Piece of Work: Judge" shall mean and include the Judge of any County Court in England, the Judge of the Sheriff's Court of the City of London, and the Sheriff of any County in Scotland: "Sheriff" in Scotland shall include Sheriff-Substitute. Complaints, by whom to be heard and determined. 3. All Complaints, Differences, and Disputes which may arise between Masters and their Servants under the Contract of Service entered into between them, whether such Contract shall be in Writing or not in Writing, shall be heard and determined,— In England, by the County Court Judge, or by the Judge of the Sheriff's Court of the City of London, having Jurisdiction where the Party against whom such Complaint is made resides or carries on business; and In Scotland, by the Sheriff of the County within which the Party against whom the Complaint is made resides or carries on business. Upon Complaint, Judge to issue Summons to Party complained against. 4. When any Question, Difference, or Dispute shall arise as to the Rights or Liabilities of either of the Parties to a Contract of Service under such Contract, the Party feeling aggrieved may apply by Complaint to the Judge having Jurisdiction, stating shortly the Grounds of such Complaint, when the Judge shan-issue his Summons directing the Party against whom such Complaint is made to appear before him at a Time and Place to be mentioned in such Summons to answer to the said Complaint; and every such Summons, and a Copy of the Complaint upon which the same proceeds, shall be served upon the Person complained against, according to the Forms in use for serving any Summons or Writ of the Court from which such Summons is issued. After hearing the Case, Judge to pronounce his Order thereupon. plete such Contract or fulfil his Obligations under the On Failure to comply with Order, Judge may issue 6. In every Case where the Defendant fails to com- 7. In every Case where the Judge shall find the Complaint established as aforesaid, and shall pronounce an Order terminating the Contract, and discharging the Parties from their respective Obligations in future under the same, he shall assess and determine the Damages, if any, which the Complainant may have sustained by reason of the Defendant not having completed such Contract, or fulfilled his Obligations under the same, and make an Order for the Payment by the Defendant to the Complainant of the Amount of Damages so assessed, and in case of Refusal or Neglect by or on the part of the Defendant to pay the same within the space of Twenty-one Days from the Date of such Judgment, the Judge may, upon the Application of the Complainant, and Proof of such Refusal or Neglect to the Satisfaction of the Court, issue his Warrant to levy the same in manner aforesaid of the Goods and Chattels of such Defendant, rendering to him the Overplus, if any, after Payment of the Charges of such Distress and Sale. Parties may appear by Counsel, etc. 8. It shall be lawful for the Complainant or Defendant in any Complaint presented under the Authority of this Act to appear in support of or in answer to such Complaint by his Counsel, Attorney, or Agent. Proceedings, etc., to be set forth on Record of Complaint. Orders hereunder not to be appealed against. any, the Names of the Witnesses (if any) examined upon Oath or Affirmation, and the Orders and Judgment by the Judge; and no Order or Judgment pronounced under the Authority of this Act shall be quashed for Want of Form, or be removed by Certiorari or otherwise into any of Her Majesty's Supreme Courts of Record in England, or be challenged in Scotland in any Process of Appeal, Suspension, Advocation, Reduction, or other Process of Review. 5. The Judge shall, at any Time and Place appointed by the Summons issued by him as aforesaid, or at any 9. It shall not be necessary in any Procedure under other Time or Place to which he may adjourn the the Authority of this Act to record the Evidence adHearing of the Case, inquire into and try such Com-duced, but on the Record of the Complaint shall be set plaint, and after hearing what each Party shall have to forth the Defendant's Answer to such Complaint, if say, either in support of such Complaint or in answer thereto, and considering the Evidence adduced and the whole Matter, shall determine the same, and shall find the said Complaint established, or dismiss the same, with such Order as to Costs as he may think fit; and when the Judge shall find the Complaint established, he may pronounce an Order requiring the Defendant to complete his Contract or fulfil his Obligations under the same, or he may pronounce an Order terminating such Contract, and discharging the Parties from their respective Obligations in future under the same; and in every Case, where the Judge shall find the Complaint established, and pronounce an Order requiring the Defendant to complete his Contract as aforesaid or fulfil his Obligations under the same, he shall in such Order assess and determine the Damages which the Complainant may sustain in the event of the Defendant's Failure to com All prior Acts inconsistent herewith repealed. 