179 / 200
December, 1939]
The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland
33
ing a distinctly hostile attitude
to our
profession.
In one case which your Council
investigated during the year, comments were
made by a Departmental Auditor on a young
Solicitor's conduct of affairs, which seemed
extremely harsh and unreasonable;
and
other instances have come to my notice mak
ing it quite clear that the Department in
question would appear (at any rate up to a
recent date) to have regarded our profession
as a special object for attack.
If the profession wishes to be protected
against abuses of this kind, it must organize,
and the Council of the Society must be
supported by strong and well considered
local action. Local Bar Associations already
exist in several counties, and where they do
exist their action is entirely beneficial and
helpful.
Solicitors who are not members of this
Society must disabuse their minds of the
idea that in some way or another the interests
of the profession will look after themselves.
With a knowledge acquired during a member
ship of the Council extending over fifteen
years during ten of which I have acted as
Hon. Secretary of the Provincial Solicitors'
Association, I have no hesitation in uttering
a solemn warning
that unless Solicitors
throughout the country take the necessary
steps to organise—in the first instance by
means of Local Bar Associations, and through
them to support this Society in its efforts on
their behalf,
it will become
increasingly
difficult for the Society to continue satis
factorily to perform the duties expected of
it.
I cannot do better in this respect than
quote the words of the late Mr. Charles
Gamble at page 71 of his excellent hand
book, " Solicitors in Ireland 1607-1921," a
work with which I may say,
in passing,
every Solicitor ought
to make
himself
acquainted. He says, "the support of the
Incorporated Law Society
is a duty which
every practising Solicitor owes
to his own
self respect ; it is not a mere personal matter,
but one of esprit de corps, and the effective
continuance of
its
functions,
the accom
plishment of
reforms
in
the
future,
the
financial means
to pursue such activities,
and
the value of
its work and traditions
depend
on
their
universal
loyalty
and
sympathy."
Centenary.
In two years from now the Society will
celebrate the centenary of the establishment
of its first Committee of organisation and
management—the forerunner of the present
Council as governing body. May I earnestly
express the hope that by that time the
membership of the Society will have reached
such proportions as to render the occasion
not only worthy of, but representative of,
the entire profession.:
I beg to move the adoption of the Report.
Mr. Brennan (Vice-President) seconded the
adoption of
the Report.
Mr. A. E. R. MacCabe drew attention to the
paragraph in the Report dealing with the
hearing of appeals by the High Court on
Circuit with, which> system he expressed
disagreement.
The President, having replied, put the
resolution of adoption of the Report and
it was passed unanimously.
Mr. Gilmore suggested
that a suitable
manner for celebrating the centenary of the
establishment of the Committee of organiza
tion of which the Society was the successor,
would be the founding by the Society of
two or more annuities for the Solicitors'
Benevolent Association.
Mr. Brennan (Vice-President) having taken
the Chair, on the motion of Mr. H. P. Mayne,
seconded
by
Mr. P. R. Boyd (Vice-Presi
dent) a hearty vote of thanks was passed
to
the President with acclamation.
The President, having returned thanks,
the meeting terminated.
ALL Communications connected with THE
GAZETTE (other than advertisements) should
be addressed to the Secretary of the Society,
Solicitors' Buildings, Four Courts, Dublin,
X.XV.S.