xplained here, but the Bill was
drafted in an hour or two, passed the House of Commons early one
afternoon without alteration, and the House of Lords with slight verbal
changes. It became law in two or three weeks, and the Act is now used
with beneficial results in the Courts almost daily. A real injustice was
prevented and practical inconvenience removed, but the measure was
nearly wrecked by some theorists who wished to extend the principle of
the Bill logically, as they said, but in a manner which would have made
it virtually unworkable, without benefit to a single human being. A
small matter, but instructive.

Much may be learned from the procedure of Grand Committees. In some, at
least, the average length of speeches is about three minutes, and they
are confined to the definite point in hand. Members vote according to
their view of the merits, knowing what they are voting about, and may
defeat the Government without causing a political crisis. A case has
occurred where the representative of the Government, who knew little of
the subject in question, was left in a minority of one against a solid
vote of the rest of the Committee. "Downstairs" the point might have
been decided the other way by a score or two of members rushing in, as
Sir George Trevelyan once described it, "between two mouthfuls of soup,"
asking, "Are we Ayes or Noes?" and shepherded into a division lobby
accordingly.

Another step needed to aid Law Reform would be the appointment of a
Minister of Justice, whose business it would be to consider proposed
reforms, to see that they were put into proper shape and to assist in
getting them passed. The same Minister might have the duty of attending
to arrangements for the convenient and prompt administration of justice,
but should have no judicial functions of any kind and should not
interfere in any way with the action of the Courts. It is impossible to
guard too jealously against substituting decisions of any department of
Government for the law of the land as declared and administered by the
regular Courts of Justice. Mr. Samuel Garrett, the President of the Law
Society, dealt with the question very fully in January, 1918, in an
address which has since been published. We may view the establishment of
another new Ministry with something like horror, but a strong case is
made out for it here. Definite functions are suggested for such a
Ministry, and it is probable that it might in the long run save expen