An Act to abolish the office of Accountant General of the High Court of Chancery in England, and to amend the law respecting the investment of money paid into that Court, and the security and management of the moneys and effects of the suitors thereof.
The Court of Chancery (Funds) Bill was first introduced in the 1871 session of parliament, but was withdrawn on 27 July 1871.[1]
Leave to bring in the re-introduced Court of Chancery (Funds) Bill was granted to William Edward BaxterMP, the Solicitor General, Sir George JesselMP, and William Henry GladstoneMP on 14 February 1872.[2] The bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on 14 February 1872, presented by William Edward BaxterMP.[2] The bill had its second reading in the House of Commons on 4 April 1872, where a motion to postpone the bill for 6-months was rejected.[2] The bill was described as "pretty nearly" the same as the 1871 Bill.[3] During debate, the bill was criticised by members including Mr. Crawford and William Henry GregoryMP, who argued that the current system was working well (with only £1,000 lost to fraud in 150 years) and expressed concerns about mixing judicial and political functions and the government's ulterior motive to use the funds for Terminable Annuities to reduce national debt.[4] On 29 April 1872, a motion to commit the bill to a select committee was withdrawn.[5] The bill was committed to a committee of the whole house,[2] which met on 13 May 1872, where a motion by Sir Richard BaggallayMP to refer the bill to a was defeated.[6] The Committee met again on 28 May 1872 and 4 June 1872 and reported on 13 June 1872, with amendments.[2] Following debate surrounding the pension for the incumbent Accountant General,[7] the amended bill was re-committed to a committee of the whole house, which met and reported immediately on 13 June 1872, with amendments.[2] The amended bill had its third reading in the House of Commons on 18 June 1872 and passed, with amendments.[2]
Section 26 of the act repealed 24 enactments, listed in the second schedule to the act.[9] Section 26 of the act also included safeguards to preserve all rights and actions taken before the act's commencement, protect land titles and compensation payments, and maintain existing pension and annuity rights as well as associated duties.
An Act for better securing the moneys and effects of the suitors of the Court of Chancery, and to prevent the counterfeiting of East India Bonds and indorsements thereon, as likewise indorsements on South Sea Bonds.
An Act to empower the High Court of Chancery to lay out a further sum of the suitors money upon proper securities, and for applying the interest towards discharging the expences of the office of the Accountant General, and for building offices for the Masters in Ordinary in Chancery, and a public office for the suitors of the said Court, and offices for the secretaries of bankrupts and lunatics, and for building repositories for securing the title deeds of the suitors of the said Court, and the records and proceedings of the Commissioners of Bankrupts and Lunatics.
An Act to explain and amend an Act passed in the thirty-sixth year of His Majesty's reign, intituled "An Act for repealing certain duties "on legacies and shares of personal estate, and for granting other "duties thereon in certain cases."
An Act to provide that property vested in the Accountant General of the High Court of Chancery as such shall upon his death, removal, or resignation, vest from time to time in those who shall succeed to the office.
An Act for making further provision for the secretary and usher to the Vice-Chancellor of England, and for the clerks in the office of the Accountant General of the High Court of Chancery, and for providing additional clerks for the said office.
An Act to provide additional salaries to the present clerks in the Report Office of the High Court of Chancery, and to provide additional clerks for the said office, and for making further provision for the clerks in the said office.
An Act to carry into further execution the provisions of an Act passed in the third and fourth years of His present Majesty for compensating owners of slaves upon the abolition of slavery.
An Act for carrying into further execution two Acts of His present Majesty relating to the compensation for slaves upon the abolition of slavery, and for facilitating the distribution and payment of such compensation.
An Act to carry into further execution an Act for compensating owners of slaves upon the abolition of slavery, and for completing the full payment of such compensation.
An Act to make further provision for facilitating and completing the distribution and payment of compensation for slaves upon the abolition of slavery.
An Act for repealing certain duties on legacies and shares of personal estates and for granting other duties thereon in certain cases.
So much of section thirty-two as requires the Accountant General to invest the money therein mentioned in the purchase of Three per Cent. Consolidated Bank Annuities or to give any certificate.
An Act to enable the judges of the several Courts of Record at Westminster to make regulations respecting the fees of the officers, clerks, and ministers of the said Courts.
Section one from the words, "for the Lord Chancellor" down to the words "Vice-"Chancellor, respectively "and," and so much of the rest of the Act as relates to that part of section one.
An Act for the abolition of slavery throughout the British colonies, for promoting the industry of the manumitted slaves, and for compensating the persons hitherto entitled to the services of such slaves.
An Act to make further provisions for the administration of justice.
Sections seven to sixteen, and section seventeen, from the words "shall on the fifteenth "day of October," down to the words "and other proceedings," and sections fifty to fifty-five and fifty-seven.
An Act to abolish the office of Master in Ordinary of the High Court of Chancery, and to make provision for the more speedy and efficient despatch of business in the said court.
An Act for the relief of the suitors of the High Court of Chancery.
The whole Act, except sections one, three to five, fifteen, sixteen, twenty-one, twenty-three to twenty-six; section twenty-nine, down to the words "better despatch of business;" and sections thirty-five, thirty-seven, thirty-eight, forty, forty-one, forty-two, forty-six, forty-seven, forty-nine, fifty-two, and fifty-five.
The Courts of Justice (Salaries and Funds) Act, 1869.
Sections four to seven.
Legacy
Courtenay Ilbert described the act as a Consolidation Act, given that the act, which amended the Metropolitan Board of Works, also consolidated various enactments relating to that particular branch of law.[10]
Section 4 from "the office" to "abolished, and", section 22, section 26, the first paragraph, and subsection (1) of the proviso and schedule 2 of the act were repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1883 (46 & 47 Vict. c. 39).
^Commons, Great Britain House of (1871). The Journals of the House of Commons(PDF). Vol. 126. pp. 136, 139, 154, 161, 166, 182, 196, 227, 250, 268, 289, 296, 305, 320, 339, 358, 378. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
^ abcdefghCommons, Great Britain House of (1872). The Journals of the House of Commons(PDF). Vol. 127. pp. 41, 42, 65, 71, 93, 115, 121, 144, 162, 166, 171, 173, 192, 201, 206, 207, 211, 216, 221, 228, 232, 240, 264, 268, 269, 274, 277, 357, 376, 384, 421. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
^ abcdeLords, Great Britain Parliament House of (1872). Journals of the House of Lords. Vol. 104. H.M. Stationery Office. pp. 394, 429, 469, 506, 543, 632, 721, 781.
^Great Britain. The Public general statutes. Harvard University. London : Printed by Eyre and Spottiswoode at the Queen's Print. Office. pp. 262–278.
^Ilbert, Courtenay (1901). Legislative methods and forms. University of California Libraries. Oxford : Clarendon Press; London and New York, H. Frowde. pp. 72–73.
