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The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.
[DECEMBER, 1914
That should be an important matter for the
Profession.
In present circumstances very
few Solicitors were engaged in Parliamentary
Bill promotion.
It required presence in
London, and absence from one's practice, and
other considerations which debarred
the
ordinary practitioner from following Parlia
mentary work. He hoped that that would be
no longer the case, and that Private Bill
legislation would be carried on in their midst.
The President had referred to a Committee
that sat so far back as 1884 to consider the
question of fusion of the two Professions.
Speaking for himself, and without consulta
tion with any member of the Council, he
thought it might be a very desirable thing in
view of the passage of Home Rule if a small
Sub-committee of the Council and a Sub-
Committee of members of the Profession
outside the Council would consider in advance
the question of necessary legal reforms in
that country. He said " in advance " for
this reason :
it was quite clear if an Irish
Parliament embarked, as it was very likely
to embark, upon questions of legal reform
that that Society would be asked to give an
opinion upon such reforms ; and if they were
asked to do so it would not be advisable that
they should sit down for the first time to
consider
these questions.
It was very
desirable then to forearm themselves and
consider these questions so as to be able to
give their views when asked as to what would
be in the best interests of the country and of
their Profession. He took it that any result
coming from such a Committee after a con
sideration of these questions would be very
valuable, and in that way they would be
able to give fruitful advice if called upon, as
perhaps they might be in. the near future.
On the question of legal appointments, he
said it would be very misrepresentative of the
Profession if it went forth that Solicitors as
a body were out for those appointments—
that they were out to get jobs, as it was
termed. At the same time it was equally
necessary
that
it should go
forth
that
Solicitors should get a reasonable proportion
of such appointments as were going ;
and if
ever there was a case in which a just claim
could be made by the Profession it was in
this matter.
It was his privilege, in con
junction with the President and some other
members of the Council, to be received by
the Lord Lieutenant upon the important
matter of
the appointment of Solicitors
to the office of Resident Magistrates. He
thought the President, in his very excel
lent statement, convinced Lord Aberdeen
that the Solicitors in Ireland had a very just
grievance in this matter, and he was very
hopeful on the question, as he thought the
President had also convinced Sir Mathew
Nathan, the Under-Secretary, who was also
present, and he believed from the figures
placed before him and which he examined
that Sir Mathew Nathan could come to no
other conclusion.
It was he who would
advise his immediate chief, Mr. Birrell, who
would in turn advise the Lord Lieutenant,
whom he was very glad to hear speaking
as he did, and he was also glad that
Sir Mathew Nathan was present at the
interview.
They were very
careful
to
assure His Excellency that they did not
object to members of the Bar being ap
pointed, or members of the Royal Irish
Constabulary, but people might think that
they were too reasonable in that way. They
did, however, object to the appointment of
gentlemen having no
legal qualifications
whatsoever,
though no
legal disabilities
attached to the appointments. Every one
with experience knew that the most intricate
cases which engaged the attention of the
King's Bench Division were magistrates'
cases, and it was simply nonsense to suggest
that a gentleman, however able and con
siderable his natural talents might be, was
as able to consider and deal with these
questions as a trained Solicitor would be.
In conclusion, he could not adequately express
his feeling of gratitude to the members for
the recent mark of confidence which they
displayed towards him. He knew he was
quite undeserving
of
the honour
they
conferred upon him, but they might have
thought that he was anxious to preserve the
interests of the Profession whether in Dublin
or away from it. They were right in that,
and on every opportunity that was afforded
to him he would gladly avail of it to further
the interests of the Profession and prevent
injustice being done to it, both at home and
across the water.
In doing that he was doing
nothing more than he was expected to do in
the circumstances.
In the Irish Party there
were many Solicitors, and every one of them