PARLIAMENTARY REPORTS. 371 



course of inquiry which might 

 embrace it, but in looking to the 

 state of the new trials, before 

 the court of King's-bench, as 

 connected with the northern 

 counties, it could not escape 

 their observation, that those who 

 now administer the justice of the 

 country have difficulties imposed 

 upon them, which, with all their 

 eeal and activity, they are in 

 some instances unable to sur- 

 mount. 



Your Committee, in adverting 

 to the substance of the petition 

 from the city of Norwich which 

 was referred to them by order of 

 the House, are called upon to 

 observe, that the inconvenience 

 there sustained, from the delay of 

 the trial of prisoners, appears to 

 have been so great, that it would 

 be highly expedient, for the sake 

 of public justice, that some 

 remedy should be applied to the 

 evil ; and that if it is the pleasure 

 of the House to recommend, in 

 whatever way they shall think 

 best, an augmentation to the 

 present number of the judges, 

 such additional judges might be 

 most usefully and beneficially 

 employed in the respective courts 

 in Westminster-hall, and in the 

 regular tribunals of the country ; 

 by this means, an opportunity 

 would be afforded of supplying 

 the defect so loudly complained 

 of on the Norfolk and Midland 

 circuits, viz. of having only one 

 judge on the spring circuit to 

 preside on the civil and criminal 

 trials. 



28th Ajiril, 1818. 



KEPORT ON LAWS RELATING 

 TO AUCTIONS. 



T/te Select Committee apjjointedto 

 take into consideration the Laws 

 relating to Auctions, and to 

 report the same, ivith their 

 Observations thereupon, to the 

 House ; — Have, pursuant to 

 the Order of the House, con- 

 sidered the same accordingly, 

 and have agreed to thejolloxuing 

 Report : 



Your Committee have examin- 

 ed several tradesmen and res- 

 pectable auctioneers, who are all 

 of opinion, that great frauds on 

 the public are constantly com- 

 mitted, by the mode in which 

 sales by auction are conducted : 

 — That property is often sold 

 under misrepresentation as to 

 ownership, under various pre- 

 tences; such as, owners going 

 abroad, merchants property in- 

 tended for exportation ; and 

 empty houses are filled with 

 goods for the purpose : — That 

 articles of the most inferior manu- 

 facture, made for the express 

 purpose of putting into sales, as 

 the genuine property of indivi- 

 duals of respectability; and to 

 such lengths has this mode pro- 

 ceeded, that many auctioneers 

 who are in the practice of vending 

 such articles, have, with a view 

 to impose more successfully 

 upon the public, been detected in 

 using the names of several of the 

 most respectable auctioneers, 

 varying the spelling by alteration 

 of a letter; and your Committee 

 have had proofs, that several of 

 the respectable auctioneers, whose 

 names have been so assumed, 

 have in several instances, in justi- 

 fication to themselves, been 

 2 B 2 compelled 



