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petent commentators as an improper infringement

on the rights of the citizen, and an innovation cal–

culated to lessen respect for the courts of justice

and the law. The ordinary citizen in a democratic

State may regard the invocation of law and Courts

of Justice as

something to be avoided whenever

possible, but he recognises at least that as long as

the rule of law is sacrosanct his personal liberty

and family rights will be protected from arbitrary

interference by the State or from violation by

wrongdoers.

I consider that the rule of law in a

democratic State is second in importance only to

the maintenance of religion and freedom of con–

science in its influence on the lives and conduct

of the citizens.

It is a matter of regret, therefore,

to see an incipient tendency in legislative matters

to enact measures which can only have the effect

of lessening respect for the law and weaken public

confidence in those who administer it.

It would

be to the public advantage that tribunals invested

with

the functions of considering complicated

questions of fact and sifting evidence should have

the assistance of lawyers qualified in practice in such

work, and accustomed by professional habit to

exercise that impartiality which the public mind

associates with courts of law.

In the long run it

will be

found

that proceedings conducted on

judicial methods

are more

expeditious, more

certain, and cheaper than inquiries in which it is

open to any party to say what, how, and when he

pleases.

Counsel and solicitors are bound by their

professional code of ethics which regulates

the

conduct of the advocate and imposes a duty on him

towards the tribunal as well as towards the party

whom he represents.

I fear that the tendency of

the type of legislation to which I am referring will

be to create a new type of non-professional advocate

who will be bound neither by the rules of evidence

nor by any professional tradition or code and who

cannot be relied upon to present the facts with that

scrupulous fairness which is necessary for the realisa–

tion of justice where conflicting interests are con–

cerned.

It is a further advantage of the system of

professional advocacy that the parties themselves

do not appear in the role of advocates, and that the

case can therefore be conducted in a calmer and more

impartial atmosphere.

In the new type of tribunal

from which lawyers are excluded the advocates

are themselves the parties to the dispute and it may

be difficult

to separate statements of fact from

opinion and prejudiced pleading and to avoid the

heat which is apt to be engendered when hostile

parties come in conflict.

I now turn to a matter of great importance from

the viewpoint of securing

fair

treatment

for

solicitors acting for public and local authorities.

These appointments are of two kinds and different

conditions apply to each case. Some appointments

are made on a whole-time basis, the solicitor is

provided with an office and the necessary staff

at the expense of the local authority and is himself

remunerated by a salary. To this nobody can take

exception provided that the salary is fixed on an

adequate scale.

In the second type of appointment

the solicitor is retained on a part-time basis, he

carries on private practice, and provides an office

and staff at his own expense for his general practice

including the work of the local authority.

In

regard to appointments of this kind it is the con–

sidered view of the Council that the only fair method

of remuneration is on the basis of taxed costs. In a

number of appointments in recent years, however,

solicitors have been appointed to such positions on

the basis of salary, out of which they are obliged to

defray all office expenses. The salaries offered have

generally been inadequate because the amount of

work devolving upon the solicitor has almost

invariably increased and he has become almost a

whole-time officer without the remuneration appro–

priate to such services. The Council regard these

appointments as amounting to exploitation of the

present over-crowded

state of the profession.

Solicitors' charges are controlled by statute and

subject to taxation. No injustice is done to the local

authorities by asking them to pay the solicitors the

proper charges for work actually done, and the

necessity for so doing makes for efficiency and

economy

in

public

administration

rather than

otherwise.

The salary system for such part-time

appointments must be unjust either to the rate–

payer or the solicitor, as it is impossible to foresee

the amount of legal work and, consequently, the

office staff required from year to year.

In two

appointments recently advertised the Council made

representations to the Department of Local Govern–

ment and Public Health on the lines mentioned

above.

It is hoped to persuade the Department to

accept the justice of our viewpoint in regard to

part-time appointments, and in this I know that the

Council have the support of the profession.

It will be remembered that in November, 1943,

the Society in General Meeting passed a resolution

urging upon the Government the necessity for the

establishment of a Law Reform Advisory Committee

with the object of inquiring into our present legal

system and making recommendations for the reform

and consolidation of the law in general. The matter

has been frequently referred to and calls for the

establishment of a permanent committee of lawyers

together with representatives of the public provided

with the necessary means and secretariat to deal

efficiently with the problem.

If such a Committee

is constituted

the Council will afford

it every

assistance in their power.

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