The Gazette 1955-58

scription is only £i is. od. and any solicitor may become a life member by paying £10 ics. od. I am glad to be able to report that as a result of the efforts of your Council a considerable improve ment has been obtained in the salaries of wholetime solicitors to local authorities so as to correspond with the salaries paid to county medical officers of health and county engineers. While the solicitors concerned are few in number, the Council felt that their claims were of importance, both as regards the standing of the profession as well as in the interests of the solicitors concerned. Your Council decided some months ago to make representations to the Department of Justice in favour of legislation providing for reciprocity between Ireland and Great Britain as regards money judgments and these representations have been duly made. A draft memorandum has been settled by a Sub- Committee of the Council, and subsequently approved by the Council, for submission to the Workmen's Compensation Commission, which was set up some time ago to examine the existing Workmen's Compensation code, and to report whether any change was necessary or desirable, in particular in regard to the question of replacing the present system by a scheme of national insurance. This memorandum generally expressed the view that the Workmen's Compensation code as operated through the Courts for approximately fifty years should not be changed, and should not be trans ferred to any administrative machine or replaced by any scheme of national insurance. Before I conclude, I must put on record the great help and assistance that has been given to me during the past six months by my two Vice-Pre sidents, Mr. Collins and Mr. Downing, who at all times have been only too glad, whenever required, to help and assist me in the discharge of my duties. I would also like to thank the members of the Council and the various sub-committees of the Council who have worked so well and so con scientiously in the interests of the profession. Finally, of course there is our ever-present Secretary, Eric Plunkett, always available and so efficient, without whose advice and assistance I would at times have been completely at sea. He has gone out of his way on many occasions to help and assist me in the discharge of my duties, and it is a tremendous consolation to me to know that if I come up against any problem which seems to me to be insoluble I have only to discuss the matter with him and everything is immediately solved.

I must also thank his staff who are so helpful and obliging, and who were always available and anxious to assist me and the members of the Council in the performance of our duties. NEW SCHEDULE II. The meeting then went into private business and considered the proposed new Schedule II and the Secretary's letter circulated with the agenda. The Secretary stated that written or verbal com munications had been received from the following Bar Associations approving in principle of the proposals: Drogheda, Midland Bar Association, Wexford, Dublin, Kerry, Waterford, Mayo, Tip- perary and Offaly, Kilkenny and Limerick. No Association had expressed opposition. Mr. C. J. Gore-Grimes proposed and Mr. Desmond Moran seconded the following motion : That this meeting approves in principle the letter of April, 1957, concerning the new Schedule II charges and leaves it to the Council to work out the details. The following amendment was proposed by Mr. T. A. Lynch, seconded by Mr. G. G. Overend : That the right of solicitors to elect to charge under the existing system of itemised charges instead of accepting a scale fee be preserved. Messrs. T. A. Lynch, P. C. Moore, F. J. Gearty and Matthew Purcell spoke in favour of the amend ment. Messrs. D. P. Shaw and R. A. French spoke against the amendment. Mr. Gore-Grimes then asked permission to withdraw the substantive motion which was granted. The Chairman stated that the Council would come to a decision in the matter and would give careful consideration to all the views expressed at the meeting and in the replies to the Society's circular. COSTS OF ACQUISITIONS UNDER THE LABOURERS' ACTS. The meeting considered the letter from the Secretary, to each member circulated with the agenda. Messrs. Lynch, Gearty and Purcell ex pressed the view that the President should dissent from the Minister's proposal to make a new Order abolishing the special costs code under the Labourers' Acts. The President stated that in coming to a decision he would bear in mind the views expressed by the speakers as well as replies to the Society's circulars referred to in the letter circulated with the agenda. On the motion of Mr. P. C. Moore, Mr. Collins, Vice-president, took the Chair. Mr. Moore then proposed a vote of thanks to the President which was