The Gazette 1907-8

, 1907]

The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.

gation of title, were far and away more qualified than barristers were for these posts. He also wanted to know why solicitors were persistently excluded from the position of Resident Magis trates. Representations were made the other day to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on behalf of the profession with regard to doing away with the annual licence of ^9 or £6, and he practically gave a point-blank refusal. Here were they, a profession that paid over ;£i 0,000 a year, and income tax, and paid very considerably to the Revenue, and yet they did not get the slightest concession. With all respect to the Council, he thought these matters were not pressed with sufficient vigour upon the Government. Mr. Henry, Vice-President, said if Mr. Rooney examined their Charter, on which the by-laws were based, he would find probably an insuperable difficulty to restricting the selec tion of candidates for membership on the Council. As to the point that they had an inordinate number of Dublin solicitors on the Council, he wished to point out that they had four provincial delegates and ten extraordinary members—members of the Northern and Southern Law Associations. That was a strong representation from the country. He thought it would be a disastrous thing if the senior members of the Council were compulsorily retired. Mr. William Geoghegan said if a large pro portion of the experienced members of the Council were compelled to retire, the result would be exceedingly injurious. Mr. Fry said he wished members knew of the enormous amount of hard work the Council got through, and the hours spent by the mem bers looking after the interests of the society and the profession. They were living in a democratic age, and why should it be suggested that their rights should be restricted in the way proposed ? He did not know why any solicitor in Ireland should not have the power of nominating whom he liked for a position on the Council. The Council invariably gave deep consideration to every matter brought before them. It had been suggested they had not been energetic enough in insisting on their rights, but they must remember they had very few members of their profession in Parliament. The late Sir William Findlater, while in Par liament, was one of their mouthpieces; but they could not make Members of Parliament. They had done their best to trv to bring pres sure to bear on the Government as regarded the Resident Magistracy being thrown open

to their profession, and they had done the best they could as regards the Land Commission. Mr. Gore did not look with favour on the suggestion that retiring members of the Council should not be eligible for re-election. He would go even so far as to advocate a plan that only one-third of the Council should retire each year, instead of the whole body, and that they should be eligible for re-election. Mr. A. Lane Joynt advocated more frequent meetings of the Society. He thought there should be one rate of subscription to the Society for all members. Mr. J. P. Lynch said he was glad of the discussion which had taken place, and stated that the original suggestion had not come from the Council, as he had been responsible him-, self alone for it. He hoped there would be an increase in the number of members. -