such as to give rise to some doubt as to the party's liability, and to acquit him apparently of having knowingly violated the act. In reference to other powers of the act, the PARLIAMENT. 219 Report of the Commissioners in Lunacy.-Approaching Dissolution of Parliament. commissioners beg to state, that they have re- APPROACHING DISSOLUTION OF peatedly made inquiries, pursuant to the 94th section, in cases where they supposed that the property of lunatics was not duly protected, and have reported thereon to the Lord Chancellor accordingly. It seems probable that the state of public business before parliament will delay the The members of the private committee have also visited various single patients under the prorogation for a few days beyond the time 92nd section of the act, and have made many is said the day will be the 22nd, or thererecently intimated. Instead of the 15th, it inquiries, with the view of ascertaining the propriety of their confinement, and also whether abouts. The exact time of the dissolution they were subjected to proper medical treat- of parliament seems partly to depend on the ment, and enjoyed such comforts as their state of the harvest. income entitled them to expect. The commissioners have found it scarcely all the members of the Bar who are in the So far as we have yet heard, all, or nearly practicable in many instances to compel medical practitioners, when certifying as to the present house will be again returned. insanity of private patients, to set forth, with Several new candidates are also spoken of, any degree of care or correctness, the facts namely, Mr. Serjeant Shee, Mr. Cockupon which their opinions have been formed; burn, Mr. Bethell, and Mr. Rolt. Beand the exceeding inaccuracy of numerous cer- sides the few Solicitors in the present partificates has added materially to the amount of liament, or members who formerly practised correspondence in which the commissioners in that branch of the profession, it is confihave been engaged. licitors will at all events become candidates. dently rumoured that several practising soWe wish them success. Mr. Freshfield, formerly a solicitor of first-rate eminence and ability, who was several years in the house, and retired from practice some years The certificates for the reception of pauper patients have been more accurate; but considerable difficulty has arisen, as the commissioners understand, in thinly populated districts, from the necessity of obtaining the opinion of a medical practitioner, not being the medical officer of the union or parish to which the lunatic pauper belonged. They consider it desirable, as far as is consistent with the liberty of the subject, that every facility should be afforded for enabling lunatics to receive the benefit of proper medical treatment in an asylum as soon as possible after the commencement of their disorder. The number of pauper lunatics on whose behalf admission into asylums is now required, is so large, and both the public and private lunatic establishments are now so deficient in the means of accommodation, that the commis. sioners have been induced to license a large house in the neighbourhood of London; and .they have also, as a temporary asylum only for pauper lunatics, licensed a part of one of the large metropolitan workhouses. In conclusion, the commissioners beg to state that, as part of their duty, they have, up to the present time, visited 302 workhouses, and that a report thereon is now in preparation, and will be shortly laid before the Poor Law commissioners, conformably to the 111th section of the act; and that they have also received, and taken into their consideration, various plans and estimates relative to county asylums (submitted to them under the 28th section of the act 8 & 9 Vict. c. 126,) and have made various reports thereon to her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department. ago, it is expected will again come forward. Although he was called to the bar in 1842, he possesses, through his sons, a deep interest in maintaining the character and station of his former brethren, and doubtless will promote all their just and reasonable objects. Our readers are aware from the address of the committee of the Metropolitan and Provincial Law Association, that it is intended to submit the state of the profession to Parliament. It is announced in the address that "To promote the redress of the public and professional grievances which have been touched upon, the committee propose to bring the general state of the profession under the consideration of parliament. In the meantime, they are taking means to collect the materials and evidence to be adduced; and they strongly urge upon every member of the profession, the neceesity of contributing his aid, by expressing to the committee his sentiments on the various topics which have been noticed in the address, or suggesting others;-adducing at the same time instances in support of his opinions. The committee fully expect from these aids, and from various sources of information opened to them, to be prepared with a great body of facts ready to be established before parliament. "The committee propose to circulate information on the past and present state of the profession, and on the manner and extent in which the public interest is thereby affected. Such information the committee conceive to be ne 220 Selections from Correspondence.