The Gazette 1946-49

practice among solicitors of charging a reduced fee in such cases proportionate to the work done, and that it would be inexpedient that the Council should seek to interfere with the practice. The report of the Committee was adopted. Duty of a solicitor as a member of a public body ON a report from a Committee on facts submitted the Council expressed the view that a solicitor who is a member of a Board of Conservators ought not to act for a defendant in proceedings brought by the Secretary of the Board, and that a solicitor who is a member of a County Council ought not to act for plaintiffs or applicants in proceedings against the Council or for the defendant in proceedings brought by the Council. Application for increase in Solicitors' remuner– ation THE Council considered the draft of a General Order under the Solicitors' Remuneration Act, 1881, giving effect to the' decision of the Com– mittee appointed under Section z of the Act on the application of the Council for an increase in the remuneration authorised by the General Order of 1884, as increased in 1920. The draft was submitted to the Council for their observations and sug– gestions pursuant to Section 3 of the Act. The draft order provided for certain increases in the scale fees chargeable in sales and purchases for considerations exceeding £1,000, and for an increase of i6f per cent, in the costs chargeable for miscel– laneous business coming within Clause 2 (c) of the General Order of 1884. It was decided that the Secretary should s,ubmit written observations on behalf of the Council suggesting that an increase should be authorised in the scale fee on sales and purchases for sums not exceeding £1,000, and that the costs chargeable under Clause 2 (c) should be increased by 25 per cent, instead of i6f per cent. Applications under Sections 16 and 18 Two applications from law clerks for permission to be bound as apprentices for terms of three years were considered and granted. Three applications from intending apprentices, to the Chief Justice, for exemption from the Preliminary Examination were considered, and it was decided not to oppose the applications. One application under Section 47 was considered and granted on payment of the current licence duty. NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE ACT, 1947 THE attention of members is drawn to Section 19

of the above Act which amends Paragraph (g) of Part II of the First Schedule to the Act of 1911 by the substitution of £500 for £250 as the salary- level up to which .insurance is compulsory for certain classes of employees. Subject to the statu– tory exemptions there is now an obligation to take out and stamp cards in respect of any persons engaged under a contract of service on a salary not exceeding £500. AUCTIONEERS AND HOUSE AGENTS' ACT, 1947 SECTION 7 of the above Act is as follows :. " (i) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, no person shall, on or after the operative date,- carry on or hold himself out or represent himself as carrying on the business of house agent or act as a house agent except under and in accor– dance with a licence under section 10 of this Act. (2) Subsection (i) of this section does not apply to (a) a licensed auctioneer, (b) a solicitor who is for the time being duly qualified to act as solicitor, (i) a person acting as agent for a Minister of State, the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland, the Irish Land Com– mission or any person authorised to acquire land compulsorily. (3) A person who, in contravention of this, section, carries on or holds himself out or repre– sents himself as carrying on the business of house agent or acts as a house agent shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on . summary conviction thereof to an excise penalty of one hundred pounds." DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO THE PROFESSION Solicitors' Costs gross sum IN re a Solicitor : In re Taxation of Costs reported in the Law Times, 15 th March, 1947, is a decision on the construction of Solicitors' Remuneration (Gross Sums) Order, 1934, which is similar in terms to our General Order of I5th November, 1920,. printed at page 422 of the current Calendar. The latter Order provides that the remuneration of a solicitor regulated by clause 2 (c) of the General Order of 1884 (i.e. miscellaneous solicitor and client costs not connected with litigation and not charge– able with the scale fee for conveyancing matters) may be a gross sum. The client has the right to require a detailed bill within twelve months after delivery of the demand. In the above case the-