The Gazette 1924-27

JUNE, 1924]

The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.

Your Council all legislation that affects our profession, and will do all in their power to see that the Rules of Court in the High Court, Circuit Court, and District Court will be so framed as to facilitate business as far as possible. In conclusion I would wish to tender our hearty thanks to the President and Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons for their continued kindness to our Society, in permitting us the use of their premises for lectures and examinations. THE PRESIDENT in reply to questions put by Mr. E. R. McC. Dix, Mr. J. P. Collins, and Mr. E. J. Mallins, stated that the matter of the making of a catalogue of the books at present in the Society's Library was being attended to, and he hoped that within the next twelve months they would have permanent premises for their Library. The Council had made application for a suitable waiting-room for Solicitors at the Law Courts at the Castle. is watching closely It was decided to request the Chief Inspec– tor of Taxes (Claims), Strand, London, to recognise as agents Solicitors practising in the Irish Free State, who lodge claims for refunds of income tax on behalf of clients, and to correspond with such Solicitors on questions arising out of the claims. Foreign Correspondents. In reply to a letter from a member of the Society, the Council expressed the opinion that a Solicitor employing a foreign corres– pondent to do legal work for a client, incurs a personal responsibility to pay the Foreign Correspondent's charges. 28th May. Twenty-seven Members present. Civil Bill Appeals. It was decided that a letter be written to the Minister of Justice, urging that steps be taken to have the large number of Civil Bill Appeals now pending throughout the Irish Free State disposed of without further delay. MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL. 14th May. Twenty-four Members present. Income Tax Claims.

the business, proper offices of Record must be established, including an Accountant's office for each Circuit. I assume the Government do not intend to put the country to the expense of having such an office for each county. I note one of the Circuits includes Donegal, Leitrim, Cavan, and Monaghan, another Sligo, Roscommon, Westmeath, Leix, Offaly, and Longford, and yet another, Louth, Meath, Kildare, Wicklow, and Wexford. I tremble to think of the difficulties that will present themselves to the majority of the Solicitors practising in these Circuits no matter what towns are selected for the Offices of Record, the only solution that presents itself to my mind, at the moment is, that they will be compelled to have an agent in the town in which the office is situated. I hardly think it likely that libraries will be established in sufficiently convenient places, to enable counsel to argue serious law points, which must arise, having regard to the extended jurisdiction of the Circuit Courts. If I am right in this, the Judges will labour under great difficulties. The Council made representation to the County Court Judges for an amendment of the Rules of July last, relative to costs under the Damages to Property (Compensa– tion) Act, and I am pleased to say, amended rules were made last January by the Lord Chief Justice and the County Court Judges, giving the Courts jurisdiction to allow a reasonable sum, in addition to the items in the Schedule, when the Court considers such items inadequate, having regard to the work done. The Rules under the recent Land Acts were submitted to me, with a view of Mr. Justice VVylie consulting me thereon before final adoption. The Rules were admirably drafted. They were carefully considered by a specially constituted Committee. I was received by the Judge in the most courteous manner ; some of my suggestions were adopted, and I think the rules as gazetted leave nothing to be desired, and will greatly facilitate the carrying out the working of the Act. Your Council is gradually building up their library, and we hope in a short time, it will be up to the standard of the fine library we had in our old premises.