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The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.
[JUNE, 1929
intended measure.
That Special General
Meeting being fully representative of the
entire profession all over the Free State,
deliberated seriously on the Bill, and by a
majority of 110 to 8 passed a resolution
against the Bill, and directed the Council to
take all possible steps to oppose same.
It is
to be noted that at this meeting not one
single voice, even an Irish-speaking voice,
was raised in favour of the Bill, though Irish
speakers spoke.
Your Secretary and I, assisted by many
members of the Council, and indeed many
outside the Council and living in the country,
did a little lobbying, and found an absolute
lack of enthusiasm for the Bill, save in the
minds of one or two, and on the report stage
of the Bill, while it passed, the majority in
favour was reduced by 16;
the second
reading being passed by what I can only
describe as an artificial mechanical vote.
VvTiile the Bill is not yet adopted as a
Government Bill it is significant that several
members of the Government Party voted
against
the measure, and at
least one
Minister of the Government abstained.
Almost the entire of the public press of the
country in leading articles have demonstrated
the foolishness of bringing forward such a
Bill, and some have expressed the forcing of
the measure as an effort at political suicide,
and so it may be. The Bill is at present
before the Seriate, and on the motion for
second reading the voting was 22 "Aye,"
18 " No "—a very slender majority of 4.
Several amendments have been put down
by all parties in the Senate, and even by the
promoters, in acknowledgment of the errors
of
thought.
The promoters and
some
members of
the Government must now
appreciate that our profession throughout
the country, while not using offensive
expressions and jack-boot methods, can, in
making their influence felt, act as sportsmen
and gentlemen and yet be effective.
I
am confident
that,
thanks
to our
exertions, the Bill will not pass with its
present objectionable features.
You may rest assured that in looking after
your own profession as well as in other ways
for the benefit of our common country, the
Solicitors of
Ireland wield perhaps more
power and influence than any other body of
men, and it is now that we must make our
weight
felt by
those who support
this
atrocious measure, which in its present form
spells waste of money, brains, energy and
time, and which so far as I have been able,
to ascertain from many queries throughout
the country, is not wanted and has not been
asked for by anyone save extreme and foolish
idealists, quite ignorant of the necessary high
legal education of our future Solicitors.
Your Secretary and
I have been
in
constant attendance on such occasion when
the Bill has been before either House, and
we shall continue to watch your interests on
each future occasion of this debate.
I take this opportunity in the presence of
my professional brethren of thanking Mr.
Travers V/olfe for his unfailing courtesy both
in the House and out of it, and for his yeoman
work in ably assisting our opposition.
In conclusion, I remind you that if the
Solicitors throughout the country make their
voices heard, and withhold their money and
influence from the support of those members
of our Parliament now trying to force the
tyrannical measure, we shall hear the last of
this foolish Bill.
OBITUARY.
MR. DENIS J. MACC. MORROGH, Solicitor,
died upon the 26th May, 1929, at Malahide,
County Dublin.
Mr. Morrogh served his apprenticeship with
the late Mr. Thomas C. Franks, Dublin;
was admitted in Hilary Sittings, 1897, and
practised at Cork up
to 1916, when he
retired.
APPOINTMENT.
Mr. James Cooper, Solicitor, Enniskillen,
has been appointed Crown Solicitor for the
County of Fermanagh, in room of the late
Mr. Oliver A. Pringle.
PROFESSORSHIP OF COMMON LAW.
The Council will, on Thursday, llth July,
elect a Professor of Common Law to the
Society, in room of Mr. Michael Dawson,
Solicitor, whose term of office will expire
at the end of Trinity Sittings. The new Pro
fessor will enter upon his duties next October.