11 / 140
JUNE, 1924]
The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.
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.
Your Council
is watching closely
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.
MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL.
14th May.
Twenty-four Members present.
Income Tax Claims.
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.