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GAZETTE
APRIL 1981
Minutes of the Half-Yearly
General Meeting
The Half-Yearly General meeting of the Society was held
in the Lake Hotel, Waterville, Co. Kerry, on Friday, 1st
May, 1981, at 10.00 a.m. Having called the meeting to
order, the President called on Mr. Donal Browne,
President of the Kerry Law Society to address the
meeting. Mr. Browne said that it gave him great pleasure
on behalf of the Kerry Law Society to welcome the
members, especially on such an auspisious occasion when
for the first time, a General Meeting was presided over by
a Lady member of the Society. Apart from her charm and
ability, the President, Mrs. Quintan, had played a leading
part in the acquisition and furnishing of the Society's
Headquarters at Blackhall Place, for which the members
were deeply grateful. He referred to the importance of the
Kerry Law Society having a member on the Council of
the Society and was sure that the member in question,
Mr. O'Connell, with the support of his colleagues in the
county, had been of assistance to the Council.
Concluding, he wished the meeting every success.
The President then extended a welcome to Mr. M.
Parke, President and Mr. K. Pritchard, Secretary, Law
Society of Scotland, who were in attendance at the
meeting. She also welcomed Mr. Jonathan Clarke,
President and Mr. John Bowran, Secretary General, Law
Society, London, and Mr. Roderick Campbell, Acting
President and Mr. Sydney Lomas, Secretary of the
Incorporated Law Society of Northern Ireland, who would
be arriving later in the day.
Notice
The Director General read the notice convening the
meeting. The attendance at the meeting was recorded in
the Attendance Book. 59 members attended.
Minutes
The minutes of the Annual General Meeting held in
Blackhall Place, Dublin 7, on 21st November, 1980,
were taken as read ancTsigned by the President.
President's Address
The President then addressed the meeting and a copy of
her address is filed with the minutes.
Pension Scheme
Mr. Curran presented a report on the Society's Pension
Scheme and Income Continuance Plan, details of which
arc filed with the minutes. Commenting on the Report,
Mr. M. Curran expressed appreciation of the work done by
the Society's Investment Managers, the Investment Bank
of Ireland, which had produced a growth of 26% over the
preceding 12 months. He also expressed the hope that
more of the members of the Society would take an interest
in the scheme.
Resolutions:
The Resolutions circulated for the meeting were taken as
follows:—
1. To Insert a New Bye Law 29B so that it reads:
Notwithstanding the provisions of any other Bye Law
and in particular Bye Laws 29, 29a, 30 and 31 the
member who shall at the date of the receipt of
nomination be serving as Senior Vice-President of
the Society shall not be required to be nominated for
election to the Council but shall be deemed to be
elected to the Council for the year commencing on
the date of the November General Meeting (unless he
shall, prior to the date of the receipt of nominations,
notify the Secretary of his intention of resigning from
the Council or of his intention not to serve as
President of the Society in the said year).
Proposed by Mr. Andrew Dillon
Seconded by Mr. Rory O'Connor
Mr. G. Doyle spoke against the Resolution on the grounds
that the existing election system had worked well over the
years and that the proposed change was an interference
with the democratic process. He was supported by Mr. J.
Carrigan. Mr. J. F. Buckley made the point that the
demands on the Presidency now made it imperative that
the person who was facing the Office and particularly, the
person who would be expected to succeed as Senior Vice-
President should have some degree of certainty in regard to
their assignments. Even in a large office, arrangements had
to be made by the individual concerned for the period in
which he held Office in the Society. Mr. P. O'Connor
supported the Resolution, on the grounds that, from the
point of view of a country practitioner, it was absolutely
essential to have the opportunity of making one's arrange-
ments. On a poll, the Resolution was carried by 36 votes to
19.
2. To Amend Bye Law 33 so that it reads:
The Secretary shall cause voting papers to be printed
in the form in Schedule 'C' containing the names and
addresses of all candidates who shall have been duly
qualified and nominated in accordance with Bye Law
30 for election as ordinary members of the Council,
arranged in alphabetical order, with the names of the
respective nominators and giving the number of
attendances during the year at Council Meetings of
any candidate who was a member of the outgoing
Council and shall at least one week before the date of
the poll or election in each year send one of such
voting papers to each member of the Society, who
shall have paid his subscription for the current year,
at his address on the roll book together with an
envelope marked 'Voting Paper.' A copy of such
voting paper shall at the same time be posted in the
Hall of the Society.
Proposed by Mr. Andrew Dillon
Seconded by Mr. Rory O'Connor.
On being put to the meeting, the Resolution was
carried unanimously.
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