344 / 736
did not know who the lessee was. he could not
continue to act further in those negotiations or
proceedings unless he disclosed the name of the
client for whom he was acting.
His Lordship also considered that the judge's
order for costs against all three gentlemen, in
cluding the solicitor, was properly made, although
it was not known who the client was or whether
the solicitor was acting as a solicitor and not as
a party. The solicitor had brought it all on him
self by the course he thought fit to adopt. The
appeal should be dismissed.
(Pascall v. Galinski [1969] 3 W.L.R. 626.)
Failure to use red warning light
—
stationary fire
engine at night
The plaintiff was a young motor cyclist who held
a provisional driving licence and usually wore
spectacles when he rode his motor cycle. At just
after 5 p.m. in broad daylight on a July evening
he was riding his motor cycle in heavy rain, which
was so bad that he could not wear his spectacles,
when he ran into a stationary fire engine, as a
result of which he sustained personal injuries.
The local fire brigade had been called out to
deal with a fire and the fire engine had been
properly parked on the road for only two minutes
before the accident happened. The driver had set
two blue lights on the top of the fire engine
flashing so as to warn oncoming traffic of its
presence, but he had not put out the red warning-
lamp on the road so as to give early warning
to approaching traffic. The plaintiff, if he had
kept a proper look-out, should have seen the fire
engine when he was 80 yards away. He claimed
damages against the local authority. The trial
judge, Commissioner Temple Morris, found that
the plaintiff and the local authority were equally
to blame for the accident : the plaintiff in failing
to keep a proper look out and take avoiding
action and the local authority for the failure of
the driver of the fire engine to place a red warning
lamp on the road in front of the engine. He
accordingly awarded the plaintiff £809 11s.
damages.
On appeal by the local authority.
Held by the Court of Appeal (Sellers. L. J.,
Danckwerts, L. J. and Baker, J.) allowing the
appeal, that, since the first duty of the fire brigade
was to protect those in peril from the fire the
driver of the fire engine was not guilty of negli
gence in omitting to place a red warning lamp
on the road, for the flashing of the blue lights
on top of the fire engine was a sufficient indica
tion to oncoming traffic of the presence of the
fire engine; and that, accordingly, there was no
negligence on the part of the fire brigade and the
plaintiffs' claim for damages failed.
(Amos. v. Glamorgan County Council. Novem
ber 20th, 1967. 1967 66 L.G.R. 166).
APPRENTICES' FORUM
The Hospitalisation of the Law Society
No sooner had the announcement that the In
corporated Law Society of Ireland had purchased
the King's Hospital as its new headquarters been
made than speculators and commentators pub
lished their views on various aspects of its adop
tion and adaptation.
The Building was designed by one, Thomas
Ivory, who started life as a carpenter in Cork.
This means that the Law Society will be able to
continue its great tradition of operating within an
Ivory Tower. Furthermore, the building was
erected between 1773 and 1783, and its architec
ture is therefore very much in keeping with the
period when our present system of apprentice
ship was devised. However, when the new Law
School is established in the King's Hospital, there
will be no pressure on apprentices to wear Blue
Coats.
The main feature of the new Law School will
be the fact that legal subjects will actually be
taught and learned by professors and students
respectively, instead of the present lecture system.
Also, since the King's Hospital was founded by
Charter in the reign of Charles II, it is hoped to
commemorate this event by having special student
charter flights each summer from the rear lawn.
There will also be some recreational facilities
for apprentices. For instance, the billiard room
should be especially instructive for students of
cannon law. A cafeteria will sell specially manu
factured "Donnoghue v. Stevenson" Ginger Beer,
and the gymnasium should prove beneficial to
those run down by running down actions.
The chapel is to be maintained as such, and
an apprentices' choir will be formed. Anyone
wishing to sing in a minor key will have to enter
into a tenancy agreement for the letting of a flat.
The tennis courts at the rear will enable the
Chief Justice to appoint Commissioners for Oaths
of the Tennis Court. It should be noted that there
is not truth in the rumour that the entire project
is being financed by Debentures of the Kings
Inns, but Bar students hope to open a lounge.
The Four Courts Library will be removed (lock,
stock and librarian) to the King's Hospital, and
it is hoped to use a novel indexing system where
by students and practitioners alike will be able to
actually find the books they are looking for.
64