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DECEMBER, 1912J
The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.
63
because they knew every man must retire.
He would strongly urge the meeting not to
pass the motion, and to leave things as they
were at present (hear, hear).
THE PRESIDENT said that they would
see in the report what was done during
Vacation with reference to County Court
procedure. But it did not tell them what he
had told them that day, that a report on the
subject had been actually forwarded to the
Lord Chancellor. The preparation of that
report was going on in the month of October,
and it was not completed until the other day,
so that the fact of its being sent in, could not
be stated in the Council report, and he was
of opinion that the report of the Council
should not be circulated much earlier than
it has been in the past.
MR. CRAIG said before the motion was
put he wished to say one or two words. He
did not think the motion had been met by
any real business argument. It was said that
if the motion were carried out the report
would only be a six, eight or ten months'
report, but he took it that would only apply
to the first report.
If his motion were
adopted it would mean that the report would
be put a fortnight back. But they would
have a general meeting, and it would be quite
open to the President to tell them anything
that transpired since the report was sent out,
as he had done that day. The report was
dated the 30th October, and now, twenty-six
days after, the general body of members were
asked to adopt it although it had been only
in their hands at most for eight days. Surely
it is possible to send it out a fortnight or
three weeks earlier than that, and that every
member should have an opportunity of con
sidering it and knowing exactly what is going
on. It had been said that this was an unheard
of proposition for an old member of the
Council'not seeking re-election to say so, but
he ventured to say that if they took up the
report of any board of directors they would
see in it that Mr. So-and-so was retiring and
did or did not seek re-election.
MR. MACNAMARA.—The whole board
does not go out.
MR. CRATG.—That is quite right; but
these members going out say whether they
intend to seek re-election. Many members of
the Society did not like themselves to be
nominated as candidates for the Council,
because they thought it looked as if they
were putting themselves up against existing
members of the Council, which they would
not care to do ; and there are many men who,
if they knew there were going to be vacancies
on the Council, would allow their names to go
forward. He did not see any hardship in
stating that a member did or did not intend
seeking re-election. That was all the motion
asked for. He thought his motion was a
business-like proposition, and if they were
ever to make the Council a really representa
tive body of the whole profession arid induce
the Solicitors throughout the country to have
confidence in and join the Incorporated Law
Society they must take some steps like that.
There was an impression abroad that the
business of the Council was carried on in
secret. That idea should be got rid of, and
the members of the profession should be
induced to join the Society.
MR. W. H. GEOGHEGAN said he saw
the last item in the report was the results of
the. examination of apprentices.
If Mr.
Craig's motion were carried the results of the
October examinations could not possibly
appear. Possibly some arrangements might
be made under the existing conditions with
a view to expediting the printing of the
report without disturbing the present system.
MR. CRAIG.—Didn't you know the result
of the examinations on the 30th October ?
THE PRESIDENT.—That is the day we
did know them.
MR. R. A. O'BRIEN said that if the
report was
issued earlier they would be
placed in the anomalous position that the
incoming Council would have to include in
their report the fag end of the preceding year.
THE PRESIDENT said the Council was
only appointed for one year from the present
date—the 26th November. On that date the
entire Council went out. It was not a question
of retiring or anything else—it was extin
guished and ended.
The old Council of
1911-12 was defunct that day, and that day
the new Council was in office for 1912-13. To
suggest that the report of the annual working
of the Council was to be only prepared up to
the month of July, and that the work of
September and October was to be left out,
was not right.
It would be only a nine
months' report, and the new Council would