The Gazette 1940-44

29

The Gazette of The Incorporated Law Society of Ireland

December, 1940]

to use and where to find. I should also like to thank Mr. Phelps, K.C. and Mr. Davy, Barrister-at-law, formerly a member of our own profession, for their skill, care and patience in settling the original draft of the Bill, and advising the Committee and the Council on the many points which required elucidation and discussion and in the drafting and re-drafting of fresh clauses and amend– ments as from time to time became necessary. In conclusion I would remind you that during the coming year the Society will celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of its foundation. I expect the occasion will be marked in some suitable manner, but this will be a matter for the consideration of my successor in the chair and the new Council just elected. I hope that the Society at large will assist in making whatever form of recognition of the centenary may be decided on the success which such an auspicious occasion demands. I beg to move the adoption of the Report. Mr. Cecil G. Stapleton (Vice-President) seconded the resolution adopting the Report, and Messrs. O'Reilly, O hUadhaigh and Roger Greene having spoken, the President replied and put the motion that the Report be adopted, which was passed unanimously. Mr. Stapleton (Vice-President), having taken the chair, on the motion of Mr. T. G. Ouirke, seconded by Mr. W. S. Hayes, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the President, and Mr. Stapleton having warmly commended this resolution to the meeting it was passed with acclamation. The President having returned thanks the meeting terminated. ALL Communications connected with THE GAZETTE (other than advertisements) should be addressed to the Secretary of the Society, Solicitors' Buildings, Four Courts, Dublin, N.W.8.

Meanwhile I suggest that every member of the Society who is interested in the matter, and that I hope means the majority of our members, should read the draft Bill and make up his mind as to the desirability or other– wise of the Bill as a whole in its wider bearings. It is not the wish of the Council that criticism of the Bill should be discouraged or that free discussion should be curtailed, but it will save a great deal of time if members of the Society will consider the Bill in advance of the proposed meeting. I can assure you that an immense amount of care and labour has been expended on the draft Bill by the Committee which was responsible for its preparation in the first instance, and by the Council which considered it line by line. The draft in its original, intermediate and final forms is the handiwork of Mr. Wakely and of both junior and senior Counsel of great experience, and I think that you may feel satisfied that the actual wording of the draft is not likely to be improved by amend– ment. I therefore suggest that in examining the Bill you might well confine yourselves for the present, at all events, to a consideration of its broad principles. Before passing from the Bill I must refer to the immense amount of work which fell upon Mr. Wakely in its preparation. It is a remarkable and very happy result of Mr. Wakely's long tenure of the office of Secretary of the Society that he should have had the responsibility of the Bill which became the Act of 1898 and, after more than forty years interval, should again be engaged on a similar task. I can only say that Mr. \Vakely has given of his best in the very heavy labour of preparing the present draft Bill. Much of it is his own original work and the rest is compiled from precedents which, thanks to his vast experience, ripe judgment and almost uncanny memory, he knew how