The Gazette 1924-27

The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.

JUNE, 1925]

Now, in reference to the Rules of the High Court. The Rule-making Authority has had numerous meetings, and the Rules are now in print and probably have been already furnished to the Minister of Justice. At one of the last of the meetings the Chief Justice asked me to prepare a Schedule of Costs for the work to be done under the new Rules, and this I agreed to do, feeling that with expert advice this Council could produce a reasonable and satisfactory Schedule. A Sub-Committee of the Council, consisting of Mr. Seales, Dr. Quirke and Mr. Moore, are all engaged in this work, and I think special thanks are due to Mr. Seales, who undertook the main responsibility in this matter. The Rules, as a whole, are not such as I would consider satisfactory, but I think I am justified in saying that they are tentative, and it may be found necessary hereafter to modify them. In connection with the Land Act of 1923, under which Act allocations are now taking place, I would wish to remind the profession that it is necessary both in their own interests and in the interests of their clients that they should keep full entries for the purpose of enabling the clients to establish a claim for assistance out of the costs fund. The question of costs under the 1923 Act has engaged the serious attention of the Council, and for the present I do not think it necessary to say anything more about the matter. Rules both for the Circuit Court and the District Court are in draft, and are receiving the consideration of the respective Com– mittees appointed to prepare them. In conclusion, I wish to tender our heartiest thanks to the President and Council of the Royal College of Surgeons for their continued kindness to our Society in per– mitting us to use their premises for lectures and examinations.

Four Courts shall be rebuilt to be used as Courts of Justice, and until this question is definitely decided, it is impossible for the Incorporated Law Society to have any permanent home, as the Council feel that, if the Four Courts be rebuilt as Courts, the Society's Buildings at the Four Courts should also be rebuilt. After long negotia– tions, correspondence and interviews with the Minister of Finance and with the Chairman and representatives of the Board of Works, we hope that a private residence, situate close to where we now are, will be in the very near future placed at our disposal for our temporary occupation pending a decision on the question of the rebuilding of the Four Courts. The house contains extensive accommodation which will enable us to carry on most of our work in a more satisfactory manner than hitherto. The house has been inspected by a Committee of the Council, and when certain repairs have been done and fittings put in, we hope to move into our new temporary quarters. In reference to this, I may say that we have acquired, both by donation and purchase, a very considerable library of new books. We have purchased the Law Reports belonging to Mr. Justice Pim, lately Judge of the King's Bench Division. We shall now be able to have the use of these books, as up to the present we had no sufficient accommodation for them. A new room for the exclusive use of Solicitors has been provided in the Castle, near Court No. 6, and we believe that this room will be of great use to members of the profession. During the last six months the rights to pensions or compensation for loss of office, of Solicitors to those Urban or Rural District Councils which it is proposed by the Local Government Bill, now the Local Govern– ment Act, 1925, to abolish, have been safe– guarded, and they remain as they were under the previous Act of 1919. The Council desire to acknowledge the help given to them in this matter; and amongst others by Captain W. A. Redmond, T.D., and Senator S. L. Brown, K.C., and I would wish to say that our Secretary followed up this matter with the greatest skill and tenacity in the face of opposition and discouragement.

Council Meetings.

6th May. Seventeen Members present. Court of Examiners. A report was submitted upon two applica– tions under Section 16 ; one was granted, the other was refused.