though the argumentative advocate has frequent mon Rooms which the authorities of the Inns of occasion to deplore the Commissioner's refusal to Court provide for the use of barristers and students; listen to the exposition of his laborious if tiresome but the Common Rooms, however admirable in their researches. But determination to walk by the way, scarcely supply the place of a regular club. light of his own understanding, sometimes yclept For one thing, they are controlled to a large ex obstinacy, is equally a characteristic of our judge; tent by the benchers, not by those who use them; and this feature of his judicial career has brought and then they close at too early an hour, and on him into a now almost historic conflict with the certain public holidays do not open their doors at all. The masters of the bench are not too favorably Lord Chief-Justice, Lord Coleridge. This con troversy turns on the question of the obligation of disposed towards the new scheme, as they see it a county court judge to take notes of the cases would seriously affect the prosperity of the Common tried before him. When there is an appeal to a Rooms. divisional court of the high court, the notes of the Since Professor Bryce, whose book on their Con judge below are invariably asked for. Now, it has stitution Americans know well, gained cabinet on many occasions happened that when Lord rank as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Coleridge came to hear appeals from Mr. Com rte has found his political duties too multifarious missioner Kerr, no such official record of the pro for the discharge of the functions of his chair at ceedings was forthcoming, the explanation being Oxford. He has been a great figure as a Univer that the Commissioner stoutly declined to take sity professor, and attracted much larger audiences notes of his cases, on the ground that he was un than most professorial lecturers in our old seats of der no legal obligation to do so, and that owing to learning generally succeed in doing. There will the mass of business disposed of in his court, it was be many eyes set on the reversion to the professor a course practically impossible. After a long con ship; among possible successors are Mr. Poste, the troversy between Lord Coleridge and the Com editor of " Gains; " Mr. Sandars and Mr. Movie, missioner, the matter was finally submitted to judi both famed for their editions of Justinian; and cial decision, with the result that Judge Kerr scored Dr. Erwin Grueber, of Munich, who has for some a victory. The court held that there was no legal time past filled the post of deputy professor. 1 duty on his part to take a note of the proceedings should not be much surprised, however, if the ap unless so required by a party to the action. After pointment were conferred on Mr. Thomas Raleigh, slumbering for a time the question has again been Fellow of All Souls and Vinerian Reader of Law actively canvassed, not only in legal circles, but in the University of Oxford, one of the most dis in the press; the " Standard " strongly recommend tinguished scholars of his day and a constitutional ing the judge to follow the sensible custom of his jurist of the highest eminence. Mr. Raleigh is a county court brethren rather than insist on his man, moreover, with political ambitions; and his strict rights. The Commissioner has replied to friends are extremely anxious to see him in Parlia his critics by applying to the corporation for the ment, where it is anticipated he would occupy a appointment of an official shorthand writer to take conspicuous place. notes of every appealable case tried in his court. I alluded some time ago to the new career on The application should certainly be granted, and which the " Law Journal " had entered under the raises the question whether official shorthand writ new proprietorship Mr. A. Wood Renton, whom ers should not be attached to every court of jus your readers know as a not infrequent contributor tice. With us this practice is only known in the to your pages, has just been appointed editor. Mr. Divorce Court, where it has been in force with most Renton was the most distinguished legal graduate excellent results for many years; but its extension of his day at Edinburgh, and held the much to every court has been recommended by eminent coveted distinction of the Bacon Scholarship at judges, and is approved by most lawyers. Gray's Inn. The proprietors of law magazines in A movement is on foot to establish a club for London rather like the editorial chair to be filled the exclusive use of members of the Inner and by a practising barrister, as the journal is thus kept Middle Temple, either within the precincts or in the thoroughly in touch with the every-day life of the immediate vicinity. This obvious requirement has profession. during recent years been partially met by the Com
