112 / 144
investments, amounting to £9,927 Ss. 7d., had
been re-invested.
The President, last President, and the Vice-
Presidents are members ex-officio of all committees.
Extraordinary Members of the Council.
THE Council adopted the election of the following
as the extraordinary members of the Council:—
Incorporated Law Society of Northern Ireland :—
Messrs. R. A. Corscadden, A. S. Merrick, Charles
MacLoughlin, George Murnaghan and. James C.
Taylor. Southern Law Association :—Messrs.
J. W. O'Donovan, Edward Emerson, John K.
Coakley, J. J. Horgan and Barry M. O'Meara.
DECEMBER 14th. The President in
the chair.
Also present:—Mr. Roger Greene, Vice-President,
Messrs. J. R. Quirke, P. R. Boyd, G. A. Overend,
W. S. Hayes, C. G. Stapleton, William L. Duggan,
H. St. J. Blake, J. B. Hamill, J. Travers Wolfe,
Scan
6
hUadhaigh, Patrick F. O'Reilly, W. J.
Norman.
Statutory Committee.
THE Secretary read a letter from the Chief
Justice appointing the following seven members
of the Council to constitute the Statutory Com
mittee for the year:—H. St. J. Blake, J. B. Hamill,
Daniel O'Connell, L. E. O'Dea, P. F. O'Reilly,
Scan 6 hUadhaigh, G. A. Overend.
Committees of the Council.
THE following Standing Committees were ap
pointed for the year :—
,
Court of Examiners :—The President, Daniel
O'Connell; the Vice-Presidents, M. G. R. Lardner,
Roger Greene ; The last President, P. F. O'Reilly ;
P. R. Boyd, J. B. Hamill, H. P. Mayne, W. J.
Norman, G. A. Overend.
Legislation and Privileges Committee :—A.
Cox, E. M. FitzGerald, W. S. Hayes, W. J.
Norman, L. E. O'Dea, J. S. O'Connor, S. 6
hUadhaigh, J. R. Quirke, J. J. Smyth,
Court and Offices Committee :—H. St. J. Blake,
P. R. Boyd, E. M. FitzGerald, J. J. Lynch,
R. A. Macaulay, H. P. Mayne, Hugh O'Donnell,
C. G. Stapleton.
Finance Committee :—A. Cox, P. R. Boyd,
J. P. Carrigan, J. J. Dunne, J. B. Hamill, W. S.
Huggard, C. G. Stapleton, J. P. Tyrrell.
Gazette Committee :—J. J. Bolger, F. J. W.
Darley, J. J. Dundon, J. S. O'Connor, Peter
O'Connor, L. E. O'Dea, J. R. Quirke, J. T. Wolfe.
Harbours Bill, 1945.
Local Government Bill, 1945.
THE above mentioned Bills were discussed and the
drafting of certain suggested amendments was re
ferred to the President and Secretary.
CALENDAR AND LAW DIRECTORY,
1946
THE Calendar will be on sale on February 6th.
After providing for orders already received. a
limited number of copies will be available. Orders
will now be taken for these copies.
MODERNISATION OF LEGAL CODE
EXPECTED
FOLLOWING upon the decision to establish a Law
Reform Committee,
some very
far-reaching
developments and improvements in the legal
code are expected to be brought about in the
near future.
As yet, the establishment of the Law Reform
Committee has only been decided upon in princi
ple, but the question of personnel and matters of
detail are under active consideration. Consolida
tion has also been decided upon as an independent
matter, and the necessary staff arrangements are
under discussion. This process, which may prove
long and difficult, will result, it is hoped, in our
having our own Statute Book, beginning from
, 1922, in modern and concise form. Consolidation,
it is said, is a sufficient end in itself, and if codifica
tions are ever eventually decided upon, it would
be a useful, if not essential step, in that direction.
Bills drafted, or in the course of drafting, and
in the nature of legal reforms, include, it is under
stood, the following :—;
A bill dealing with the frequent incidence of
infanticide by treating the matter, in appropriate
cases, as a distinct statutory offence; a bill
putting the defence of insanity on a proper
statutory basis, and bringing it and the rules
laid down in 1843, in McNaughton's case more
in line with modern knowledge and practice;
a bill providing for contribution between joint
tort feasors ; a bill amending the administration
of criminal justice, the main provisions of which
were designed to simplify and expedite the taking
of depositions in indictable cases, while preserving
all the essential safeguards, and also classifying
and somewhat extending the jurisdiction of jus
tices to deal summarily with minor indictable
62