101 / 196
Galway City
141/1971
Killarney, Co. Kerry
153/1971
Kilkenny Town
^ / 1 9 71
New Ross, Co. Wexford
lUl/itt/1
1
SPEED LIMITS REGULATIONS
County Cavan
141/1971
County Leitrim
15/1971
County Longford
56/1971
County Louth
83/1971
County Meath
259/1970
County and City of Waterford
275/1970
TRAFFIC TEMPORARY RULES
Cork City—From 9 February 1971
25/1971
Dundalk, Co. Louth—From 22 December 1970
304/1970
Limerick City—From 15 December 1971
42/1971
STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS
S.I. No. 186 of 1971
COURTS (SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS) ACT,
1961 (SECTION 46) ORDER, 1971
This order increases the remuneration payable to all
judiciary by 7 per cent from the 1st April 1970 and a
further 10 per cent from 1st January 1971.
One hundred years ago
THE SOCIETY OF THE ATTORNEYS AND SOLICITORS OF IRELAND
A general meeting of this Society was held on Tuesday,
pursuant to adjournment, in the Solicitors' Hall, Four
Courts, to consider various notices of motion, given at
the half-yearly assembly, held after Easter Term. The
chair was occupied by Sir R. J. T. Orpen, President.
The Secretary (Mr. J. H. Goddard) having read the
advertisement convening the meeting, the Chairman
explained that they had been convened to consider a
resolution to be introduced by Mr. Rea, relative to the
right of attorneys to conduct prisoners' cases at assizes,
and another by Mr. Jones having reference to the
accommodation provided for members of the profession
in the several law courts.
Mr. John Rea moved the following : "That it be an
instruction .to the council to take such steps as may be
requisite to obtain for the profession of attorneys the
right of being fully heard as advocates in the Crown
Court at assizes, when defending prisoners, or opposing
or supporting Grand Jury presentments."
He said he had very little to do more than formally
propose his resolution, as he did not anticipate any
opposition to an increase of the jurisdiction of the pro-
fession, or rather to the recognition of privileges which,
as the chairman stated at the last meeting, existed some
forty or fifty years ago. He did not wish to trespass on
the privileges of the Bar at all in relation to matters of
record, and he really did not ask for members of his
profession any privilege that had not hitherto been given
to them by some of the judges. They would observe that
his motion was confined to two cases, in which attorneys
had undoubtedly the right, without dispute, to be half
heard. There was no judge on the bench of the twelve
who denied the right of the attorney to cross-examine a
witness for the prosecution against a prisoner, and the
right of examining in chief witnesses for the defence;
but the majority of them said to the attorneys that they
could not allow them to argue points arising on the
evidence. Nor can they permit them to address the jury.
A similar principle prevailed with regard to applica-
tions for the fiating of Grand Jury presentments, or for
the rejection of them. He would have very little objec-
tion to a declaratory statute being passed for the public
advantage, and for the advancement of the higher
branch of advocates, denying attorneys altogether the
right of being heard at assizes. But what he complained
of, and what he knew a number of the country practi-
tioners complained of, was that in some cases they were
forced, rather than leave a prisoner defenceless, to go
into the assize court to defend him (hear). In those cases
they were so pinioned by the arbitrary rules referred to
that they would be much better pleased if the prisoners
and other parties who insisted on their services were
authoritatively informed that an attorney had no more
right to be heard than any ordinary civilian. What he
claimed for the profession was a recognition of their
right that if they were to he heard at all they should
he fully heard (hear).
Mr. Henry Mills seconded the resolution, observing
that in his opinion the matter was one which should be
investigated by the council (hear).
The resolution was unanimously adopted.
The Secretary said Mr. W. M. Jones had given notice
of the following resolution : "That the Council of this
Society be requested to take cognisance of a notice
which has recently appeared in one of the Courts to the
effect 'that none but Queen's Counsel shall occupy seats
at the table intended for members of the Inner Bar'
with a view of obtaining the rescinding of such notice;
orj at least, to have proper and convenient seats in the
several courts, provided for the members of this profes-
sion."
The Chairman thought the seats at the table and at
either end of the Inner Bar afforded sufficient accom-
modation for attorneys in cases pending.
The Secretary said the witness-box in the Court of
Common Pleas blocked one of the seats and precluded
—were the order posted carried out—the possibility of
instructing the counsel at that side of the Court.
Mr. F. Sheppard said he had been standing the whole
day in the Court of Common Pleas, having failed in his
endeavour to obtain a seat.
Mr. Macrory observed that the Judges of the Court
of Common Pleas had relaxed their order somewhat.
102