The Gazette 1930-33

The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.

JUNE, 1930]

I am very pleased to announce that there has been a move on quite recently to amend the Rules of the High Court, including the rules relating to Revenue proceedings ; and I hope that later on we will have one set of complete rules which we can understand, and be in a position to decide with some degree of certainty as to the proper procedure to adopt in instituting proceedings. At present I am certain there are a number of Solicitors, when about to institute proceedings, who are not quite certain of what procedure they should adopt. This I expect will be dealt with clearly in the new rules to which I have referred, and will be very welcome and acceptable, I hope, to the Solicitors' profes– sion generally. There is also a move on at present to facilitate the taxation of costs in Land Commission matters by referring same to the Taxing Masters of the High Court. At present there is some delay in the Solicitor's Department of the Land Com– mission as regards taxation of costs, through no fault of the Solicitor, who is not able to reach the several matters requiring his attention. In conclusion, I should like to thank the members of the Council, and also Mr. Wakely, for the great assistance that I have received from them in the conduct of the business of the Council since my appointment as President. MR. VINCENT KENNEDY drew atten– tion to the small salaries being now fixed for the office of Solicitor to District Councils throughout the country when that office becomes vacant. He also referred to the recent correspondence between the Council and the Minister for Justice in reference to the employment of United States Solicitors. MR. W. T. SHERIDAN drew attention to the fact that motor insurance policies taken out by Solicitors do not cover accidents arising when the Solicitor is travelling on business, unless so specially provided in the policy. THE PRESIDENT stated that so long as Solicitors are found ready to accept the Solicitorships to District Councils at the salaries offered, the Council cannot interfere, and the other matter referred to by Mr. Kennedy would receive attention from the Council.

THE PRESIDENT, addressing the meeting, said : Since the last Half-yearly General Meeting of the Society I regret to say that the Council have lost one of its oldest members. I refer to the late Mr. Henry J. Concanon, who was Provincial Delegate for Connaught for many years and a very useful member of the Council. There were a considerable number of matters dealt with by the Council since the last Half-yearly Meeting, particulars of which were published from time to time in the GAZETTE of the Society and are within the knowledge of the members of the Society, and, therefore, I do not propose occupying this meeting in going through same. As regards the Courts of Justice Act, you are aware there was a resolution passed by both houses of the Oireachtas appointing a Joint Committee of the Dail and the Senate to consider and report what amendments (if any) were required in the Court of Justice Act, 1924, and the Acts amending same, and any other statute affecting the civil jurisdic– tion of the Courts of Saorstat Eireann. The Council appointed a Special Committee to consider what matters should be dealt with in evidence to be given on behalf of the Council before the Committee referred to. After giving the matter very careful con– sideration, it was decided that Dr. Quirke and Mr. L. J. Ryan should give evidence on behalf of the Council. In addition, I attended before the Committee and gave evidence, and other members of the Council and some members of the profession also attended and gave evidence, and it is hoped that the Report of the Joint Committee will shortly issue, and that legislation will be then introduced to carry into effect such recom– mendations of the Committee as will improve the existing Acts. As regards the Circuit Court Rules, these were signed by the Committee in February last, and laid on the table of the House in accordance with the Standing Orders, and on the 12th March, after a resolution approving of the rules, moved by the Minister, was discussed in the Dail, it was decided that they should not be approved of, pending the issue of the joint report already referred to.