The Gazette 1907-8

[DEC., 1907

the Gazette of the incorporated Law Society ot Ireland.

60

230; Sir A. F. Baker, 219; William Fry, 212; F. C. E. Bland, 211; George Collins, 210; Gerald Byrne, 207 ; Richard S. Reeves, 206 ; William J. Shannon, 202 ; Richard A. Macnamara, 193 ; Charles St. G. Orpen, 193; M. Barrington Jellett, 191 ; Stephen J. Brown, 188; John P. Lynch, 181 ; Henry J. Synnott, 176; James A. Denning, 176; George H. Lyster, 174; Charles A. Stanuell, 170; John W. Richards, 170; fames Henry, 166; A. Lloyd Blood, 164; William V. Seddall, 159 ; Edward White, 157 ; Thomas C. Franks, 156 ; William H. Dunne, 155 ; Frederick W. Meredith, 154; Arthur E. Bradley, 150; Joseph Galloway, 139; Michael J. O'Connor, 130; R. G. Warren, 129 ; Stephen St. L. Burke. 125. And the following to form a supplemental list to fill vacancies:—John G. Fottrell, 122; J. R. O'Connell, 100 ; T. H. R. Craig, 99. On the motion of the President, seconded by Mr. James Henry, Vice-President, it was resolved that the May, 1908, Half-yearly General Meeting be held on Friday, 15th May, instead of Saturday, i6th May. THE PRESIDENT, in moving the adoption of the Annual Report, said:—The duty of pro posing the adoption of the report of the Council for the past year now devolves on me ; and, as the print of it has been sent to each member, I presume I may take it as read. Now, in the first place, it is pleasing to observe that there has been an increase in the members, of whom we have 729 this year, as against 713 last year. A small increase no doubt, but still an increase, and one which I venture to hope may continue ; for the sphere of influence of any society, and the weight of its suggestions or protests, must largely depend on its having the cordial support of the great bulk of the members of the profession it represents, Io3'al to each other, and possessing unity of purpose. I fear, too, that many country members, of whom we have only 295, as against 434 Dublin members, are apt to approach the question of membership from the point of direct personal benefit. It is not by the adoption of such a narrow view that men succeed • in any pro fession ; but, even on the somewhat -narrow aspect of direct personal benefit, I venture to suggest that any Dublin solicitor selecting a practitioner in a country town, or an English or Scotch solicitor selecting one in Dublin or the country, would be influenced by the fact of membership. Then again, another direct inducement, apart from use of our premises generally, is the library; for I see that apart

from readers in the library, 3392 books were lent to members during the year, many volumes having been sent to country members. It is pleasant to be able to record the fact that the position of Chief Clerk to the Lord Chancellor has been restored to the solicitors' profession. So soon as the Council heard the post was likely to become vacant a resolution urging the claims of the solicitors' profession was sent to the Lord Chancellor; and the appointment made has, I am sure, met with general approval. At last a solicitor has been appointed as solicitor to the Inland Revenue. How it ever came that the office of solicitor to a great public department was filled by some one not a solicitor is more than I could ever compre hend. When we heard of the probable retire ment of the courteous and much-respected gentleman who, until lately, held the post— a barrister, as you all are probably aware—we sent n memorial to the Lords of the Treasury, pointing out that the post,^s its name implies, was one conversant with ffie work transacted by solicitors, and that the Board of Inland Revenue has a Standing Counsel and the Law Officers of the Crown to refer to when neces sary. Copies of this memorial were sent to influential persons in authority. I believe—. indeed I know—that the claims of the soli citors' profession were recognized by many leading members of the bar; and now, by appointing a solicitor to the post, an anomaly of many years' standing has ceased to exist. 1 alluded at our last half-yearly meeting to the post of Examiner to the Irish Land Com mission. There are several Examiners, and the statute specially authorizes the appointment of a solicitor, but no solicitor has yet been ap pointed, although I am aware that there are suitable applicants from our ranks; however, from the kind assurances received from the judicial and other Commissioners that the claims of solicitors will be considered, I am sanguine our claims, when considered, will be ' recognized. At present I believe there are two vacancies, and our secretary has again respect fully reminded Mr. Justice Wylie of the strong claims of our profession ; and from what we all know of him I think we may rest assured that all else being equal he will not pass over the claim of the solicitors on this occasion. Now, while we have been watching these positions, which we modestly look on more or less as prizes—something to be sought after— we have not forgotten the general body of practitioners. You will see we have success-