The Gazette 1971

appropriate scale fee which would be charged to the borrower. The Council adopted a report from a com- mittee stating that the commission scale fee is charge- able. There would be no objection to a reduction of the charge in favour of the borrower provided that there is no antecedent agreement or arrangement to this effect. TIME COSTING With the assistance of the Society's accountants, Messrs Cooper Brothers, a detailed memorandum describing a time costing system suitable for adoption in solicitors' offices has been prepared. The object of any time costing system is to enable the practitioner to know what it costs him to perform various types of professional work. It does not necessarily regulate the amount of the fee to be charged because obviously in a general practice some work is performed at or below cost and compen- sation is obtained from other types of business on the cross-subsidisation principle. It is, however, becoming obvious that solicitors must be able to ascertain with a fair degree of precision the relative costs of different types of work. The practice has been widely adopted by accountants and while not so easily applicable to a solicitor's practice it is still a valuable aid to efficiency. It has been found that systems of this kind, where adopted, resulted in greater profitability and efficiency. Any offices interested in receiving copies of the memor- andum should write to the Secretary. It is proposed to hold a meeting or luncheon party limited to a fairly small number of participants at which a representative from the Society's accountants will attend to explain the system and discuss it generally with those interested. This exercise is also important from the point of view of the inquiry which will be held by the Fair Trades Commission under proposed amending legislation into solicitors' remuneration and practices. A survey of solici- tors' incomes has already been made and this must be supplemented by information as to the relative cost and profit from different types of work. The exercise will be valuable to the Council in obtaining this information and therefore a benefit to the profession as a whole. Ordinary General Meeting, Galway SOLICITORS' REMUNERATION- APPLICATIONS FOR INCREASE The cost of living index figure has risen by 42 per cent since the date of the last order fixing solicitors' costs for proceedings in the Superior Courts and the District Court. An application has been made to the two rules committees for an increase of this amount. In the case of the Circuit Court the cost of living figure has risen by 62 per cent since the date of the last increase as the Minister for Justice refused to concur in rules submitted by the Circuit Court Rules Com- mittee increasing solicitors' remuneration on the occa- sion of the twelfth round. An application has now been made to the rules committee for not less than 42 per cent. An application has been made to the Land Registra- tion Rules Committee for an increase of 42 per cent on the charges other than commission scale fees) and also for an amendment of the definition of value (now RV x 50) to the value as fixed for stamp duty. An application has been made to the Statutory Body under the Solicitors' Remuneration Act, 1881, for an increase on the item charges under Schedule 2. No applications have been made in respect of com- mission scale fees or discretionary charges.

country during previous years. I think you will all agree with me that it is of the greatest value to members to meet on occasions such as this when we have the oppor- tunity not alone of discussing the business of the Society but of meeting colleagues from different parts of the country. The Society commenced this venture I think in 1958 and it has been repeated at two-yearly intervals. We are also pleased to have with us representatives from the Law Society in England, Mr. Carter, the vice- president, and Mr. Harold Horsfall Turner, the secre- tary general, and Mr. John Pinkerton, the president of the Incorporated Law Society of Northern Ireland, and Mr. O'Neill, the assistant secretary, with their wives. We are sorry that Mr. Morley, the president of the Law Society in England, who accepted our invitation, was prevented at the last moment from coming because of an illness which I am glad to say is not serious. We also regret the absence of our colleagues from Scotland who had hope»'' to send a representative notwithstanding the fact that they are holding a conference this weekend. However, Mr. Murray-Wilkie, an old friend, who was to have come was prevented by business commitments at the last moment. During the past six months the Society has been engaged in a number of important activities to which I shall refer. Some of these represent work in progress and only an interim report can be made. In particular the Society's project in connection with King's Hospital is a long-term project and one which will engage the attention of the Council for some considerable time. 31

A general meeting of the Society was held at the Great Southern Hotel, Galway, on Saturday, 8th May 1971. The President, Mr. Brendan A.. McGrath, took the chair. The notice convening the meeting and the minutes of the ordinary general meeting held on 19th November 1970 were by permission of the meeting taken as read. Mr. William B. Gavin, the President of the Galway Bar Association, addressed the meeting and welcomed the Society to Galway on behalf of the Association. Alderman Ryan, Deputy Mayor of Galway, welcomed the Society on behalf of the Galway Corporation. On the proposal of Miss Carmel Killeen, seconded by Mr. William B. Gavin, the following 'members of the Society were appointed as scrutineers for the ballot for the election of the Council for the year 1971-72: Thomas Jackson, Alexander J. McDonald, Brendan P. McCor- mack, Roderick J. Tierney, Laurence J. Branigan. Welcome to Guests The President, addresing the meeting, said: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Gavin, ladies and gentlemen, I am very glad to reply on behalf of our members to the welcome extended to us by you, Mr. Mayor, on behalf of the Corporation and Mr. Gavin on behalf of the Galway Bar Association. We are very glad to be here and to have such a representative attendance of our members from many parts of the country. This is our second visit to Galway for a weekend meeting of the Society having made almost the entire circuit of the