The Gazette 1955-58

The Queen's Bench Division dismissed an appeal by the local authority from the London Quarter Sessions, and held that the main objects were chari table. Mr. Justice Donovan, reading the judgment of the Court (the Lord Chief Justice and Donovan and Havers, J.J.), said that the question was whether the main object was charitable or otherwise con cerned with the advancement of social welfare. If paragraph (&) merely read " to promote the advancement of nursing in all or any of its branches", it would clearly be charitable as a purpose beneficial to the community and analogous to the statute of Elizabeth I. It was the addition of the words, " as a profession " which gave rise to the doubt. Was the second main object the advancement of nursing or the advancement of the interest of nurses ? What was meant by the advance of some particular calling " as a profession ". If it were said that in the last fifty years there had been a striking advance in the profession of accountancy what idea was conveyed ? Presumably that the profession had greatly increased in stature, importance, numbers and general esteem ; not merely that the fees had gone up although that might be assumed as a consequence. A profession was advanced in that sense by service. Demands for more pay and better conditions for those engaged, however loud and persistent, and even successful, would not advance the profession in that sense, but improvement in the quality and range of services rendered and the spectacle of constant endeavour to do better would certainly have that effect. If then, one found an organisation one of whose objects was to advance nursing as a profession, there was no great difficulty in inter preting that as meaning to improve the quality and range of the services which nurses gave, and so enhance the stature and importance of the nursing profession and the esteem in which it was held. It might well be that in order to improve nursing services more entrants must be attracted into the profession, which would mean improvements in pay and conditions but such improvements would be means not ends. The learned Judge also pointed out (i) that the respondents were a college giving full- time education in the art and science of nursing, and were not an organisation called into being simply to protect and improve the pay. and working con ditions of nurses, and (2) that quarter sessions seemed to have found that under sub-paragraph (&) their activities were directed to the raising of the standard of nursing rather than the promotion of the interests of nurses as an end in itself. The court held that paragraph (£) was directed to the advancement of nursing and not to the advance of professional interest of nurses. That meant that the second main object of the college was charitable and there was

no conflict with the recent decision of the Court of Appeal, in general, Nursing Council for England and Wales v. St. Marylebone Borough Council (1957) 3 All E.R. 685), where on different facts it was held that the professional benefit of nurses was the main object of the Council. (Royal College of Nursing v. St. Marylebone Borough Council.—(1958) i All E.R. 129.) ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPS The Ordnance Survey Office wish to draw attention to a scheme whereby solicitors and other persons are permitted to make hand copies of ord nance survey maps subject to the payment of a compounded royalty fee of 55. per calendar year. Those wishing to avail of the Scheme should apply to the Assistant Director, Ordnance Survey Office, Phoenix Park, Dublin. EXAMINATIONS Masters and apprentices are notified that the dates of examinations and date's of entry therefor in 1958 will be as follows :— Examination Date Latest date for entry First and second Irish Jan. 3151 and Feb. ist January loth June 2yth and 2 8th June 6th Sept. jth and 6th August i5th Preliminary May 28th and 29th May yth Sept. 2nd and 3rd August i2th First Law May 2yth and 28th May 6th Sept. ist and 2nd August nth Book-keeping May 29th May 8th Sept. 3rd August i3th Final May 2yth,28th and 29th May 6th Sept. ist, 2nd and 3rd August nth SHERIFFS' FEES ORDER, 1958 (S.I. No. 1 of 1958) THE Sheriffs' Fees Order, 1958, came into force on yth January, 1958, and effects some changes in fees payable to sheriffs. The main changes are :— (i) If the personal attendance of the Sheriff is required at the site of execution by the party entitled to it, he may henceforth charge 23. per mile one way per statute mile by the nearest available public road. (i) the mileage rate one way for Court messengers executing High Court or Circuit Court Orders is now is. 6d. per statute mile, instead of 6d. as formerly. (3) If the Sheriff is required by law to send or give any notice or letter in relation to an execution