60 / 244
the profession was that the section apparently
enabled the Land Commission to acquire the land
by the transfer order procedure without the necessity
o f any formal conveyance, which would adversely
affect solicitors’ remuneration.
The President
reported that the deputation had been satisfied on
both points. An assurance had been obtained from
the Assistant Secretary o f the Department o f Lands
that in no case would a transfer order be made until
after the sale has been completed in the ordinary
way, the object of the transfer order being to remedy
any possible defect in the purchaser’s title. The
report was adopted.
Society
v .
Philpag
The Secretary reported that he had received a letter
from Mr. J. J. O’Connor, who instituted proceed
ings on behalf o f the Society under section 53
against the firm of Philpag & Co. for pretending
to be qualified to act as solicitors, stating that the
defendants had offered to indemnify' the Society
against their costs if the prosecution was with
drawn and undertook not to repeat the offence.
It was ordered that Mr. O’Connor should agree to
have the proceedings struck out on these terms.
Salaries o f Solicitors in Government Legal
Offices.
T
he
Secretary read a letter received from the
Department of Finance in reply to the memorandum
submitted by the Society to the Minister on the
salaries and conditions o f service o f solicitors in
the legal offices. Further consideration in the matter
was adjourned.
PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES
Dail Eireann, 2nd March, 1950
M
r
.
P.
L
ehane
: I would suggest to the city
Deputies, including Deputy Captain Cowan, that
they have plenty o f problems to which to apply
themselves in the city. When they have solved
those problems they can then come out and speak
to the country. Reference was made here to the
agricultural workers as being the depressed class.
In my experience—-I speak for Cork, about which
I know something, but I am sure the same applies
in Dublin—the depressed classes are the unfortunate
typists who work for solicitors for 15/- and 20/-
a week and are expected to pay their bus fares and
buy their lunches out o f it.
An Ceann Comhairle : That has nothing to do
with this.
Mr. Sweetman : And it is entirely untrue.
Mr. P. D. Lehane : Mention was made of the
depressed classes and the agricultural worker was
referred to as a depressed class by certain city
Deputies.
Captain Cowan : Fie is treated like a slave.
Mr. P. D. Lehane : But nothing like the slaves in
the solicitors’ offices in Cork.
An Ceann Comhairle: The wages of typists
have nothing to do with this Bill.
Deputy’s personal explanation, 9th March,
1950
M
r
.
P. D.
L
ehane
: With your permission, Sir,
there is a matter I should like to mention very
briefly. When speaking on the Agricultural Workers
(Holidays) Bill last Thursday------
An Ceann Comhairle: Is this a personal
explanation ?
Mr. P. D. Lehane : Yes. Speaking on what I
regarded as reliable information, I said that typists
who work for solicitors were asked to work for
15/- and 20/- per week and were expected to pay
their bus fares and for their lunches out of that.
Since then I have received letters from the Dublin
Bar Solicitors’ Association, and from the Southern
Law Association, Cork, taking exception to my
remarks. I was not aware until it was pointed out
to me by the Southern Law Association that the
Labour Court had fixed a wage o f 25/-
a
week for
solicitors’ typists, and I want to apologise to
solicitors and the associations.
A Deputy: They will not be long making a
fortune with that.
N
ote
.
—Comment on this
“
explanation ” would
be superfluous, but steps have been taken to draw
the Deputy’s attention to its inaccuracy. Mr. P. D.
Lehane is a Deputy for South Cork, and should
not be confused with Mr. Conor Lehane, T.D .,
solicitor.
PROFESSIONAL ITEMS
Judgment for untaxed Bill o f Costs
A
n
important point o f Circuit Court practice and
one o f particular interest to solicitors was decided
by Judge Connolly sitting at Chancery Place on
the 1 2th January last. A solicitor had sued his
client for the amount o f an untaxed bill o f costs.
There was no appearance for the defendant and
54