The Gazette 1961 - 64

move the adoption of the report of the Council for the year 1962-63, and I do so with pleasure and with confidence of your approval. I have first to record, with deep regret, the deaths of members of our Society which occurred during the past year. They are—George V. Moloney, Cavan ; James L. McLoughlin, Dublin ; Henry P. Mayne, Dublin; John E. Wallace, Mullingar; John Ryan, Dublin; Herbert McCloughlan, Donegal; Robert I. Archer, Dublin; Francis P. Johnston, Dundalk; Samuel R. C. Hemphill, Dublin; Patrick J. Little, Dublin; Michael E. Fitzgerald ; Thomas E. F. Bennett, Dalkey; Bernard Darcy, Dublin ; Michael J. McGuire, Longford ; Arthur C. Houlihan, Tipperary; Martin A. Salmon, Naas ; Mrs. William L. Carroll, Castlebar; James P. Coffey, Louth; Commdt. Thomas M. McMahon, solicitor, Advocate General with the United Nations Organization who died in the Congo. Amongst the names I have mentioned, you will recall men who gave long service to the Society and to our profession. Henry P. Mayne was a member of the Council of this Society from 1926 to 1949 and was a distinguished president for the year 1939-40. May I, on my own behalf, and on behalf of my fellow Council members, express to their relatives and friends our sincere sympathy. Finance The accounts and balance sheet of the Society have been in your hands for some time and show the financial position of the Society for the year ended 30th April, 1963. Two years ago my distinguished predecessor, Mr. Ralph Walker, issued a word of warning and, having referred to a steadily decreasing profit, accurately predicted that the day to day working of the Society would entail considerable more expendi ture, and this is reflected in the accounts before you which show an increase in expenditure under various heads. The Finance Committee of your Society make each month a careful examination of the Society's financial position, and a check on its outgoings. There is, however, one item of expenditure over which neither this committee nor the Council have any control, namely the annual contribution which your Society must make of £5 30 to the Incorporated Council of Law Reportings. This is a service of a public nature and we feel that its activities should be financed out of public funds and not be a charge on the finances of this Society. Compensation Fund The Compensation Fund set up by this Society has given full indemnity to any person who suffered

loss through the dishonesty of a solicitor since the passing of the Solicitors Act, 1954, and there is a heavy burden on the members of our profession in so far as each one of us is obliged to contribute an annual sum of £20 towards this fund. This fund is administered by a committee of your Council who make careful and painstaking investigation into each claim which comes before them with a view to seeing that full compensation is paid to any member of the public unfortunate to suffer a loss, but at the same time to safeguard the fund. I think it right that the public should know that the Society has power to refuse to make or to limit a grant from the compensation fund where the claimant has contributed to the loss by his own negligence or conduct, or where he has employed a solicitor who does not hold a practising certificate. We are indeed indebted to the gentlemen on this committee for their very important and necessary work. When the yearly contribution of £20 from each solicitor was fixed, you were informed that as soon as it was warranted by the financial position of the fund, steps would be taken to reduce the contribution. I am very glad to inform you that your Council, with effect as from the 6th January next, have decided to reduce the yearly contribution from each solicitor from £20 to £15 whilst, at the same time, they are able to maintain in the fund a reserve in excess of the sum of £25,000 imposed by the Solicitors (Amendment) Act of 1960. I think our profession will find this reduction most welcome, not only from a financial aspect but as the tangible proof of the firm belief of your Council in the integrity of the vast majority of our members. Solicitors' Benevolent Association I hope it is unnecessary to remind you that this is the centenary year of the Solicitors' Benevolent Association which is our own particular private and personal charity and I appeal to every solicitor who has not already done so, to join the Association to become a subscriber thereto. I had the privilege of speaking at the Ninety-ninth Annual General Meeting of the Association at the start of my presidential year and I then said, and think I must repeat, that a means test under Social Welfare legislation creates a problem in that there is no use in an Association such as ours giving liberally to some person by way of grant or annuity if this was simply to reduce the amount of State assistance that that person was then in receipt of. I can appreciate the difficulty in giving general exemption in cases of this sort, but relief could be given in our case as. the recipients come from a very special and well defined ckss. The directors of the Association have marked the