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The Council

expressed

the opinion

that having

regard to the fact that the solicitor received the in

structions personally from the settlor, P.P., he would

be unwise either to register or stamp the deed contrary

to the settlor's instructions, or to act for either of the

parties in the event of litigation concerning the settle

ment, particularly having regard

to the fact the

solicitor may be called as a witness, and that ques

tions of privilege will arise.

Medical

reports

by

doctors

acting

for

insurance companies :

THE Council considered a report from a Committee

on a letter from a member referring to what was

stated to be the growing practice of insurance com

panies of obtaining reports from members of hospital

staffs where

insured persons are under treatment

without the consent of the patient, and also to the

alleged practice of some doctors making medical

examinations on behalf of insurance companies of

including in their reports information obtained from

the patient concerning

the

circumstances of

the

accident unconnected with his medical condition. It

was ordered that a copy of the letter should be sent

to the Medical Council for their observations.

Jurisdiction of the District Court in civil

cases :

A COMMITTEE of the Council reported that this matter

had been considered, and that a circular had been

sent to the Bar Associations requesting their views,

but that up to the present only half the Bar Associa

tions have replied.

It was ordered that the matter

should be postponed pending a further circular to

the Bar Associations.

Marriage Settlement :

COSTS of transfer of property following an agreement

for a marriage settlement. On the occasion of an

intended marriage, Mr. A., Solicitor acting for the

intended wife prepared a draft pre-nuptial agree

ment, and submitted

it for approval

to Mr. B.,

Solicitor for the settlor and his son, the intended

husband.

The intended wife agreed

to bring a

sum

of

^1,000

into

the

settlement,

and

the

settlor

agreed

to

transfer

to

the

intended hus

band certain premises on

the celebration of

the

marriage. The document was duly executed by all

parties. The marriage was celebrated, and arrange

ments are now being made to transfer the premises

in accordance with the terms of the agreement. The

Council expressed the view that it is the privilege of

the wife's solicitor

to draw up and register

the

transfer, and the duty of the husband to pay the

expenses thereof.

Costs of defending proceedings under the

Road Traffic Acts :

A MEMBER reported that his firm had acted for die

defendant in a prosecution under the Road Traffic

Act with the consent of an insurance company which

had issued a policy of insurance to the defendant.

The defendant was a regular client of the solicitors

who conducted the defence, but these solicitors did

not act generally for the insurance company. The

insurance company wrote to the solicitors stating that

they were agreeable that they should defend die

proceedings, and that they would pay the sum of

2 guineas.

The Council expressed the view that a

fee of 2 guineas in a case of diis kind is inadequate,

and that the minimum fee which should be offered

and accepted is 4 gns.

Solicitors' Bill :

THE Council considered the draft Solicitors' Bill, 1949,

prepared by the parliamentary draftsman, and sub

mitted to the Society. They also considered a report

from the Solicitors' Bill Committee which stated that

the draft Solicitors' Bill, 1949, had been compared

carefully with the draft Solicitors' Bill, 1943, sub

mitted by the Council on behalf of the Society to the

Department of Justice

in April,

1943,

and

later

amended with the authority of general meetings of

the Society, and that the parliamentary draftsman's

Bill was substantially the same as the 1943 draft.

It

was ordered

that the matter be

referred

to

the

Solicitors' Bill Committee with authority to take the

matter up with

the Minister for Justice and the

Government with a view to having the Bill intro

duced in Dail Eireann as soon as possible.

Legal Diary :

THE Secretary reported that following negotiations

between the Society and the Minister for Finance

and Messrs. Browne & Nolan, the Minister had agreed

to increase the State contribution to the Legal Diary,

and that Messrs. Browne & Nolan had agreed to

continue publication.

Application Under Section 47 t

AN application under Section 47 was considered by

granted on payment of the current licence duty.

STAMP DUTY

ON LEASES

IN the last issue of the Gazette it was reported that

Mr. Justice Maguire had held in the case of John

O'Sullivan, appellant, and the Revenue Commis

sioners, respondents, that Section 13 of the Finance

(No. 2) Act, 1947, does not apply to leases, and that

property which was disposed of by way of lease in

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