10. All prior Acts relating to the Recovery of Wages, or the Determination of Complaints and Disputes between Masters and Servants, shall be and the same are hereby repealed, in so far as the same are inconsistent with or repugnant to the Powers and Provisions of this Act, but no further or otherwise. THE SCOTTISH LAW MAGAZINE AND SHERIFF COURT REPORTER. SUMMARY PROCEDURE ACT. (Continued from page 35.) XI. Any Respondent brought before the Court by a Warrant of Apprehension under the Authority of this Act shall be entitled to require a Copy of the Complaint, and also to require that the Hearing shall be adjourned for a Period of not less than Forty-eight Hours; and such Requisitions shall be complied with if made before the Examination of any Witness on the Merits shall have commenced; but no such Requisition shall be competent where a Copy of the Complaint shall have been delivered to the Respondent personally Forty-eight Hours before the Hearing; and any Interlocutor adjourning the Diet may be in the Form No. 1 in the Schedule (H.) to this Act annexed. XII. Subject to the Provisions contained in the preceding Section, no Adjournment of the Hearing shall take place when the Respondent pleads Not Guilty, or at any other Stage of the Proceedings, unless the Court shall think fit to order an Adjournment: Provided, that where the Respondent has been brought into Court upon a Warrant of Apprehension, it shall be lawful for the Court to grant Warrant, in the Form No. 2 in the Schedule (H.) to this Act annexed, to detain him in Prison until the Period to which the Hearing shall be adjourned, or until he finds sufficient Caution to appear at all future Diets of the Court. XIII. Any Sheriff, Magistrate, or Justice, though out of his County or Jurisdiction, may sign any Conviction, Judgment, Warrant or Interlocutor under this Act, provided the Evidence and every other Proceeding necessary to support such Conviction, Judgment, Warrant, or Interlocutor shall have been had before him when within his County or Jurisdiction. XIV. Where the Respondent shall be present at the Hearing the Substance of the Complaint shall be read to him, and he shall thereupon be required to plead in common Form, and the Respondent may then state Objections to the Competency or Relevancy of the Complaint or Proceedings; and if no Objections are stated, or if such Objections are stated and repelled or are obviated by Amendment of the Complaint or Adjournment of the Diet as herein-before provided, the Respondent's Plea shall then or at such adjourned Diet be recorded, and the Plea, if the same be Guilty, shall be signed by the Respondent, or by a Judge or the Clerk of Court if the Respondent cannot write; and if the Plea be Not Guilty, the Prosecutor or Complainer shall proceed to establish his Complaint by such Evidence as is competent, and the Respondent may, if he think fit, lead such Evidence as is competent, after which the Court shall pronounce Judgment at the same or any adjourned Diet. XV. Where the Court shall proceed to dispose of the Complaint in the Absence of the Respondent, Judgment shall not be pronounced against him until the Complaint has been established to the Satisfaction of the Court by such Evidence as is competent, unless the Special Act authorizes Conviction in default of Appearance. XVI. It shall not be necessary in any Proceeding under the Authority of this Act to record or to preserve a Note of the Evidence adduced, but the Record shall set forth in the Form of the Schedule (I.) to this Act annexed the Respondent's Plea, if any, the Names of the Witnesses, if any, examined upon Oath or Affirmation, with a Note of any documentary Evidence that may be put in. XVII. The several Forms of Proceeding prescribed by this Act may be either in Writing or printed, or may be partly written and partly printed; and all such Forms as bear reference to any antecedent Form may be either on the same Sheet of Paper therewith, or on a separate Sheet attached to it. XVIII. In Cases of Conviction or Judgment against the Respondent in Prosecutions and Proceedings under this Act, the Sentence of the Court