CO885-(10-11) — Page 640

4020.

No. 506.

(WEST INDIES.)

THE LORD CHANCELLOR to the DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

MY LORD DUKE,

AND CHANDOS.

Lincoln's Inn, April 18, 1868.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Grace's letter of the 7th instant on the subject of the West Indian Incumbered Estates Court. I quite concur in the opinion there expressed as to the propriety of making the Court, so far as possible, self-supporting, and I see no objection to the increase of the rate of commis- sion on the purchase money of estates from two to three per cent., or to the adoption of the new scale of fees proposed by the Commissioners. The per-centage, I would suggest, might, as is the case in the Irish Landed Estates Court, be settled on a scale graduated according to the value of the estate administered.

I should, however, inform your Grace that I can see no reason why the whole juris- diction of the West Indian Incumbered Estates Court should not be transferred to the Court of Chancery, which possesses the proper machinery for transacting easily and cheaply the whole of the business.

In order to facilitate the working of the system on such a transfer, there would be no difficulty in attaching temporarily to the Court of Chancery such of the staff of clerks of the existing court as had acquired a valuable knowledge of the details of business there.

The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos,

&c.

&c.

&c.

I am, &c. (Signed) CAIRNS.

O 16278.—400.

25.--5/06.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

PIC.O. 885

11 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO