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The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.
[DECEMBER, 1928
the Dail, provides that Irish shall be a
compulsory subject at each of the three
examinations. Your Council take exception
to this and other provisions of the Bill, and
are taking steps 'to have amendments pro
posed which will, in their opinion, render the
Bill more acceptable to the profession and at
the same time meet the wishes of the Dail.
I would like to emphasise the fact that Irish
has been an optional subject for twenty-five
years in the Society's Preliminary Examina
tion. The question of making it a compulsory
subject has been considered by your Council,
but hitherto it was considered premature to
do so.
Double License Duty.
A great deal of dissatisfaction has been
expressed with the recent pronouncement
that it is necessary for " existing Solicitors
whose rights were preserved under the Act
of 1920" and who desire to practise in
Northern Ireland and in the Free State, to
take out Certificates and pa}' License Duty
in both the Free State and Northern Ireland.
This affects the Solicitors practising near the
Border rather more seriously than those
elsewhere. You are aware, from reports in
the Press, that a deputation from this Council
recently had an interview on the subj ect with
the Minister for Finance.
It is hoped that as
a result of the representations made relief
will be obtained.
Before concluding, I would like to express
my own as well as the Council's regret at the
retirement of Mr. MacDermott, Mr. Gamble
and Mr. Turpin, who have so long served the
profession so well as members of the Council.
I beg now to move the adoption of the
Annual Report.
MR. «M. E. KNIGHT
(Vice-President)
seconded the adoption of the Report.
MR. E. J. MALLINS drew attention to
the inconvenience arising from the want of
Circuit Court Rules.
MR. VINCENT KENNEDY suggested a
change in the hour of meeting. He also drew
attention to the question of affidavits being
sworn before Peace Commissioners.
MR. E. H. BURNE referred
to
the
question of the swearing of affidavits before
Peace Commissioners.
MR. REDDY expressed the opinion that
Solicitors should not be required to pay an
' annual • duty on their Certificates.
THE PRESIDENT, in reply, stated that
most of the matters to which the speakers
referred had from time to time been under
consideration of
the Council or previous
Councils.
MR; KNIGHT
(Vice-President) having
taken the chair,
MR. BURNE moved that the best thanks
of the meeting be given to the President for
the manner in which he had discharged the
duties of the office of President.
MR. KNIGHT put the resolution, which
was adopted with acclamation, and
THE PRESIDENT returned thanks.
MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL.
15th November.
Twenty-five Members present.
Statutes.
Letters were read from members drawing
attention to the inconvenience caused by the
delay in the issue of the volume of Oireachtas
Statutes for 1927. A letter was directed to
be written to the Controller of the Stationery
Office on the matter.
Searches.
;
A letter was read from the Registrar of
Deeds, in reply to a letter drawing attention
to delays in issue of searches, in which reply
the Registrar enclosed a return showing the
state of work in the office on 1st October,
1928, as compared with the corresponding
date in 1927. The return disclosed a con
siderable increase in the number of searches
lodged and in the number of searches not yet
made. The Registrar stated the numbers of
the staff are inadequate to cope with the
increasing work.
The Council directed a
letter to be written to the Minister for
Justice on the matter.
Legal Practitioners (Qualification) Bill, 1928.
The Bill was further considered, and it was
resolved to interview members of the Dail in
reference to amendments which the Council
desire should be inserted in the Bill.