may be in one or other of the Forms contained in the Schedule (K.) to this Act annexed, or as nearly as may be in such Form, according to the Nature and Circumstances of the Complaint, viz: (1.) In Complaints for Offences at Common Law, punishable on summary Conviction, the Sentence of the Court shall be in the Form No 1 in the said Schedule: (2.) In Complaints for the Contravention of any Act of Parliament under which the Accused is or shall be liable on summary Conviction to be imprisoned, or to be imprisoned or fined in the Discretion of the Court, the Sentence of the Court awarding Imprisonment shall be in the Form No. 2 in the said Schedule; or if the Sentence is for a Fine, then in such of the subsequent Forms as may be in accordance with the Provisions of the Act of Parliament: (3.) In Complaints for the Contravention of any Act of Parliament under which the Accused is or shall be liable to forfeit a Penalty, and in default of Payment thereof to be imprisoned for a Period limited to a certain Time, at the Expiration of which he shall be entitled to Liberation although the Penalty has not been paid, the Judgment of the Court shall be in the Form No. 3 in the said Schedule: K (4.) In Complaints for the Contravention of any Act of Parliament under which the Accused is or shall be liable to a Penalty, which, under the Authority of the Act, may be recovered by Poinding or Distress and Sale, or other summary Process of Execution by Sale, and, in default of Payment or Recovery of the Penalty by such Process of Execution, the Accused is or shall be liable to be imprisoned for a Period limited as aforesaid, the Judgment and Warrant shall be in the Form No. Provided that the Court may add to any of the Forms of Conviction or Judgment for any Penalty such Finding of Expenses and Warrant for the Recovery thereof, and such other Finding or Declaration as may be required by the Act of Parliament founded on; and, if so required, the Court may add to any Warrant of Imprisonment contained in such Conviction or Judgment, or consequent thereon, a Direction that the Respondent shall be kept to Hard Labour during the whole or Part of the Term of his Imprisonment; and Execution upon any Judgment or Warrant may proceed either upon such Judgment or Warrant itself or upon an Extract issued and signed by the Clerk of Court, which Extract may be in the Form No. 9 of Schedule (K.), or as near as may be thereto. 4 in the said Schedule: (5.) In Complaints for the Contravention of any Act of Parliament under which the Accused is or shall be liable to a Penalty, which, under the Authority of the Act, may be recovered by Poinding or Distress and Sale, or other summary XIX. In all cases instituted under this Act in which Process of Execution by Sale, and where the Act any Penalty is or shall be recoverable by Poinding or also authorizes the Imprisonment of the Accused Distress and Sale, Arrestment, or other summary Process for a Period limited as aforesaid, then, unless of Execution, and in which the Respondent is also liable Imprisonment be only authorized in default of to be imprisoned for a Term to be specified in the WarRecovery by such Process of Execution, the Judg- rant of Imprisonment, either immediately or in default ment of the Court may be in either of the Forms of Recovery of the Penalty by Execution, the Court, in No. 4 or No. 5 in the said Schedule: lieu of granting Warrant for Recovery by Poinding and (6.) In Complaints for the Contravention of any Act Sale, may issue a Warrant for the immediate Imprisonof Parliament under which the Accused is or shall ment of the Respondent for any Term not exceeding the be liable to a Penalty, and where no special Pro-Term specified in the Act of Parliament in one or other vision is made for the Recovery thereof, or for the of the Forms appended to Nos. 4, 5, and 6 in Schedule Substitution of a term of Imprisonment in default (K.); and no Sale shall be made in virtue of a Warrant of Payment, and also in all Cases where, under granted under the Authority of this Act unless the Goods the Authority of any Act of Parliament, such are, at the appraised Value, sufficient to satisfy the Sums Penalty is or shall be recoverable by Action, decerned for, and the Expenses of the Poinding and Civil Process, or Diligence, the Judgment of the Sale. Court shall authorize Execution by Arrestment, Poinding and Sale, and Imprisonment (unless Recovery by Imprisonment is excluded by the Terms of the Act), and may be in the Form No. 6 in the said Schedule; and the Warrant of Imprisonment to be granted in pursuance of any such Judgment may be in the