The Gazette 1933-36

[JUNE, 1933

The Gazette ol the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.

apprentices, and I should like to see every apprentice becoming a member and taking an active interest in the various debates that take place each week. I cannot help thinking that our apprentices would greatly benefit by so doing, as, by taking part in these debates, they are preparing themselves for the more serious work of advocates in our Courts, and will gain that confidence in themselves which is so necessary when conducting their cases after being admitted as Solicitors. MEMBERSHIP OF THE SOCIETY. The Membership of the Society to date is 747 members, an increase over the cor– responding period of last year of 13. While this slight increase is satisfactory, the number of practising Solicitors in the Irish Free State at the present time is 1,248, so that it will be seen that there are 499 members of our Profession who are not members of this Society. I would like to see every member of our Profession a member of the Incorporated Law Society. After all, the work that is being done by this Society is for the benefit of the whole Profession in the Free State, and I do not think it is too much to expect that all our fellow-practitioners should support us in this work. Although I have only briefly been able to refer to a number of matters in this address, it is right to say that a great many questions affecting our profession have been dealt with by the Council from time to time and by the various Committees. The Council are always willing to consider and decide on any principle concerning costs, and about which there is a difference between members of the Profession. Solicitors have merely to furnish an agreed-on statement of facts with a submission to be bound by the decision of the Council. These decisions on costs, which I hope will be found useful to the members of our Profession, are reported in the Society's Calendar. I have to thank the Members of the Council for the great assistance which they have rendered since they honoured me by appoint– ing me as their President. They have made my task a pleasant and an easy one, and I am very grateful for all the kindness that they have shown me on all occasions.

CENTRAL OFFICE. It was reported to the Council that delays are caused to members of our Profession and their assistants, and, indeed, to the officials themselves, in the Examiners' offices in getting Rulings and other documents from the Central Office of the High Court to the Examiner's Office. Prior to the Courts of Justice Act coming into operation, it will be remembered that these rulings were always kept in the custody of the Examiners themselves in their respective offices and were immediately available. Since the establishment of the Central Office these rulings are now retained there, and if the Examiner requires certain papers he has to telephone to the Central Office and the papers are then sent to him under the charge of a messenger. In connection with the reported delay, I saw the Master of the High Court, who received me most kindly, and stated in theory no delay should take place, and he promised that he would at once investigate the matter, and would see that, as far as was in his power, no avoidable delay would take place in future. For the first time in the history of this Society a Dance organised by the Solicitors Apprentices' Debating Society was held in this Hall on the 2nd February last. As President of the Debating Society I was privileged to be present, and the Dance was honoured by the presence of the Chief Justice, Mr. Justice O'Byrne and members of the Circuit Court and District Court benches. It was a most enjoyable Dance and reflected the greatest possible credit on those members of the Committee of the Debating Society who were responsible for its organisation. As President of this Society, I occupied recently the chair at one of the Meetings of the Debating Society, and was greatly struck by the high quality of the debate and the speeches made by the various members. I should like to commend this Society to all members of our Profession who have SOLICITORS' APPRENTICES' DEBATING SOCIETY.