PARLIAMENTARY RETURN.

(Moved for by Mr. Cave.)

LAID BEFORE PARLIAMENT 11TH JULY, 1864.

Memorial to the Treasury from Solicitors practising in London applying for the removal of the offices of the Commissioners to the vicinity of Lincoln's Inn. July, 1863.

SIR, AS solicitors having had occasion to conduct business in the West Indian Incumbered Estates Court, we venture to represent to her Majesty's Government, through you, the great inconvenience arising from the situation of the Court at Westminster, where at present the judicial business is transacted, and the official auctions held.

The nature of the business over which the Court has jurisdiction embraces the official transfer of land and the marshalling of the incumbrances thereon, involving the principles of equity and conveyancing, and the district of Lincoln's Inn is fully recognised in the legal profession as the centre of all such business, as the Chancery Courts sit there, and it is there that almost all the equity and conveyancing counsel have their chambers.

From the records of the Court it appears that of the several London legal firms or practitioners who have hitherto conducted business in the Court not one have or has offices further West than Lincoln's Inn Fields, whilst most have offices in and around Lincoln's Inn, and several further East, in the vicinity of the Bank of England.

Much loss of time is necessarily involved in attendances at Westminster by counsel, solicitors, and their clerks, involving additional expense and delay to their clients. So much has this inconvenience been felt, that the Chief Commissioner has frequently, at the request of the parties interested, adjourned the hearing of matters to his private chambers in the neighbour

hood of Lincoln's Inn, while the officers of the Court have gone out of their way to produce and deliver documents in such last-mentioned locality, and but for their invariable efforts to facilitate business, much additional inconvenience would have been experienced.

All auctions are conducted at Westminster, where merchants and others mostly engaged in the City are obliged to attend, some having difficulty even to find the locality of the Court, while the accommodation afforded is insufficient and inconvenient, and the only means of access is up a narrow stone back staircase three storeys high, lit in part with gas. It is believed that the official auctions would be better attended if held at Lincoln's Inn, or on some occasions at one of the well-known auction marts in the City.

It is, therefore, respectfully submitted and urged that the sittings of the Court should be transferred to a suitable locality in or near Lincoln's-inn, and that the official auctions should be held there, or in such place in the City as the Commissioners may in any case appoint.

We are, &c.

Freshfields and Newman, 5, Bank-buildings.
Chas. Druce and Sons, 10, Billiter-square.
Hunter, Gwatkin, and Hunter, Lincoln's-inn.
Whitakers and Woolbert, 12, Lincoln's-inn-fields.
Pownall and Co., Staple-inn.

Wm. Braikenridge and Sons, 16, Bartlett's-buildings.
Bell, Steward, and Lloyd, 49, Lincoln's-inn-fields.

Hy. Wm. Bull, 25, Ely-place.

Boys and Tweedies, Ely-place.

Cardale, Iliffe, and Russell, 2, Bedford-row.
Robert Marshall, 7, Leadenhall-street.

Symes and Sandilands, 33, Fenchurch-street.
T. K. Edwards, 3, Laurence Pountney-hill, E.C.
Ashurst, Morris, and Knight, 6, Old Jewry.
Lever and Son, 15, Bedford-row.

Tuke and Valpy, 17, Lincoln's-inn-fields.
John Hawley, 8, Coleman-street, E.C.
Thos. F. Hill, P.W.S.

Stephens and Son, 30, Bedford-row, W.C.

To the Secretary of the Treasury.

PARLIAMENTARY RETURN.

(Moved for by Mr. John Abel Smith.) LAID BEFORE PARLIAMENT APRIL, 1864.

1.-RETURN of the number, names, and acreage of estates sold since the 17th day of July, 1862 (when the West India Incumbered Estates Act, 1862, authorising commissions or per-centages passed), with the Dates of Sales, and amount of purchase-moneys, where the purchase-moneys have been fully administered.

2.-RETURN of the number, names, and acreage of estates sold since the 17th day of July, 1862, with the dates of sales and amount of purchasemoneys, where the purchase-moneys are now in course of administration.

19. Park Hill, parts As above St. Vincent 8 Mar.

3.-RETURN of the number, names, and acreage of estates for the sale of which petitions are now pending, with the dates of sales when fixed.

These Returns are made up to the 12th day of April,

1864.

HENRY JAMES STONOR,
Chief Commissioner.

West Indian Incumbered Estates Commission,

8, Park-street, Westminster.