said Form No. 6, and shall authorize the Detention of the Respondent until liberated in due Course of Law; and in all Cases where, under the Authority of any Act of Parliament, such Penalty is or shall be declared to be recoverable by Arrestment, Poinding or Distress and Sale, or Imprisonment, or by any Combination of those Forms of Diligence other than as above provided for, the Judgment of the Court may be expressed in the said Form No. 6, so far as applicable, and no Warrant of Imprisonment shall be issued upon a Judgment in such Form until after the Period allowed for Execution by Arrestment or Poinding, except in the event mentioned in the said Form No. 6: (7.) In Complaints for the Contravention of any Act of Parliament by which the Court is or shall be authorized to ordain the Person contravening to do or perform any Act other than the Payment of Money, and where, in consequence of failing or neglecting to do or perform such Act, such Person shall be liable to be imprisoned for a Term to be specified in the Warrant of Imprisonment, the Judgment and Warrant may be in the Form No. 7 in the said Schedule; and such Judgment and Warrant may, if the Act of Parliament so require, be used in combination with a Judgment or Warrant in one or other of the Forms hereinbefore specified, and may, if the Act so require, be combined with a Judgment for Expenses, and Warrant for Recovery thereof, and for Imprisonment in default of Payment, in such Form as may be requisite: XX. Where, in consequence of the Requirements of this Act or of any other Act of Parliament, it is necessary that any Warrant of Imprisonment or other Warrant should be granted subsequent to the Conviction or Judgment, or where any other ulterior Proceeding is enjoined, the Forms and Directions respectively appended to the several Forms of Convictions and Judgments in Schedule (K.) may be used and observed so far as the same are applicable, and all such Warrants or ulterior Proceedings may be taken without the Presence of the Respondent. (8.) Any Judgment of Absolvitor to be pronounced in any Complaint or Proceedings under this Act may be in the Form No. 8 in the said Schedule: XXI. In Cases in which under any Act of Parliament any Matter or Proceeding which may be dealt with under the Forms prescribed by this Act, or which is incidental thereto, is or shall be cognizable by Two or more Justices, it shall be sufficient that any Warrant of Imprisonment or other Warrant or Proceeding prior or subsequent to the Conviction or Judgment shall be subscribed by One Justice, and it shall not be necessary that such Justice shall be or shall have been present at the Hearing of the Complaint, but the Conviction or Judgment shall in all Cases be signed by such Number of Justices present at the Hearing, and concurring in the Result thereof, as may be required by such Act; and in case of an equal Division of Opinion among the Justices present, the Complaint shall be held to be not proved, and Judgment shall be given for the Respondent; and all Warrants of Citation in Cases which may be dealt with under this Act may be signed by the Clerk of Court, without being laid before a Judge. XXII. In all Cases of Complaint under this Act for the Recovery of any Penalty it shall be lawful for the Court to make an Award of Expenses without the same being prayed for in such Complaint, but Expenses shall not be awarded to or against any public Prosecutor or Party prosecuting under the Authority of any Act of Parliament for the public Interest unless such Award of Expenses is authorized by such Act: Provided, that in all Cases where a Complaint for the Recovery of a Penalty is at the Instance of a private Complainer, it shall be lawful for the Court before which such Complaint is brought to award Expenses to the successful Party if the Court shall think fit; and such Expenses may be recovered and Imprisonment awarded, in default of Payment or Recovery thereof, in the Manner and Form specified in the said Schedule (K.) in connection with the several Forms of Convictions and Judgments therein contained, or, if necessary, by a separate Judgment for Expenses in such Form as may be appropriate. XXIII. If, upon any Complaint presented under the Authority of this Act, a Warrant shall be issued for the Imprisonment of the Respondent pursuant to a Conviction or Judgment, and such Respondent shall then be in Prison undergoing Imprisonment for a specified Period, upon a Conviction for any Offence, or for Default in Payment of any Penalty or Expenses, or for Disobedience to any Order of Court, the Warrant of Imprisonment upon such subsequent