On the adjournment the other day I had almost concluded the remarks which I intended making to the House. It is not my intention to go over any of the matters which I dealt with on that occasion. I think I have dealt with all the points raised which could be regarded as of any importance except possibly one point and I will deal with that point now. It is a point to which attention was drawn at some little length. It is the point that the fees paid to sheriffs were excessive. The principal fee which is paid to the sheriff is a fee of very long standing. It is a fee of 1/- in the £ upon the amount collected. All the other fees which are paid to the sheriff are really fees which reimburse the sheriff and his officers for out-of-pocket expenses. I do not see how this scale of fees could reasonably be reduced. It is necessary for the performance of the work of sheriffs that we should have good men as sub-sheriffs and good men as sheriffs' officers. In order to ensure having good and reliable men it is necessary that they should receive something approaching a reasonable remuneration. They are men through whose hands considerable sums of money are certain to pass and, therefore, it is necessary that they should not be underpaid.
I am aware that in certain cases it may appear that the sheriff's fees are altogether excessive in comparison with the amount collected. If the sheriff has a very considerable distance to go and has a small sum to collect, if he is not paid when he reacnes the debtor's house and if he has to seize cattle, to impound them and put them up for sale, the expenses naturally will amount to a very considerable sum. Who is to pay that unavoidable sum? At the present moment the debtor pays it. If the debtor did not pay, either the creditor or the State would have to pay. It would be very unfair to the creditor that he should have to pay. All he wants is the amount of money due to him and he ought to get that. On the other hand it would be extremely inadvisable if the State were made to pay. I venture to think that a very large number of debtors would not pay until the sheriff came, and was put to every possible inconvenience, and until the State was put to every possible inconvenience and expense, if they thought that the extra cost of seizure would not come out of their own pockets. Therefore, I do not see that any reduction could be made in the present scale paid to the sheriffs—one shilling in the £ on the amount collected and their out-of—pocket expenses.
