6 FEBRUARY 1875, Page 2

The appointment of Mr. Field, Q.C., to the Bench,—he takes

the place of Mr. Justice Keating, resigned,—was one which we had ventured to anticipate a year ago ; and it does credit to the Tory Government that they have selected so able a man, for no party reason,—Mr. Field is, we believe, a Liberal, so far as he is a poli- tician at all,—indeed simply for his attainments and his capacity. However, it is a difficult question whether,' considering the new Judicature Act and the necessity of fusing Law and Equity, two or three more Equity lawyers are not needed, before the addition of a single fresh Common lawyer to the Bench. The new Court will certainly be far more deficient for the purposes of Equity than for the purposes of Common Law. And no one knows this better than Lord Cairns.