The Gazette 1907-8

[JUNE, 1907

The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.

16

had not now got. The reform he suggested was necessary in the interests of the Society and of the general body of members. The Council at present lacked force, and this was particularly well shown at the last meeting, when Mr. Lynch called attention to a contest he had had with a very eminent public body, the result of which was most unsatisfactory to the solicitors' pro fession in Ireland. In the second plaqe, the Council consisted almost exclusively of Dublin solicitors, which was a great drawback, and they were solicitors of a particular class—those with either thirty years' practice or who had inherited a business of over thirty years' stand ing. What could any young solicitor expect from a Council formed like that ? Such a Council would not cater for the young and struggling solicitor. The days for " close borough" methods had passed, and the Society must live with the times. If a third or a fifth of the old members retired each year, it would give a fair leaven of new members each year. Mr. James Brady said they were all indebted to Mr. Rooney for bringing this matter before them. He was largely in agreement with him, but he felt there were great difficulties in the way. The Council, as at present constituted, contained members of considerable repute in their profession who had not attained the thirty years', standing to which Mr. Rooney referred. Why was not the Council of the representative character Mr. Rooney desired ? The fault was entirely due to the members of the profession, who had the remedy in their own hands. They indulged in a growl every year against the Council, but would not pay the £i that would enable them to vote as they desired. The real evil lay in the fact that so few of the large body of solicitors in Ireland thought it worth while to join the Society. The general body of members of the profession conceived, whether rightly or wrongly, that the Council was not of that go-ahead character which the times compelled people to be. With the utmost respect, he said, they gave way too much to the views of the Benchers and gentle men of that calibre, as well as the judges. He believed the profession would be benefited, and the public interest better looked after, if there was only one branch of the legal profession. In conclusion, he thought Mr. Rooney should rather apply himself to getting more members to join the Society. Mr. D. A. Quaid, in dealing with the appoint ment of Examiners of Title to the Land Commission, said he held that solicitors, by the practical experience of routine invest!-

appointments that had been already'made; but they felt that the claims of solicitors should be recognized. The President next alluded to THE GAZETTE they had just issued, following on the practice adopted for some years by the English Incor porated Law Society, in the hope of letting the members know from month to month what the Society was doing on their behalf, also to bring to the notice of members decisions which affected them, whether in relation to fees or other matters. With these few preliminary observations he came to a notice of motion that had been sent in by Mr. Rooney, that one-third of the mem bers of the Council should retire annually in rotation. He did not know whether Mr. Rooney was aware when he sent in that notice that not only did one-third of the members retire each year, but every member of the Council retired, and was open to offer himself for re-election, so that in that respect he was afraid Mr. Rooney's motion was out of order. At the same time, as they had a great number of members present, there was no reason why the matter should not be discussed; and Mr. Rooney could explain exactly what he wished to convey, and at any future time bring forward his motion in proper form. If Mr. Rooney wanted to debar ten of the thirty-one members of the Council each year from seeking re-election, these might include those longest in office and the most experienced members, and that would be fatal to the best interests of the Society, as well as to those of the profession. Mr. P. J. Rooney asked would he be in order if he amended the motion by adding that the one-third outgoing members should not be eligible for re-election. The President did not think a material altera tion like that could be made without notice to all the members. However, they would all be anxious to hear the matter discussed now, as they would not have another opportunity for six months. Mr. Rooney, proceeding, said his feelings were not in any way hostile towards the present Council or any member of it. The question had come before the last half-yearly meeting, not in the form of a resolution, but a sug gestion thrown out by the then President, Mr. Lynch. His (Mr. Rooney's) proposal was nothing in the nature of a revolution, nor should it excite unnatural alarm amongst the members present. He did not propose to take away any power at present possessed, and he did not propose to give any power the Council