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The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.
[DEC., 1907
MR. QUAID said he thought some action
ought to be taken by the Council in regard to
the
system of—should
he
say—tendering,
which was practised by some solicitors in the
country.
They all knew
that fees were
prescribed by the Trish Bar, and if any members
were undercutting their brethren, it would be a
matter for a disciplinary body to take action.
Something similar should be done in reference
to a solicitor offending, and he should be
called on to explain why he did it.
That
would very soon put a stop to it.
MR. QUINTIN KENNEDY said he was
sure he was voicing the feeling of every mem
ber of the profession, when he expressed cordial
thanks for the work done during the year.
It
was a record year, and their report should
bring in many more members.
He thought
the new Council should press the claims of
the profession to have solicitors appointed
Resident Magistrates. He thought they had
merit to fill the office above all others, and
they should press their claim home. Out of
seventy-two Resident Magistrates, he believed
there was only one a solicitor.
THE PRESIDENT said he might answer
a few of the observations that had been made.
Mr. Brady alluded to the question of having a
shorthand-writer attached to certain Courts,
and he thought a great many agreed with
every word he said. He might tell them that
he was speaking recently to one of the Judges,
and he alluded to the same matter, and used
to a large extent
the same arguments in
support of such an appointment; so that the
matter was
receiving the attention of the
Judges, and possibly the present Council
would go further into the matter. Mr. M. J.
Byrne alluded to the question of stamp duty
on conveyances, and referred to some letter
that had been written, but he certainly did not
remember any such letter, and the Secretary
corroborated him. If any such letter had been
written, it did not reach them. He could
assure Mr. Byrne that if an important matter
like that came before the Council, they would
deal with it. Land-purchase delays had been
dealt with so fully that he need not go into
that again. Mr. Kennedy had alluded to the
appointment of Resident Magistrates, which
he was sure would have the attention of the
Council just elected.
The report was then adopted.
MR. QUAID moved':
"That this general meeting of the In
corporated Law Society is of opinion that the
dignity of the Solicitor Profession will be
much impaired
if determined action is not
taken by the Council of this Society to protect
members of the profession in the verv frequent
cases occurring of detrimental utterances and
action by the Bench in relation to Solicitors."
He referred to instances in which members
of the profession had not been fairly treated
by the magisterial bench. He would suggest
that the matter should be brought before the
Council, and that action should be taken when
any cases of the kind occurred.
The motion was not seconded, and ac
cordingly fell through.
THE PRESIDENT said he thought he
might mention that
if cases were brought
before the Council where it appeared that the
dignity of the profession was assailed, the
Council would at once take action (hear, hear).
The following motion was received from
Mr. Rooney :—
"That Rule 29 of the By-laws of the In
corporated Law Society of Ireland, made and
ordained at a Special Meeting of Members of
the Society, held on the z8th February, 1889,
be rescinded, and that the following Rule be
substituted in lieu thereof.
" ' 29. The Council, exclusive of the extra
ordinary members and provincial delegates,
shall consist of thirty-one members of the
Society who shall be called the ordinary
members, and shall be chosen by a majority
of votes as follows, viz.:—Ten from Class i,
hereinafter mentioned; eleven from Class 2,
hereinafter mentioned; and ten from Class 3,
hereinafter mentioned. And in case of two
or more members in the same class having
an equal number of votes, their priority
shall be decided by lot by the Scrutineers.
The Council shall hold office until their
successors are appointed.'
" That the following addition be made to
Rule 30 of the said Bye-laws, the addition to
precede the word " every " at the beginning of
Rule 30.
" ' The candidates for election as ordinary
members of the Council shall be divided
into three classes. Class i shall consist of
members of the Society admitted not less
than seven years or more than seventeen
years previous
to
the date of election.
Class 2 shall consist of members of the
Society admitted not less than seventeen
years or more
than
twenty-seven years
previous to the date of election. Class 3
shall consist of members of the Society
admitted not less than twenty-seven years
previous to the date -of election,'