The Gazette 1933-36

[DECEMBER, 1933

The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society ot Ireland.

28

say, it is of the utmost importance that these valuations should be dealt with promptly, as otherwise executors and administrators are- unable to wind up estates of deceased persons within a reasonable time. Law Books. The Council during the year appointed a Special Committee to consider the present want of law books to meet the needs of practitioners in the Circuit and District Courts. Standard books, such as O'Connor's " Justice of the Peace," Carleton's " County Court Practice," " Browning & Glover's Registration of Title," have been out of print for several years, and the same remark applies to " Wylie's Judicature " (1906). The need of standard books of this nature is apparent to everyone in the profession, and, unfortunately, it is not a business proposition for anyone to publish a law book in the Irish Free State. At the request of the Committee representatives from the Bar Council joined our Committee in their deliberations in connection with this matter, when it was decided that the following books were urgently needed : (1) Wylie's Judicature (1906), revised up to date. (2) A Book on the Law (independent of Practice) administered in the Circuit Courts. (3) A Book on Criminal Law, dealing with summary jurisdiction and A joint deputation from our Council and the Bar Council had an interview with the Minister for Justice in the month of July last, when this matter was fully discussed, and it was arranged that, subject to further infor– mation as to the cost of publication being supplied to the Minister, he would give the matter his careful consideration. I trust that something may be done to get these books published for the members of our profession who at the present time arc unable to purchase books of a similar nature. In connection with this, I would like to express my very best thanks to Mr. T. W. Del any, of Longford, who has taken such a keen interest in this matter and who was one of the deputation who came with me to the Minister for Justice, and made to him a clear and well-reasoned case showing the need of these imbrications committals to take the place of O'Connor's "Justice of the Peace."

submitted that the deed was transferred to the Valuation Office to make a valuation. He also thought that in many cases Solicitors did not give enough information when deeds were sent to be adjudicated on, and that he had in course of preparation a circular which he was going to send to every Solicitor in the Free State specifying the information which was required in order to deal with the adjudication promptly, and he hoped that by giving this information a great deal of delay would be avoided. I understand that this circular will be shortly issued. Mr. Collins admitted that owing to illness amongst the office staff an arrear has accumulated, and that special provision had been made to deal with this arrear. Mr. Collins was, as usual, most sympathetic and anxious to help the members of our profession in any way he could. Valuations for Estate Duty. In the month of July last I had an inter– view with the Commissioner of Valuation with reference to alleged delays in dealing with valuations for estate duty purposes. The Commissioner assured me that he was aware that there was a considerable amount of delay in issuing these valuations, and that this was principally due to inadequacy of staff, and that vacancies which had occurred through death or retirement had not been filled for some time. He informed me that since his appointment as Commissioner he had considered this question of delay care– fully, and had applied for an increase in staff in order to speed matters up, and that five additional valuers had been sanctioned who would be attached to the Valuation Office. The principal work of the Valuation Office, of course, is in connection with valuations for rating purposes, but for many years past a considerable amount of extra work has been thrown upon the Valuation Office, who are now required to make valuations for estate duty purposes, and the Commissioner stated that he had recently organised a special Estate Duty Section in the Valuation Office to deal with this class of work. It has been my experience, and I am sure has been the experience of most of you gentlemen, that these valuations are now being dealt with much more promptly, and we are all grateful to the Commissioner of Valuation for the special interest which he has taken in con– nection with this class of work. Needless to