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16
The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society ol Ireland.
[JUNE, 1913
the Chief Secretary a very important admis–
sion :
" That the difficulties in the existing
procedure have been long recognised by the
j
mercantile community, the practitioners in
the County Courts, and the County Court
Judges."
In addition, they received the
following appreciation : " That the difficulties
were dealt with very fully in the two Bills
introduced by the Society in 1910 and 1911."
The proposal at that time made by the Chief
Secretary was to ask the Lord Chancellor to
send the Bills to the County Court Judges so
that the latter might make suggestions,
amendments or alterations.
The Council
subsequently asked the Chief Secretary to
arrange that the Council should see the sug–
gestions of the County Court Judges, so that
observations might be made upon them.
There was again a very considerable delay.
The request made by the Society was treated
as reasonable, but up to the May meeting
last year no report was received from the
Judges, and it was not till between that and
the November meeting they got the sug–
gestions of the County Court Judges, who
reported to the Chancellor.
In a great many
instances they were able to agree with the
Judges, and since November the Council had
done everything in its power to push on this
measure of reform as a Government measure,
but as late as the 13th March, when the Chief
Secretary was asked in the House as to the
state of matters, he was obliged to say he
was not yet in a position to make any state–
ment. Those were the bald facts of the case.
It was not for him to apportion either praise
or blame ;
he left the facts with them, and
it was for the public and the profession
outside to assist the Council in every way in
their power. As to the Under Sheriffs' Bill,
they had been reproached with having thrown
it over, but since the January meeting they
had been able to show the Under Sheriffs that
the reproach was undeserved.
They had
assisted the Under Sheriffs before, and they
had continued to assist them, while at a
Council meeting in J anuary they passed a very
special resolution in favour of the measure,
so as to assist them in a conference they
intended to have with
the Chamber of
Commerce in Dublin. Another matter of very
great importance to the public, and also to
the profession, was the question which was
at present agitating the minds of a great
many people, that was the vacations and
sittings at Easter and Whitsuntide. As the
matter was so much talked about outside, he
thought it should be known that it had not
been left to outsiders to deal with.
It had
had the serious and continuous consideration
of the Council. Last year they made repre–
sentations on the subject, but those repre–
sentations did not result in any change or
alteration being made in the rules of the Court
by reason of the difficulties which arose as to
circuit.
However,
they had at present
negotiations pending which he hoped would
result successfully
this year.
They had
framed a rule for the consideration of the
rule-making authority, which he hoped
would minimise, if it did not altogether get
rid of, the difficulties which were made in
spite of their representations last year.
In
conclusion, the President .said he found the
room in the Society's premises provided by
the Council for the President to be of very
great
advantage,
and
he
thought
the
existence of such a room would bring before
the public and the members of the profession
the fact that the President of the Society was
there for the benefit of the Society, and for
the benefit of every member who wanted to
consult with him (hear, hear).
MR. JAMES BRADY said it appeared to
him that the whole matter of County Court
procedure, in which he had taken an interest
for many years, was now a dead letter.
Could they make no further progress with
reference to it ? he meant was all the time,
attention, trouble and anxiety on behalf of
the Society and in the interests of the public
now gone by the board;
and had the
Government made up their minds to cast the
Bill to the winds, and say no more about it ?
If
that was
the determination
of
the
Government, he thought some strong step
ought to be taken with regard to the matter.
Personally
he was
sorry
that a Com–
mission of Inquiry had not been held, as it
would have made it perfectly plain that there
was no answer to the demand for reform.
MR. ROONEY called attention to a rule
which had grown up in the Chancery Division,
by which all advertisements relating
to
incumbrancers and creditors were published
exclusively in the
General Advertiser.
He
had nothing to say against that paper, but
he thought the principle was wrong, and that