63 / 114
DECEMBER, 1913] The Gazette of the Incorporated Xaw Society of Ireland.
weight in it at all.
I cannot understand why
any responsible statesman should make such
a statement
in
the House.
A
second
objection was made, namely, that contro
versial matters had been introduced into the
Bill.
The answer
to that is short and
simple.
It is no excuse for not proceeding
with this Bill.
The Council asked for a
conference with the County Court Judges
to consider what these controversial matters
were, the controversial matters that prevented
the Bill being proceeded with.
The fact
of the matter is that yesterday we held the
conference, and after an hour's consideration
there did not remain between the repre
sentatives of the Council and the representa
tives of the County Court Judges a single
matter of controversy in connection with this
Bill (applause). This, I think, is a sufficient
answer to what has taken place already in the
House of Commons, and if the matter is
not proceeded with next Session in a Bill
backed by the Society and the County Court
Judges, it is quite impossible for this Society
to get reasonable legislation carried in the
interests of the public and the profession
(hear, hear).
During the year the Council again gave
assistance to the
UNDER SHERIFFS
in furtherance of the Bill promoted by them.
You will recollect, gentlemen, that in our
own interests we could not possibly incor
porate the Under Sheriffs' Bill with the
County Courts Bill. The Under Sheriffs are
not only under the jurisdiction of the County
Court but also of the High Court, and for
that and other reasons it would simply have
been wrecking our own Bill if we had done
so. But we did all we could for them, and
the Council passed a resolution approving of
their Bill, and sent it to the proper quarter.
During the year an
ENGLISH BANKRUPTCY BILL
was passed. When the Bill was first intro
duced there were certain words in it which
would have made
Irish
traders subject
to the English Bankruptcy Court. This we
looked upon as a very great hardship, and
we made representations to our colleagues
and our representatives in the House of
Commons, and we got the Bill so amended
that this objection was entirely removed.
During the year the
DUBLIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
made representations
from
their Council
with regard to two matters, one in connection
with the County Courts.
In respect of that
matter the representatives we sent to the
Chamber of Commerce—Mr. Byrne and Mr.
Collins—succeeded in getting the Chamber of
Commerce to reaffirm their support of our
County Courts Bill. We also satisfied the
Chamber of Commerce that at the present
time there was not sufficient reason for
introducing into Ireland the English Bank
ruptcy code.
We have considered
that
subject very carefully from time to time at-
the Council, and we have come to the con
clusion, with the assistance of such members
as practice in the Bankruptcy Courts, in
cluding members who are outside the Council,
that this attempted introduction of
the
English
system
into
Ireland would
be
altogether unsuited to the conditions existing
in this country.
There
is another matter, and
I only
mention it in consequence of an argument
that I intend to state to you. There were
certain
LOCAL BANKRUPTCY COURT RULES
which required to be brought into conformity
with the High Court Rules. The rule-making
authority is
the Privy Council, but this
Society has no representation on that body
such as we have in connection with the High
Court Rules. The consequence was that in
assimilating the two procedures, the pro
cedure in local Courts and in the High Court,
we only succeeded in two out of three matters
in which we sought a change.
I only mention
this now to emphasise the necessity in respect
of all future legislation connected with the
Courts and Rules which touches this profes
sion, we ought to see to it that a representa
tive of this Society is a member as of right
upon all rule-making authorities (hear, hear).
EASTER AND WHITSUNTIDE
HOLIDAYS.
There is a matter that I would just mention
to you, in which the Council have succeeded
even beyond their expectations during the