Conviction or Judgment shall be delivered to the Keeper of the Prison to whom the same shall be directed, and it shall be lawful for the Court granting the same, if it shall think fit, to insert an Order therein to the effect that the Imprisonment upon such subsequent Conviction or Judgment shall commence at the Expiration of the Imprisonment to which such Respondent shall have been previously sentenced or adjudged. XXIV. In all Cases in which no Time is already or shall be hereafter specially limited for instituting any Complaint for the Recovery of any Penalty or Sum of Money, or for Conviction for any statutory Offence punishable on summary Conviction, in the Act of Parliament relating to each particular Case, such Complaint shall be instituted within Six Months from the Time when the Matter of such Complaint arose. XXV. Nothing in this Act shall extend or be construed to extend to any Warrant or Order for the Removal of any poor person who is or shall become chargeable to any Parish or District, nor to any Information or Complaint or other Proceeding under or by virtue of any of the Statutes relating to Her Majesty's Revenue, or under or by virtue of any statutory Provision for the Recovery of any Rate, Tax, or Impost whatsoever. XXVI. In Cases in which, under the Authority of any Act of Parliament, any Conviction may be obtained, or any Warrant Ad factum præstandum or Judgment granted or pronounced, or any Penalty or Expenses recovered, by way of summary Complaint before any Sheriff, Justices or Justice, or Magistrate, and it is also provided therein, or in any other Act of Parliament having reference thereto, that such Conviction or Warrant may be obtained, or Judgment pronounced, or Penalty or Expenses recovered, in any Police Court in Scotland, the Proceedings by this Act authorized may be taken in such Police Court with such and the like remedies by Poinding and Sale, Imprisonment, or otherwise, as are herein provided in the Case of Convictions and Judgments obtained before Sheriffs, Magistrates, and Justices of the Peace; and the several Forms contained in the Schedules to this Act annexed may be varied so far as may be necessary to render them applicable to such Police Courts. XXVII. Nothing in this Act contained shall confer or be construed to confer upon any Sheriff, Justices or Justice, or Magistrate acting under the Authority of this Act any other or more extensive Jurisdiction in relation to any Matter which may be made the Subject of Complaint than is or shall be vested in such Sheriff, Justices or Justice, or Magistrate at Common Law, or under any Act of Parliament empowering them, or any of them, to take cognizance of such Matter of Complaint; nor shall anything in this Act contained affect any right to sue by way of ordinary Action in the Court of Session or Sheriff Court in Scotland for the Recovery of any Penalty or Forfeiture, save and except as to the Right of suing for such Penalty or Forfeiture in the Sheriff Small Debt Court in the Form provided in the Fourth-recited Act. XXVIII. And whereas much Inconvenience has resulted from the Uncertainty which exists as to the Nature of the Jurisdiction conferred by various Acts of Parliament authorizing Convictions for Offences, and the Recovery of Penalties, and the Enforcement of Orders by Imprisonment, upon Summary Complaint before Sheriffs, Justices, and Magistrates in Scotland, and it is expedient to define the Cases in which such Jurisdiction shall be held to be of a Criminal Nature: In all Proceedings by way of Complaint instituted in Scotland, in virtue of any such Statutes as are herein-before mentioned, the Jurisdiction shall be deemed and taken to be of a Criminal Nature where, in pursuance of a Conviction or Judgment upon such Complaint, or as Part of such Conviction or Judgment, the Court shall be required or shall be authorized to pronounce Sentence of Imprisonment against the Respondent, or shall be authorized or required in case of default of Payment or Recovery of a Penalty or Expenses, or in case of Disobedience to their Order, to grant Warrant for the Imprisonment of the Respondent for a period limited to a certain time, at the Expiration of which he shall be entitled to Liberation; and in all other Proceedings instituted by way of Complaint, under the Authority of any Act of Parliament, the Jurisdiction shall be held to be civil: Provided always, that nothing contained in this Act shall be construed to affect the Right of any Party to Proceedings taken under this Act to be examined as a witness therein, but such Right shall remain as it would have been if this Act