11 / 144
JUNE, 1930]
The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.
THE PRESIDENT, addressing the
meeting, said :
Since the last Half-yearly General Meeting
of the Society I regret to say that the Council
have lost one of its oldest members.
I refer
to the late Mr. Henry J. Concanon, who was
Provincial Delegate for Connaught for many
years and a very useful member of
the
Council.
There were a considerable number of
matters dealt with by the Council since the
last Half-yearly Meeting, particulars of which
were published from time to time in the
GAZETTE of the Society and are within the
knowledge of the members of the Society,
and, therefore, I do not propose occupying
this meeting in going through same.
As regards the Courts of Justice Act, you
are aware there was a resolution passed by
both houses of the Oireachtas appointing a
Joint Committee of the Dail and the Senate
to consider and report what amendments
(if any) were required in the Court of Justice
Act, 1924, and the Acts amending same, and
any other statute affecting the civil jurisdic–
tion of the Courts of Saorstat Eireann. The
Council appointed a Special Committee to
consider what matters should be dealt with
in evidence to be given on behalf of the
Council before the Committee referred to.
After giving the matter very careful con–
sideration, it was decided that Dr. Quirke and
Mr. L. J. Ryan should give evidence on
behalf of the Council.
In addition, I attended
before the Committee and gave evidence, and
other members of the Council and some
members of the profession also attended and
gave evidence, and it is hoped that the
Report of the Joint Committee will shortly
issue, and that legislation will be
then
introduced to carry into effect such recom–
mendations of the Committee as will improve
the existing Acts.
As regards the Circuit Court Rules, these
were signed by the Committee in February
last, and laid on the table of the House in
accordance with the Standing Orders, and
on
the 12th March,
after a
resolution
approving of
the
rules, moved by
the
Minister, was discussed in the Dail, it was
decided that they should not be approved of,
pending the issue of the joint report already
referred to.
I am very pleased to announce that there
has been a move on quite recently to amend
the Rules of the High Court, including the
rules relating to Revenue proceedings ;
and
I hope that later on we will have one set of
complete rules which we can understand, and
be in a position to decide with some degree
of certainty as to the proper procedure to
adopt in instituting proceedings. At present
I am certain there are a number of Solicitors,
when about to institute proceedings, who are
not quite certain of what procedure they
should adopt. This I expect will be dealt
with clearly in the new rules to which I have
referred, and will be very welcome and
acceptable, I hope, to the Solicitors' profes–
sion generally. There is also a move on at
present to facilitate the taxation of costs in
Land Commission matters by referring same
to the Taxing Masters of the High Court.
At present
there
is some delay
in
the
Solicitor's Department of the Land Com–
mission as regards taxation of costs, through
no fault of the Solicitor, who is not able to
reach
the several matters
requiring his
attention.
In conclusion, I should like to thank the
members of the Council, and also Mr. Wakely,
for the great assistance that I have received
from them in the conduct of the business of
the Council
since my
appointment
as
President.
MR. VINCENT KENNEDY drew atten–
tion to the small salaries being now fixed
for the office of Solicitor to District Councils
throughout the country when that office
becomes vacant. He also referred to the
recent correspondence between the Council
and the Minister for Justice in reference to
the employment of United States Solicitors.
MR. W. T. SHERIDAN drew attention
to the fact that motor insurance policies
taken out by Solicitors do not cover accidents
arising when the Solicitor is travelling on
business, unless so specially provided in the
policy.
THE PRESIDENT stated that so long as
Solicitors are found ready to accept the
Solicitorships to District Councils at the
salaries offered, the Council cannot interfere,
and the other matter referred to by Mr.
Kennedy would receive attention from the
Council.