The Gazette 1952-1955

expenses and subsistence at the rate of 15 /- per day under the Bankruptcy Rules. A Committee of the Council, which considered the matter reported that the relevant provision seems to be item 93 o f the Schedule of Costs to the General Order in Bank­ ruptcy of 1872. In other proceedings outside the Bankruptcy Court the position is regulated by Order 65, Rule 65 (11) under which a professional witness is entitled to be paid a fee per day not exceeding 5 guineas, to include board and lodging but not travelling expenses. The Taxing Master may increase the above allowances on special grounds. Two questions arose— {a) whether the judge was right in holding that member was not an expert witness ; ( b ) whether the Society should try to have the Bankruptcy scale of costs amended. In the Committee’s opinion it seemed that the judge was probably right in holding under the existing rules that member was not an expert witness but the Committee recommended that the Society’s represen­ tatives on the Superior Courts Rules Committee should be asked to propose to the Committee that the rules of the High Court both in regard to bankruptcy and all other business in the High Court should be amended so that a solicitor giving evidence in his professional capacity will be entitled to expenses on an adequate scale. The present scale in the High Court (but not in bankruptcy) is 5 guineas per day and the Committee thought that a solicitor should be entitled to a minimum fee o f 7 guineas per day in addition to travelling and sub­ sistence expenses. The Committee saw no reason why the witnesses’ expenses allowed on the bank­ ruptcy side should be on a different scale from other business in the High Court. Costs o f judgments by default in the High Court. A small sub-Committee of the Council was appointed to draw up proposals for a new scale of costs bearing in mind that since the adoption of the new Circuit Court Rules the professional costs of judgment by default in the High Court are lower than the costs for the same business in the Circuit Court. Ordinary General Meetings, 1955. 1 2TH May and 24th November were appointed as the dates for the Ordinary General Meetings of the Society in 1955. Final date for receipt o f nominations for the Council, 1955/56. T he Council appointed 17th October 1955 as the final date for receipt o f nominations for the election of the Council for 1955/56.

Jo int Committee with the Bar Council. M essrs . D esmond C ollins , James J. O’Connor, and George G. Overend were appointed as the Society’s nominees on the Joint Committee. 23 rd D ecember : The President in the Chair. Also present: Messrs. Desmond J. Mayne and John J. Sheil, Vice-Presidents; James J. O’Connor, John R. Plalpin, John Maher, Sean O hUadhaigh, Derrick M. Martin, Patrick R. Boyd, Ralph J. Walker, George G. Overend, John J. Nash, Henry St. J. Blacke, Terence de Vere White, Francis J. Lanigan, Dermot P. Shaw, Desmond J. Collins, Arthur Cox, Patrick F. O ’Reilly, Francis X. Burke, William J. Norman, George A. Nolan. Solicitors Act, 19 5 4 . T he Secretary reported that he had learned that the Solicitors Bill, 1954 had been signed by the President of Ireland on 22nd December. Regulations. T he Council made the Solicitors Act, 1954 (Fees) Regulations, 1954 prescribing the fees to lie paid by solicitors on taking out practising certificates and the Solicitors Act, 1954 (Apprentices’ Fees) Regula­ tions, 1954 prescribing the fees to be paid by appren­ tices and intending apprentices, the last mentioned regulations to be submitted to the Chief Justice for his concurrence. SOLICITORS ACT, 1954 (FEES) REGULATIONS, 1954 . T he above regulations were made by the Council with effect from the 23rd December, 1954 prescribing the following fees payable to the Society. 1. On application for a practising certificate by a solicitor who practises or carries on his business in the City of Dublin or within three miles therefrom, £ 6. 2. On application for a practising certificate by a solicitor who does not practise or carry on his business in the City o f Dublin or within three miles therefrom, £3. 3. On application under section 21 of the Act for a copy of an entry in File A or File B. £1. The following was among the business trans­ acted :—

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