had not passed. XXIX. Where by any Act of Parliament a Power is or shall be given to any Sheriff, Justices or Justice, or Magistrate in the Exercise of Jurisdiction as a Judge of Police, to take Cognizance of Offences punishable by Fine or Imprisonment, without any Declaration being expressed or implied of the Powers of such Judge of Police in relation to the Punishment of such Offences, it shall be lawful for such Sheriff, Justices or Justice, or Magistrate convicting for an Offence of which he or they may lawfully take cognizance, to sentence the Person convicted to pay a Penalty not exceeding Five Pounds, or, in the Discretion of the Judge, to sentence him to be imprisoned for any Period not exceeding Sixty Days from the Date of Imprisonment, and also to adjudge him to find Caution to keep the Peace for Six Months under a further Penalty of Ten Pounds, and in default of such Caution being found, to be imprisoned for a further Period not exceeding Thirty Days. XXX. No Procurator-Fiscal, or other Party prosecuting for the Public Interest, by Complaint under the Provisions of this or any other Act, shall be liable to pay or be found liable by any Court in a greater Sum than Five Pounds as damages for or in respect of any Proceedings taken or anything done on such Complaint, or on any Judgment following on such Complaint, unless the Person prosecuting for damages shall aver and prove that such Proceeding was taken or done maliciously and without probable Cause; but the party suing such Damages shall not be entitled to have any Decreet or Verdict pronounced against such Procurator-Fiscal or other Party prosecuting, for any Damages, or Return or Repetition of Penalty or Costs, in case such Prosecutor shall prove at the Trial that the Party suing was guilty of the Offence in respect whereof he had been convicted, or on account of which he had been apprehended or had otherwise suffered, and that he had undergone no greater or other Punishment than was assigned by Law to such Offence; and any such Prosecutor sued as aforesaid may at any Time put an end to the Action, in so far as not founded on Acts done maliciously and without probable Cause, by tendering Payment of the Sum of Five Pounds as Damages, with the Amount of the Penalty, if recovered, and the Expenses of such Action to the date of the Tender. XXXI. In Cases in which by any Act of Parliament the Provisions of an Act passed in the Eleventh and Twelfth Year of the Reign of Her present Majesty, intituled, An Act to facilitate the Performance of the Duties of Justices of the Peace out of Sessions within England and Wales with respect to Summary Convictions and Orders, are or shall be made applicable to Complaints or Informations under any such Act, the Provisions of the said Act of the Eleventh and Twelfth Year of Her Majesty's Reign shall not be applicable to any Proceedings under such Act when instituted in Scotland, but the Provisions of this Act shall be applicable to all such Proceedings as may, under the Authority of any such Act, be instituted before any Sheriff, Justices or Justice, or Magistrate in Scotland. Act. XXXII. The Proceedings in any Action or Complaint for the Prosecution for Offences or Recovery of Penalties under any Act of Parliament may either be according to the Form prescribed by such Act or any Act incorporated therewith, or according to the Form prescribed by this Act, or, where such Proceedings are before the Sheriff, according to the Forms prescribed by the first-recited XXXIII. It shall be lawful for the High Court of Justiciary and for the Court of Session respectively from Time to Time to pass such Acts of Adjournal or Acts of Sederunt as may be necessary or proper for carrying into effect the Provisions of this Act, and in particular to regulate the Expenses of Proceedings in the Inferior Courts under this Act, and the Fees payable to Clerks of Court. XXXIV. No Conviction or Judgment in pursuance of this Act shall be quashed for Want of Form, and no Warrant of Imprisonment or for Poinding and Sale, and no Extract of Judgment, shall be held void by reason of any Defect of Form therein, provided it be therein mentioned or may be inferred therefrom that it is founded or has proceeded on a Conviction or Judgment, and there be a valid Conviction or Judgment to sustain the same. XXXV. Every Action or Prosecution against any Sheriff, Judge, or Magistrate, or against any Clerk of Court, Procurator-Fiscal, or other Person, on account of anything done in any Case instituted under this Act, shall be commenced within Two Months after the Cause of Action shall have arisen, unless a