17 MARCH 1883, Page 2

Mr. Gladstone's most interesting statistics were those show- ing the

rapidly accelerating progress made in the settlement of the judicial rents. Of the contentious cases, one-third (30,000) had been settled by the end of January last, while two-thirds (60,000) remained to be settled. But the rate of the judicial decisions, which showed at first only fourteen a day, had in- creased to the number of 100 a day, or more than 30,000 in the year ; so that at this rate, by the end of 1884 we may hope for the settlement of much the greater number of the contentious cases. For every case settled in Court, one at least,—indeed, more than one,—is shown to be settled out of Court by a voluntary agree- ment which the Court is asked to sanction.