195 / 216
DECEMBER, 1924]
The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.
25
THE
PRESIDENT,
in moving
the
adoption of
the Annual Report, said :—
Gentlemen, before moving the adoption of
the Council's Report I would like to say how
sorry we all were en hearing of the death of
the late Mr. William Byrne, Solicitor. His
bright personality endeared him to all who
came into contact with him, and our sympathy
goes out to his widow and young family.
The Report has been in your hands for
some days, and in moving its adoption I
shall be brief ;
I think it is a record of work
done. The business entailed a good deal of
hard work on your Council, who found it
necessary to hold no fewer than forty-two
meetings of Committees of the Council.
The claim for compensation for destruction
of our buildings has not yet been finally
dealt with. The matter has been under the
careful consideration of your Council, and it
is hoped that a definite decision will be
arrived at in the near future.
The claim for compensation for the contents
of our Society's premises has been the subject
of an award which your Council consider
was fair both to our Society and to the
Executive, and the compensation has been
paid.
There are 995 practising Solicitcrs in the
Irish Free State, and of these 677 are members
of our Society.
Inconvenience has been caused to our
members by reason of there being no rcom
at the Castle for the accommodation of
Solicitors. The Council have been informed
that it is hoped that the authorities will be in
a position to provide a room in the very
near future.
There have been several meetings of the
different Rule-making Authorities ; progress
has been made, and, I think, if settled, as
now suggested, the business of the State
can be carried on with efficiency.
The Council has been in communication
with the Minister of Local Government
since the issue of the Report, and I am pleased
to say that they have received from him
amendments which he intends to propose in
Committee on the Local Government Bill at
present before the Dail, for the purpose of
safeguarding the existing rights of Solicitors
to Councils.
The Library of our Society is growing, and
it is hoped shortly to have sets of Law
Reports available.
There are now 876
volumes.
I am glad to say, as you see from our
balance sheet, that our financial condition
has substantially improved during the year.
The time is now beginning when young
Solicitors who serve their apprenticeship in
the Free State will not be entitled to practise
in Northern Ireland, and those who serve
their apprenticeship in Northern Ireland will
not be entitled to practise in the Free State.
All Solicitors sworn in prior to 1st October,
1921, have a right to practise in every part
of Ireland. All who were apprentices to
Solicitors
in
Ireland on or prior to 1st
October, 1921, when admitted in the Free
State, have the additional right to practise
in Northern Ireland, or on admission in
Northern Ireland have the additional right
to practise in the Free State, but apprentices
who after the 1st October, 1921, are articled
to Solicitors in the Free State, on admission
have only the right to practise in the Free
State, and apprentices who are articled after
1st October, 1921, to Solicitors in Northern
Ireland, on admission are entitled to practise
in Northern Ireland only.
In conclusion, I would wish again to tender
our hearty thanks to the President and
Council of the Royal College of Surgeons for
their continued kindness in allowing our
lectures and examinations to be held in their
premises.
MR.
R. NESBITT KELLER
(Vice-
President) seconded
the adoption of
the
Report.
SIR GEORGE ROCHE expressed appre
ciation of the work done during the year by
the President and Council, and hoped that
the question of compensation for the Society's
destroyed premises at the Four Courts would
soon be settled, so that better premises than
the temporary offices would be obtained.
He drew attention to the question of the
imposition of double income tax, which was
a serious one for members of the profession
and their clients.
MR.
JAMES BRADY urged
that all
Solicitors in the Irish Free State should
become members of the Society. He drew
attention to the inconvenient arrangements