The Gazette 1940-44

The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland

June, 1942]

On the motion of Mr. Cox, seconded by Mr. Blake it was resolved that the appoint ment by the Council of Messrs. Kevans & Sons, Auditors, of 1, 2, 3, Westmoreland Street, Dublin, as professional auditors of the Society's accounts for the year ending 30th April, 1942, be approved. The President, addressing the meeting, said :— Gentlemen—Since our last meeting death has dealt very heavily with our Society. We have lost our beloved Secretary who, for over a half century gave of his very best to the interests of our Society. You will have seen from our Gazette some of the tributes that were 'paid to him, and since the Gazette appeared further resolutions of sympathy and letters of condolence have come in from country Bar Associations and from many other sources. These tributes were more than deserved. No man could have striven harder for the good of the Society or with such outstanding success and it is given to few to make so many friends. It may be said of him that he stood in " loco parentis " to every solicitor and every solicitor's apprentice in the country. To know him was to love him and respect him, and we shall sadly miss him from our meetings. Every President regarded him in times of difficulty and distress as the one man whose unerring judgment could be implicitly relied on, and whose tact and courtesy and patience were unfailing. We shall not look upon his like again. We have also lost during the year a past President in the person of Mr. Edward D. MacLaughlin, who died on the 2nd April, 1942, in Dublin. Mr. MacLaughlin held the office of President in the year 1904/5, and was latter appointed Chief Clerk to the Lord Chancellor in 1S07, and after that office was abolished he was Chief Clerk to the Chief Justice up to the year 1926, when he retired. We have also lost under tragic circum stances John Brennan, a past Vice-President of this Council—a very valued member and a man of the highest integrity. Amongst those who are no longer with us, and whose loss we deplore, are the following :—

James G

Franks, Solicitor, died 2nd

November, Patrick J. Kavanagh (Senior), Solicitor, died 3rd November, 1941 ; George Green, Solicitor, died 15th Novem ber, 1941 ; Daniel McLoughlin, Solicitor, died 17th November, 1941 ; Thomas W. Franks, Solicitor, died 18th November, 1941 ; William J. McClenaghan, Solicitor, died 14th December, 1941 ; C. Rupert Robinson, Solicitor, died 21st December, 1941 ; Edward Leahy, Solicitor, died 31st December, 1941 ; J. Cecil B. O'Dowd, Solic- tor, died 4th January, 1942 ; Edward Phelan, Solicitor, died 10th January, 1942 ; Patrick O'Connor, Solicitor, died 12th January, 1942 ; Attwell H. Alien, died 14th January, 1942 ; Francis J. Anderson, Solici tor, died 9th February,' 1942 ; Thomas F. Figgis, Solicitor, died 20th February, 1942 ; William J. Verlin, Solicitor, died 26th Feb ruary, 1942 ; John Brennan, Solicitor, died 28th February 1942 ; George Nicholls, late County Registrar, Galway, died llth May 1942. The Council at its meeting yesterday ap pointed Mr. Eric A. Plunkett to be our new Secretary, and I would like on behalf of the Society as a whole to extend a warm wel come to him. He will have an unenviable task in following as Secretary in the steps of such an outstanding personality as Mr. Wakely, but I have no doubt he will worthily uphold the great tradition of his office. It will be within your recollection that at a special General Meeting of the Law Society held in September of last year the draft of the Solicitors' Bill was referred to a special Joint Committee composed of some mem bers of the Council and representatives of the different Sessional Bar Associations through out Eire, and it was understood that all suggested amendments would be sent to the Joint Committee for consideration. The various Sessional Bar Associations were asked to send in their views in advance. Numerous suggestions and suggested amend ments were received, and early this year the Joint Committee held a prolonged sitting, at which something like 90 to 100 amendments were considered and dealt with. In the vast majority of cases the Joint Committee was 1941 ;