The Gazette 1955-58

for record purposes it was of importance that these memorials should be retained in good con dition. The Department Officials were in agree ment with the views put forward by the deputa tion and I understand that steps will be taken to resume the practice of keeping transcripts of the memorials. A deputation also called on the Minister for Local Government to consider a memorandum of the Society requesting that Solicitors engaged in the wholetime positions of law agents to local authorities should be on the same salary scale as county medical officers and county engineers. Subsequently on the suggestion of the Minister discussions were held with representatives of the sub Committee of the County Managers' Association, and while no definite decision has been received yet it is understood that the Society's case was accepted and a favourable decision is expected. Notification has been received by us from the Department of Social Welfare, that it is proposed to set up a Committee to consider the question of Workmen's Compensation and arrangements are being made to have the Society represented on that Committee. I understand that the Minister for Local Govern ment is arranging or negotiating with represen tatives of vehicle insurers for the purpose of establishing a motor insurers' bureau to deal with the case of a person who is injured by a negligent driver but cannot recover compensation because the driver is not insured. Where a judgment has been obtained against a negligent driver and is unsatisfied because of non-insurance, then the Bureau will see that this judgment is satisfied, This arrangement of course does not do away with the responsibility to insure. A guilty motorist will continue to be liable to the penalty for driving without insurance and he will remain liable to reimburse any sum paid by the Bureau which will take an assignment of the rights of the claimant. Driving without insurance will continue to be regarded as a very serious offence. The proposed scheme will apply only to cases where there is a known defendant and negligence against him has been established by a judgment and in the ordinary way a person injured by a hit and run motorist or a person found injured on the road with no evidence to show how he came by his injuries would not be covered by the scheme. I understand however that the insurers have agreed that in such a case where there is sufficient evidence to show that the injuries were caused by the negligence of the driver of a motor vehicle the Bureau would give sympathetic consideration to the making of an ex gratia payment. The State which is exempt 54

to the Corporation for copies of the maps and books of reference but, we were informed that this facility could not be granted. It is obviously essential that the public should have full access to all infor mation concerning the town plan and I am afraid that I can foresee here a further cause for delay which will hold up conveyancing transactions unless the Corporation set up special machinery to deal with enquiries. I know that in England where town planning has reached an advanced stage of development the pre-contract enquiries which are necessary on any sale or purchase of land have become of equal or greater importance than the investigation of title which follows on the contract. A purchaser who buys property without enquiry will be deemed to have notice of everything in the town plan, when approved and it seems to me that enquiries on these matters after the contract has been signed will not fall under the heading of requisitions on title. There fore it will be necessary for the solicitor to draw the clients' attention fully to these matters before the contract is signed and if necessary to make enquiries at the Corporation. Will the Corporation be able to deal without unreasonable delay with the large volume of enquiries which they will receive ? We are all aware of the continual com plaint about delays in public departments and I sincerely hope that the Dublin Corporation and the Dublin County Council will give immediate consideration to this matter so that requisitions from solicitors who are advising clients contem plating the purchase of property as to the effect of the town plan will be promptly dealt with. The Society for its part is only too willing to con sult with the Corporation and any other local authorities concerned with a view to setting up machinery which will avoid unnecessary delays in completing sales and purchases of property. Owing to the increasing importance of town pro perty I think that our members who have appren tices should also draw their attention to the im portance of town planning legislation. In due course it may be necessary to include this subject in our lecture courses and in the papers set at the Society's final examination. As a result of representations made by the Dublin Solicitors' Association a deputation called to the Department of Justice recently in connection with the decision of the Department to forego the practice of keeping transcripts of memorials in the Reg: stry of Deeds. It was pointed out that it was a wrong practice that the original memorial should be available to the public and that it would result eventually in the deterioration and perhaps the destruction of some of the memorials and that