105 / 200
, .1938}
The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland
:,.The High Court on circuit held its first
sittings for the hearing of appeals from the
Circuit Court in the month of March in the
present year. Litigants in their own area
had a patient and dignified hearing of their
grievances, and were satisfied that justice
was done, I have every feeling that the new
system of appeals has justified itself.
Menibers of the profession will, no doubt,
be aware that at the recent election for the
Seanad the Society was given a right to
nominate candidates on the Cultural Panel.
The Council did nominate two. Unfortunately
neither was elected. Should in the future it
be desired that the members of the Seanad
be elected on a vocational basis, that end
may be better attained by a method other
than that adopted at the recent election.
Since the last General Meeting Solicitors
called the attention of the Council to various
matters of interest to the profession.
It is
impossible here to refer to all of these. One
of general interest, however, was a complaint
in respect of the quality and price of carbon
paper and typewriter ribbons which were
available for the profession. The Council
communicated with the Minister for Industry
and Commerce.
It is believed that much of
the cause for complaint has been removed.
At the last -General Meeting a resolution
was carried expressing the opinion that the
Council
should consider whether
further
.statutory powers should be sought to ensure
the better discipline of and the regulation of
admission to the Solicitors' profession.
In
the course of the debate on that resolution
several matters of vital
interest
to
the
Solicitors' profession were ventilated. The
Council appointed a special committee of
twelve of its members to consider the effect
of the resolution and how the wishes of the
meeting should be best given effect
to.
That committee has had several meetings
.and has made interim reports, but it has not
completed or concluded its work. At an
early date the Council will have the final
report of its committee, and will in the
.appropriate manner submit to the profession
its conclusions.
It will be in the recollection of those who
have attended General Meetings of the Law
Society that some years ago a President in
his address drew attention to the need for
.books dealing with Irish law, and intimated
that the Council had 'given anxious con
sideration to the question of how these books
could be procured.
I was convinced then,
and
in
the •
light of
the
further years'
experience since I am more than convinced
now,
that
this
is
a matter ' of
vital
importance to the profession, and so I will
ask you to bear with me while I inform you
of what has been done by the Council;
Some four or five years ago a member
of the Council, a county practitioner engaged
continuously in Circuit Court and District
Court practices in the past, made a com
munication to the Council directing attention
to the need for books on Irish law and
practice. He pointed out
that many of
the books, every day referred
to
in his
office, were then considerably out of date
and were, for the most part, unprocurable.
He mentioned particularly Carleton's County
Court Practice, O'Connor's Justice of the
Peace, Babington's Equity, and Vanston's
various books: on Local Government and
Public Health.
The Council,'• after !
discussion, were so
impressed with' the importance of the matter'
that they appointed a committee, and that
committee
in
time
reported
that
these
books were essential,' and
' that
it wais
absolutely necessary that they should be
procured and made suitable for the new
Circuit Court and, District Court, which
took the place of the old County Court
and Petty Sessions.
,
•.
The committee was then asked to consider
the matter more fully with special reference
to the question of the cost of producing'
the books and of 'ho'w such cost was to be
borne. Estimates were invited from several
printing firms, which were accustomed to
the production of law books and it was
ascertained that an issue of 500 copies would
cost £1 per page, which would work otit at
about £2 per book of 1,000 pages.
It was
obvious that, such books would have to be
re-written or, edited, by lawyers' of standing
and
experience. Various
views
were
expressed of what that would cost and it
was finally considered that it would add
at least £1 to the cost per book.
At this stage the Council communicated
with the Bar and the Bar :
Council sent two
representatives (then both eminent Counsel)
to join in the deliberations of the committee.