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The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.
[DEC., 1908
greatest measures that have been passed in this
country since the Reform Bill of 1832, and will
always be regarded as a great act of statesman
ship, and reflects credit upon Mr. Birrell's
courage, ability, and determination. Let us
hope that in time to come a healthy spirit of
rivalry and emulation will spring up between the
several universities and their colleges, which will
prove of advantage to each. We were greatly
gratified at .the appointment of Sir George
Roche and of Mr. Martin upon the Dublin and
Belfast Senates respectively (hear, hear).
A Bill was introduced this Session, at the
instance of the Recorder of Dublin, to im
prove the procedure and make better provision
for the discharge of the business of the Civil
Bill Courts of the City and County of Dublin.
The draft of the Bill was submitted to the
Council, who suggested some amendments,
most of which were incorporated in the Bill.
The Bill was introduced by Mr. John Gordon,
M.P., and supported by Mr. Nannetti, Mr.
Harrington, B.L., Mr. Field, and Mr. Waldron,
the four Members of Parliament for the City of
Dublin. The Bill contained eleven clauses
dealing' with useful reforms in procedure and
other matters, but unfortunately it did not
reach a second reading.
A Bill also was introduced in the House of
Commons
in
the present Session by Mr.
Rendall, M.P., a member of the solicitors'
profession, having for its object the codifi
cation of the law relating to private trusts,
and
read a
second
time,
and committed
to a Select Committee consisting of eleven
members. The Bill purports to codify the
existing statute law upon trusts, and also to
enact and codify existing case law upon the
subject. The Select Committee having con
sidered the Bill, which consisted of 116 clauses,
made a special report upon it last July, and
early in August we received a letter from the
Attorney-General, enclosing a copy of the Bill
and a print of the special report, intimating
that he would be glad to lay before the Com
mittee in October any alterations or extensions
in the Bill which the Society might suggest.
The consideration of this Bill was referred to
a Special Committee of the Council, who held
several meetings, and a report on the Bill was
sent to the Attorney-General. We have sug
gested to the Railway and Canal Commission
that proceedings by a Government Department
before' the Commission in which purely Irish
interests are affected, should take place in
Ireland, and we have reason to hope that effect
will be given to our request.
We have continued to issue our monthly
Gazette to members, and we believe it is much
appreciated, containing as it does particulars of
the work the Council is carrying on (applause).
MR. GEORGE COLLINS, Vice-President,
seconded the resolution.
MR. JAMES BRADY thought the Society
should congratulate itself on the record of the
year's work so ably performed by the Council.
He thought the conduct of the Local Govern
ment Board in
their attempt to deal with
the question of solicitors' costs under the
Labourers Act was deserving of the severest
condemnation by the members of the. solicitors'
profession.
It was with pleasure he read in
the newspapers a few days ago a decision of
the King's Bench Division upsetting the dictum
laid down by the Local Government Board
with reference to costs of solicitors. Regarding
the practice and procedure of the Civil Bill
Courts in Ireland, there was no doubt there
was room for improvements, and even under
existing statutes he thought many such could
be achieved. The public were
really more
concerned with that subject than the legal pro
fession ; and so long as the public tolerate the
existing unsatisfactory condition of affairs, he,
personally, could not conceive why either
branch of the legal profession should trouble
themselves about the matter, except when
questions arose relating to their fees and costs
for the work performed by them in the conduct
of their business in such Courts.
So far as
the Recorder's Court in Dublin was concerned,
there was no doubt a great amount of work had
to be performed by the presiding Judge, largely
due to the considerable increase in its jurisdic
tion within recent years ; no facilities appeared
to be given by the Treasury to perform the
work adequately, and the natural result of such
a short-sighted policy was the existing con
gestion. He thought it would materially assist
the business of the Recorder's Court if there
was an extended jurisdiction, up to
£$,
con
ferred on the Court of Conscience, with its
President a lawyer. He thought the action of
the Council in making their annual dinner a
gathering of an exclusive character was repre
hensible, and that it should be open to all those
who were members of the Society who desired
to attend. He considered some steps should
be taken by the Council to deal with the
grievance under which from time to time
solicitors and their clients suffered, owing to
the difficulty they experience endeavouring to
get counsel to be present in Court when the