The Gazette 1927-30

[DECEMBER, 1928

The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.

24

MR. REDDY expressed the opinion that Solicitors should not be required to pay an ' annual • duty on their Certificates. THE PRESIDENT, in reply, stated that most of the matters to which the speakers referred had from time to time been under consideration of the Council or previous Councils. MR; KNIGHT (Vice-President) having taken the chair, MR. BURNE moved that the best thanks of the meeting be given to the President for the manner in which he had discharged the duties of the office of President. MR. KNIGHT put the resolution, which was adopted with acclamation, and THE PRESIDENT returned thanks. Letters were read from members drawing attention to the inconvenience caused by the delay in the issue of the volume of Oireachtas Statutes for 1927. A letter was directed to be written to the Controller of the Stationery Office on the matter. Searches. ; A letter was read from the Registrar of Deeds, in reply to a letter drawing attention to delays in issue of searches, in which reply the Registrar enclosed a return showing the state of work in the office on 1st October, 1928, as compared with the corresponding date in 1927. The return disclosed a con siderable increase in the number of searches lodged and in the number of searches not yet made. The Registrar stated the numbers of the staff are inadequate to cope with the increasing work. The Council directed a letter to be written to the Minister for Justice on the matter. Legal Practitioners (Qualification) Bill, 1928. The Bill was further considered, and it was resolved to interview members of the Dail in reference to amendments which the Council desire should be inserted in the Bill. MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL. 15th November. Twenty-five Members present. Statutes.

the Dail, provides that Irish shall be a compulsory subject at each of the three examinations. Your Council take exception to this and other provisions of the Bill, and are taking steps 'to have amendments pro posed which will, in their opinion, render the Bill more acceptable to the profession and at the same time meet the wishes of the Dail. I would like to emphasise the fact that Irish has been an optional subject for twenty-five years in the Society's Preliminary Examina tion. The question of making it a compulsory subject has been considered by your Council, but hitherto it was considered premature to do so. Double License Duty. A great deal of dissatisfaction has been expressed with the recent pronouncement that it is necessary for " existing Solicitors whose rights were preserved under the Act of 1920" and who desire to practise in Northern Ireland and in the Free State, to take out Certificates and pa}' License Duty in both the Free State and Northern Ireland. This affects the Solicitors practising near the Border rather more seriously than those elsewhere. You are aware, from reports in the Press, that a deputation from this Council recently had an interview on the subj ect with the Minister for Finance. It is hoped that as a result of the representations made relief will be obtained. Before concluding, I would like to express my own as well as the Council's regret at the retirement of Mr. MacDermott, Mr. Gamble and Mr. Turpin, who have so long served the profession so well as members of the Council. I beg now to move the adoption of the Annual Report. MR. «M. E. KNIGHT (Vice-President) seconded the adoption of the Report. MR. E. J. MALLINS drew attention to the inconvenience arising from the want of Circuit Court Rules. MR. VINCENT KENNEDY suggested a change in the hour of meeting. He also drew attention to the question of affidavits being sworn before Peace Commissioners. MR. E. H. BURNE referred to the question of the swearing of affidavits before Peace Commissioners.