The Gazette 1910-11

The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.

166

[DECEMBER, 1910

Our thanks are due to Mr. Patrick J. Brady, M.P., who, I am glad to say, has been elected a member of this Council, and the other Members of Parliament, members of our Profession and the Bar, who have so kindly introduced our Bill. MR. JAMES BRADY :—I desire to make one or two remarks about the County Court Bill. Personally, I think it does not go far enough. I think there should be some provision to institute actions for breach of promise, actions for libel and slander, in the County Court. We are bound at present, at great expense, to institute such actions in the Superior Courts. They are generally remitted, and when the case comes before the County Court, the County Court Judges or Recorders proceed to abuse the parties for instituting the action in the Superior Courts. I am sure Mr. P. J. Brady will give my remarks the best attention, and try and have this grievance redressed by the present Bill. There is another matter, as far as Dublin is concerned. I don't think that Dublin is as well served as regards procedure as the County Court. A great deal of new business is cast upon the Judges, and I think, therefore, they ought to be relieved of what I call minor business. I think if the Court of Conscience business was extended to £5 it would be a great benefit to the mercantile community of the city and would be a great relief to the cqngestion that at present exists in the Recorder's Court in Dublin. I know the feeling of the mercantile community is to have the jurisdiction of the Court extended to £5, and have a legal gentleman put there to carry out its duties. MR. P. J. BRADY, M.P. :—There are some occasions on which it is difficult to make a speech, and this, at any rate, for me is one of them. But lest my complete silence might be misunderstood, with the permission of the President and Council, I would like to say one or two words. The first is that I can assure you I feel inordinately proud of the distinction you have conferred upon me to-day by making me a member of the Council of the Incorpo rated Law Society. It is a distinction of which any Solicitor might be proud, and I take this opportunity of thanking all the members of my profession who have brought about that result. All I can say as to the

future is that I shall use every opportunity given me, either in Dublin or elsewhere, of promoting the interests of the profession of which I am a member (applause). I know full well that this is no place to introduce politics. It would be highly im proper, and I have no intention of doing so. But I do not think I would be introducing politics if I suggest to you that my experience of Parliament has brought me to the very firm conclusion that a Solicitor was eminently fitted to discharge parliamentary duties. And no thanks to him for that, for I believe the training which I received was one which enables me to discharge my duties as a Member of Parliament perhaps a little better than the ordinary layman who approached parliamentary work. It has been my -privilege to serve for five consecutive weeks on a Private Bill Com mittee. During that time one of the Bills that came before us was the Great Northern Railway Bill. That was a Bill in which our profession and the public of Ireland were vitally interested (hear, hear). It may be that the accident that I was serving on the Committee led to the elimination from the Bill of a highly objectionable clause, and one prejudicial to the public interest—a clause whereby no appeal would lie from a decision of the Arbitrator. I do not think I am violating any secrets when I say that I told my colleagues that the clause would riot be got with my consent. The promoters of the Bill did not get the clause. Reference has been made to the County Court Bill, which it was my privilege to introduce into the late Parliament. I hope that Bill will be introduced into the next Parliament, and certainly, as far as I am concerned—apart altogether from the fact that it was a Bill promoted by the Incorpo rated Law Society—I was very proud and glad of having been given the opportunity of being its sponsor, along with other Members of Parliament. If the Bill finds its way to the Statute Book, a great benefit will be conferred on the mercantile community and on all classes of litigants who practise in the Recorder's Court and in the County Courts throughout Ireland. Whoever is a member for Dublin—while not subordinating his political principles—ought to take tvery opportunity and make opportunities for him-