21 / 132
JUNE, 1908]
The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.
16
should use whatever influence we have with
our Parliamentary representatives so that the
claims of this Incorporated Law Society might
be pressed home upon the Government. You
are aware that the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
one of the most important members of the
Cabinet, is to-day a practising solicitor. There
are many of our profession in Parliament, and
they, like ourselves, must be anxious to main–
tain the high standard of our profession, and,
therefore, I think that I may safely anticipate
that a resolution such as the one I submit to
you will not fall upon unsympathetic ears.
I beg to move accordingly that: "This
" general meeting of the members of the
" Incorporated Law Society of Ireland respect-
" fully urge upon the Right Hon. the Chief
" Secretary for Ireland the desirability of repre-
" sentation of the Society upon the Senate of
" the propose.d new University to be estab-
" lished in Dublin.
It is submitted that as
" the conduct of all examinations of those
" intending to enter the solicitors' profession
" in Ireland is entrusted to the Incorporated
" Law Society of Ireland, by virtue of the
"Solicitors (Ireland) Act, 1898, and as the
" various provisions of that Act give students
" of universities facilities for entering the soli-
" citors' profession, the Society is entitled to
" representation upon the Senates of the new
" Universities proposed to be established in
" Ireland. The Council would desire to point
" out that the Law Society of England has two
" representatives upon the Senate of the Uni-
" versity of London, as well as having repre-
" sentatives upon the governing bodies of
" other universities and colleges in England.
" That copies of this resolution be sent to the
" Right Hon. the Chief Secretary for Ireland,
" Mr. John Redmond, M.P., the members for
" the City and County of Dublin, and to any
"other Members of Parliament who may be
" solicitors."
MR. R. A. MACNAMARA :
I have great
pleasure in seconding the resolution.
I think
Mr. Fry has said so much that he has left
very little for me to say. But having regard
to the fact that we accept I presume we
will accept the examinations of this new
University in lieu of our preliminary exami–
nations here; that we are responsible for
the education of our apprentices, and deal
largely with educational work, I think we
ought to be entitled to representation on the
Senate of the University.
I understand there
will be a Commission
sitting
to
fix
the
provisions to be made for the various schools,
and of course the School of Law will be one
of them, and it will be necessary that the
Incorporated Law Society will be in a position
to give evidence before that Commission, and
see that the School of Law is looked after and
adequately endowed.
MR. JAMES BRADY : I regret I was not
in in time to hear the full statement of my
friend Mr. Fry; but I am totally opposed to
the resolution, and, being totally opposed to
the resolution, I am entirely against this new
University scheme.
I do not intend to delay
this meeting for any length of time, but I wish
to say that I have formed an opinion of this
scheme, which does not at all agree with its
promoters. Rightly or wrongly, my opinion is
that the scheme is being promulgated solely in
the interest of continuing the sectarian strife
that has existed in this country unfortunately
for some years past, and that if those who are
anxious for a University have
the interest
of their own country at heart, they would
formulate such a scheme as would endeavour
to end that sectarian strife.
In my opinion it
does not matter two rows of pins how many
Universities you may have in Belfast or Cork,
or how many you may have in Dublin, or in
any other of the centres in Ireland. But it
does interest the country to have one great
national University, to which every member of
the community, no matter to what section or
creed he might belong, would have freedom to
go as he might desire. The present scheme
is unquestionably one formulated on sectarian
plans.
MR. J. P. LYNCH : I don't like to interrupt
my friend Mr. Brady, but I submit, on a
question of order, that the question before the
meeting is If the University is formed, is it
desirable we
should be represented ?
The
question is not Is it desirable to have a new
University ?
I think it is a pity in a meeting
like this, where matters of politics and religion
are entirely excluded, that questions should be
introduced
that perhaps may create a
jar
between members.
MR. JAMES BRADY: With great respect
to Mr. Lynch, I don't think I have said one
offensive word.
MR. STRITCH : To put the thing in order,
I propose that the question be now put.
MR. E. M. LLOYD : I second that.
MR. JAMES BRADY: I desire to have a
vote taken on that amendment.
I was merely
speaking against Mr. Fry's motion. I am only