The Gazette 1908-9

52

[DEC., 1908

The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.

Franks, 174; A. L. Blood, 170; M. J. O'Connor, 163; J. Galloway, 162 ; J. G. Fottrell, 155; R. G. Warren, 152; T. W. Fitzgerald, 133; C. G. Gamble, 132; R. B. White, 122. And the following to form a supplemental list to fill vacancies:—i. I. J. Rice, 122. 2. E. R. Bate, 122. 3. T. H. R. Craig, 121. THE PRESIDENT in moving the adoption of the annual report, said : — I wish to refer with much regret to the deaths of two members of the Society which have taken place during the year now drawing to a close—Mr. Edward D'Alton, for many years a member of the Council, and Mr. Robert Longfield, also a former member of the Council, both of whom had filled the office of Vice-President of the Society. The Society this year numbers 739 members, an increase of only ten over last year's membership—a very small increase. I think it greatly to be regretted that such a large proportion of the profession should elect to remain outside the Society, cut off from the advantages which attach to membership. I cannot for one moment think that the requisite payment of the small subscription of £i a year is responsible for this state of affairs. It must arise from carelessness or apathy, or a blind perception of their own material interests. Membership carries with it the distinction that all the members tacitly agree to be bound by the unwritten law of honour and professional etiquette, and these good influences are reflected from one member to another. How much stronger would be the position of the Society if it could speak with the voice of the whole profession, whenever the Council had to make representations on its behalf to Parliament or the Government (hear, hear). It is not right that so many members should remain outside the sphere of the Law Society and of its members, and yet be able to reap all the benefits to be derived from the labours of the Council and from the expenditure in defence of the rights of the profession without contributing to the general expenses of the upkeep of the Society. I would be in favour of two reforms :-^(i) That every solicitor should, on taking out his annual certificate, pay £\ to the Society, or, in other words, that £i should be added to the cost of his certificate (hear, hear) ; (2) That the public ought to have some means oi knowing those solicitors who are members of the Society, and . who have submitted themselves to its rules and influence, . and that all country .volbind ..' . . ; .-,71 ,fi):

members who have plates on their doors should put after their names—"M.L.S." I believe that many people in the country are under the erroneous impression that all solicitors are members of the Society. I would earnestly invite all non-members to join, so that the Society and profession might form one homogeneous whole (hear, hear). The outgoing Council have not been unmindful of the interests of the profession. One of their first acts was to pass a resolution expressing regret that the Land Commission, in filling up the three existing vacancies in the office of Examiner of Titles, had ignored the claims of the profession, notwithstanding the repeated promises which had been made that such claims would receive consideration. Although under the provisions qf the Statute the appointment of solicitors as Examiners of Titles in the Irish Land Commission is authorised, yet, during the last twenty-seven years all those appointments have been given to barristers. Let us hope that the Board of the Irish Land Commission will repair this injustice whenever a vacancy in the office may next occur (hear, hear). Resolutions were passed from time to time by the Council urging the claims of the solicitor profession to the appointment of Resident Magistrates. Two practising members of our profession have this year been appointed to the post. I feel that our thanks are due to the Government for making these appointments (hear, hear). We occasionally receive com plaints from country members of conveyancing work having been done by non-professional persons. In cases in which we find penalties can be successfully sued for, we proceed for their recovery; and we invite the country members in their own interests to be watchful, and immediately to report to our secretary any such cases as may come under their notice. I wish now to refer to a matter that has been engaging the anxious consideration of the Council, I may say continuously since the month of January last. Budgets of complaints have been lodged by members of our profession against the system of taxations of costs of owners adopted by or under the direction of the Local Government Board in the case of compulsory acquisition of land by Rural District Councils for sites for labourers' cottages. The usual practice is for the District Council's solicitor to require the landlord's solicitor to furnish him with an abstract of his client's title to the plot or plots of land. The land lord's solicitor is required to satisfy the