-Circuit of the Insolvent Commissioners, cessary, not only for the public, which has at claim, which was for 57. odd, did not require present a very superficial knowledge of these professional support. My client is a sculptor, matters, but even for the profession itself, which, and being a foreigner could not have conducted although the sense of injury is general amongst the case himself. its members, has yet to form and mature its own opinion on many of the existing evils and their remedies. AN ATTORNEY. FOR THE RELIEF OF INSOLVENT DEBTORS. "An investigation before parliament of the CIRCUITS OF THE COMMISSIONERS. subjects referred to being an essential object of this association, it will be one of the duties of the committee to prepare the way for it, so far as circumstances will permit, by proper representations to members of the legislature, and by obtaining the assistance of some of those individuals who may be qualified to conduct the proposed parliamentary inquiry in a committee of the House of Coinmons. "To further this object, and to secure, in a future parliament, a candid hearing of their appeal, the approaching general election affords to every member of the profession an opportunity of contributing, by directing the attention of candidates and representatives to the important subjects alluded to in the address." We recommend our readers to lose not a day in enrolling their names and communicating their sentiments to the committee. SELECTIONS FROM CORRESPON. DENCE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS. SIR, I have just seen the letter of J. W. D., in your number of 12th June, commenting upon my letter in your number of the 29th of May last. I confess my letter was written in haste, and consequently worded loosely, but if J. W. D. reads it again, I think he will agree in opinion with me, that the view I took was not erroneous but correct. I meant to say, if A. held land in July 1827, and had judgment duly registered against him in the Common Pleas, (and I used the words " duly entered against him, and re-registered down to the present time every five years,") and there is a purchase from A. but no search, and various subsequent sales with searches, but were against A., and I still say, as I said before, that the land is bound with the judgment against A., in the hands of T., in the month of June, 1847. J. W. D. must have assumed that it was not re-registered every five years, a point which I plainly asserted, though after the lapse of 20 years from A.'s sale, the statute, I presume, would bar A.'s judgment creditor. A CONSTANT READER, COUNTY COURT COSTS. SIR,-In reference to costs under the County Courts Act, allow me to trouble you with the following case. At the Marylebone Court the judge refused to give me any costs of attendance, on the ground that my client, the plaintiff, should have attended personally, and that the Autumn Circuits, 1847. HOME CIRCUIT. Henry Revell Reynolds, Esq. Chief Commissioner. Kent, at Dover, Friday, Nov. 5. At the City and County of the City of Canterbury, Kent, at Maidstone, Tuesday, Nov. 9. Circuit of the Commissioners of Insolvent Debtors.-Attorneys to be Admitted. At the Town and County of the Town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the same day. Cumberland, at Carlisle, Friday, Nov. 5. Westmoreland, at Appleby, Monday, Nov. 8. Westmoreland, at Kendal, Tuesday, Nov. 9. Lancashire, at Lancaster, Wednesday, Nov. 10. Lancashire, at Liverpool, Wednesday, Nov. 17. Cheshire, at the Castle of Chester, Saturday, Nov. 20. At the City and County of the City of Chester, the same day. 2. 10. 221 Radnorshire, at Presteigne, Monday, Oct. 25. Glamorganshire, at Swansea, Friday, Nov. 5. Gloucestershire, at Gloucester, Friday, Nov. 12. At the City and County of the City of Bristol, Somersetshire, at Taunton, Friday, Nov. 19, Cornwall, at Bodmin, Tuesday, Nov. 23. Devonshire, at Plymouth, Thursday, Nov. 25. Devonshire, at the Castle of Exeter, Saturday, Nov. 27. At the City and County of the City of Exeter, the same day. Dorsetshire, at Dorchester, Tuesday, Nov. 30. At the Town and County of the Town of Southampton, Saturday, Dec. 4. Southampton, at Winchester, Monday, Dec, 6. Andrews, Edward, 3, Duchess Street, Portland Arnold, George Matthews, 83, High Holborn; Brodrick, Thomas, 35, Great Ormond Street Hough . Barrett, John William, 8, Great College St., Berners, Henry, jun., 9, Mark Lane; and Bolton, John, 39, Argyle Street, New Road; Briggs, Frederick, 93, Kennington Street, Barnes, Edward Samuel, 2, Falcon Court, Clerks' Names and Residences. T. M. Vickery, Lincoln's Inn Fields George Rooper, Lincoln's Inn Fields F. Pain Axford, Cornhill George Andrews, Weymouth and Melcombe John Lawford, Drapers' Hall George Essell, Rochester William Brodrick, Bow Church Yard B. Lewis, Gray's Inn Square 'John P. Aston, Manchester A. Paget, Leicester John Bramwell, Durham S. B. Jackaman, Ipswich James Waldron, Hartswell C. Parsons, Temple Chambers, Fleet Street Benjamin Dixon, Wakefield F. J. Ridsdale, Gray's Inn Henry Brown, Wakefield M. Shearman, 18, John Street, Adelphi Biggs, John Hall Newton, 8, Claremont Place, Baker, Samuel Edward, 27, Southampton Brodhurst, Alfred, 45, Stanhope Street, Park Place, Camden Town; Newark-uponTrent Bleaymire, Edward, 10, Granville Square, Pentonville; and Penrith Beattie, James, 51, Hans Place, Sloane St. *Bell, James, Uttoxeter; and 35, Arlington Street, Camden Town Champion, Charles, 21, Frederick's Place, Mile Collins, William, jun., 2, Islington Place, Park Clough, Benjamin Morley, 71, Harrison St., Cotterill, James Hardman, 32, Throgmorton Cater, James, jun., Walsall; Soham; and Cattell, Christopher William, 1, Brunswick Cox, Frederick John, 14, Sise Lane Croft, John, 111, Strand; Castleton; and Judd Street Cockcroft, Lonsdale Maving, Newcastle-uponTyne Chew, Townley, Manchester . . John Huish, Derby William Hallowes, Bedford Row Francis Broughton, Falcon Square John Crick, Maldon John Baker, Aldwick Court, Blagdon Charles Pearson, New Sleaford William Bleaymire, Penrith H. G. Robinson, Half Moon Street Charles M. Stretton, 18, Southampton D. Jennings, Whitechapel Road Godfrey Tallents, Newark-upon-Trent John H. Todd, Winchester J. S. Rymer, Whitehall Place F. H. Cartwright, Bawtry Robert Cook, Bath W. Henry Cotterill, Throgmorton Street T. Hustwick, Soham John Ridehalgh, Ripponden J. O. Hall, Brunswick Row George Cox, Sise Lane William Fooks, Sherborne William Chartres, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Thomas Sturton, Holbeach C. Chalk, Brighton Joseph Wainwright, Wakefield Thomas Henry Dixon, New Boswell Court William Dickson, sen., Alnwick A. Duncan, Featherstone Buildings W. Unwin, Sheffield * This application will be made in the Common Pleas. |