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So, too, the succinct statement of a few items relating to Bankruptcy, will convey certain information to the law reformer

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Thus, the special charges and deductions amount to 17·8 per cent. on the assets; the debts paid in full, and dividend ordered, to 53.8 per cent. The expenses of the bankruptcy 22 9 per cent. Passing over some curious details unfolded with respect to the insolvency jurisdiction, we come to the returns appertaining to the Court of Chancery. The following returns comprise only the half-year ending 1st November, 1858:

Summonses to originate proceedings :—

For the administration of estate
Under the Charitable Trusts Acts
For appointment of guardians and
maintenance of infants

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137

17

For other purposes

23

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Crders brought into Chambers for pro-
secution (including 9 for winding up
companies)

Debts claimed and adjudicated upon :—

Number of debts

Amount of debts proved

Accounts passed (other than receiver's accounts) :—

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790

8729

£3,973,696

413

£2,544,094

£2,274,592

183

£449,326
£344,542

:

262

£1,075,263

43.

Purchases of Estates under order of Court :-
Number of purchases

We have next an interesting return of the comparative particulars for the whole of the year 1858, with those of the five

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The number of all matters disposed of in each of the years

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Total

10,919 10,639 10,502 10,276 10,141 8,619

The yearly amount of fees collected by stamps in 1858 was

upwards of £13,000.

The number of petitions set down for hearing –

Before the Lord Chancellor

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The explanation of the favour in which the court of Stuart, V.C., is held, can easily be explained by the practitioner in equity. With the Accountant-general's return and the Fee fund we will not now meddle, as we purpose to consider the subject in greater detail ere long.

In the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Court we find there were 352 petitions filed; those for dissolution of marriage were to those for judicial separation as 244 to 82. The causes tried amounted to 58; judgments given, to 52. There were about 600 summonses and motions heard and disposed of.

The proceedings of the Court of Probate and Principal Regis

try, may briefly be stated as including about 1300 probates and administrations. Trials prosecuted in the court were eight in number, and causes heard by the judge only nineteen. Probates and administrations were granted :—

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In forty district registries about 17,000 probates and administrations were granted in common form, and nineteen under direction of a judge. The amount, however, of duty stamps was in these courts a little more than half of that paid in the principal registries.

In the Court of Admiralty there were given 130 final judgments, 105 of which were for the plaintiff, and 25 for the defendant.

The number of appeals before the Judicial Committee of Privy Council in the year 1858, were 58; 26 being from the Admiralty courts, 1 from the Ecclesiastical courts, 4 from the Channel Islands, 12 from the Colonial courts, and 15 from the courts in India. On 36 appeals judgment was affirmed, on 4 varied, and on 28 reversed.

And lastly, in the House of Lords the number of appeals and causes in error presented were 47, of which 25 were heard, 16 were affirmed, 2 affirmed with declarations, 1 reversed, and 6 reversed with declarations. There were still 69 remaining for hearing.

Such is a brief abstract of the elaborate tables entitled Judicial Statistics, which henceforth must be consulted by every one who seeks to promote amendment in legal procedure, or to discover the principles by which litigation is governed, and protection extended to society in the enjoyment of legal rights by the enforcement of legal remedies. We may be assured that, by reading aright the results of "judicial statistics," our means of measuring the advancement and retrogression of the civilization of the country will be obtained. They indicate to some extent the course which the national mind is pursuing, and which veritable

history must record. When we observe in legal procedure an excess of technicality, we know that it indicates a mixture of refinement with barbarism; that the misdirected acuteness of the professional and educated few, is addressed to subtle methods, not understood or valued by the many, and which do not exist for their benefit. A tedious and complicated system may be maintained while the law exists for the rich man only; but when the interests of the public in general are duly consulted, we find in its place the greatest simplicity consistent with the habits and constitution of society. Whilst the merits of a judicial system mark truly the civilization of a particular epoch, and the character and habits of the population, the success of that system is best tested by the careful collection and comparison of facts, such as have been brought together and marshalled by Mr. Redgrave.

The criminal statistics contain confessedly the most important revelations of the past and present moral condition of large classes of society, and must be henceforth the best guide for future legislation with respect to crime and its repression; and we prophesy that regular and perfect returns relating to civil suits, will likewise prove an essential guide to all future reforms, and a sure protection against mere speculative innovation.

VOL. VIII. NO. XV.

M

ART. XIV.-CONVEYANCING IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA BY REGISTRATION OF TITLE.

1. Speeches of ROBERT R. TORRENS, Esq., explanatory of his Measure for Reform of the Law of Real Property: to which is appended a Copy of the Act, as passed by the Parliament of South Australia.

2. South Australia.-Lands Titles Registration Office Returns. Ordered by the House of Assembly to be printed, December 14, 1858.

3. The South Australian System of Conveyancing by Registration of Title, with Instructions for the Guidance of Parties dealing, illustrated by Copies of the Books and Forms in Use in the Lands Titles Office, by ROBERT R. TORRENS: to which is added the South Australian Real Property Act as amended, with a Copious Index, by HENRY GAWLER, Esq., Barrister, Solicitor to the Lands Titles Commissioners. Adelaide and London: Butterworths, 1859.

IN

:

N a recent number of this Magazine1 we commented at considerable length upon the ambitious but abortive schemes of Lord Derby's government, for the reform of the law affecting conveyancing in England. We pointed out the utter incapacity of those by whom the measures were prepared and introduced, either to appreciate the inherent difficulties of the question, or to apply appropriate remedies for the existing evil. There were not wanting those who could talk eloquently upon the subject; but there, providentially, their power ceased, for they were incapable of conceiving or carrying out a practical and useful reform.

Whilst in England we are holding debate, making reports, sketching bills, and altering them again and again in the imbe1 See L. M. and R., vol. 7, p. 187, (No. 13, May, 1859.)

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