shorter Period is fixed by the Special Act, and not afterwards. (To be continued.) · GLASGOW SHERIFF COURT. MR SHERIFF BELL, at the opening of the Ordinary Civil Court for the Winter Session made the following statement:-The business transacted in this Court from 1st October, 1863, to 1st October, 1864, has been as follows:-The gross number of new cases tabled was 1383; appearance was entered in 931 of these; while decrees in absence were pronounced in 452, showing an increase of litigated cases over last year. These cases, if equally divided among the three Sheriffs who preside in this Court, would give the charge of 310 cases to each. The final judgments issued in the course of the year amounted to somewhere about 500; and it is satisfactory to be able to state that only twelve of these have been advocated to the Court of Session. A good many more advocations were intimated, probably for the sake of obtaining delay, but only the above number was actually carried out. The printed rolls of the Ordinary Courts, held by Sheriff's Bell, Smith, and Strathern, show a gross number of 5787 enrolments, being an increase upon last year. On these rolls there are 2312 enrolments of debates, which includes debates on preliminary and incidental points, as well as upon the merits. There have been 1090 enrolments for fixing diets of proof, indicating that, on an average, not less than 5000 pages of evidence have been written by each of the above Sheriffs. The gross enrolments in Sheriff Sir Archibald Alison's Appeal Court during the same period have been 1692, which of course includes appeals from the Middle and Upper Wards, as well as in the Lower. The number of judicial sequestrations has been 152, in only five of which it was proposed to wind up the estate by deeds of arrangement; and of these only two were approved of, two were dismissed, and one is still pending. There has been the usual number of competitions for the office of trustee, as well as of appeals from the deliverances of trustees, and of discussions relating to the liberation, protection, and discharge of bankrupts. In the Small Debt Court, which meets regularly three days a week, without any recess, 20,927 cases have been enrolled and decided. The number of criminal cases tried by the Sheriff-Substitute and a jury was 236; the number tried summarily was 69; and the number of investigations in cases of sudden death was about 200. There has also been taken the large number of 629 judicial declarations from accused parties. The miscellaneous business of the Court, including matters connected with the Poor Law, lunacy, summary ejections, nuisances, meditatio fuga, law burrows, the recovery of water and other rates, the Merchant Shipping Act, and numerous other statutory jurisdictions, is unceasing, and of daily occurrence. There are now nearly 300 legal practitioners in Glasgow, and the number is certainly not disproportionate to the demands upon them. Whether any change in the constitution of our Sheriff Courts may be contemplated I do not know; but towards the close of the last session of Parliament a very minute and comprehensive set of returns in reference to these courts were ordered, first on the motion of Mr Baxter, the member for Montrose, and afterwards on that of the Lord-Advocate. These returns will show the population and area in square miles of each county in Scotland; the number of Sheriffs in each, and the amount of their salaries; the salaries or fees of the Sheriff-Clerks, Commissary-Clerks, and Procurators-Fiscal; and the number of solicitors paying license. They will also show the number of cases which were in dependence during the year 1863, the amounts concluded for in these cases, the results of appeals and advocations, the average expense of obtaining a final decree, the whole Small Debt, Commissary, Bankruptcy, and criminal business, as well as the amount of diligence actually done under sequestrations for rent, registration, decrees on bonds and protested bills, poindings, and warrants to imprison, with various other details. I am aware that every pains is being taken in this county to furnish accurate details, and I have no doubt that the entire result will embody more completely the statistics of Sheriff Courts than has ever been done before. LAW OF HYPOTHEC COMMISSION. WE understand that the Royal Commission to inquire into the Law of Hypothec in Scotland has been issued, and its members are, Mr Young, Solicitor-General (Chairman); the Hon. Charles Carnegie, M.P. for Forfarshire; Sir Wm. Gibson-Craig, Bart.; Mr Hope of Fenton Barns, Mr J. Campbell Swinton; and Mr Nisbet Hamilton. |