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the profession has been remarkable. His good
nature and kindness have been always appreciated
and his sound judgment on our difficult questions
has been generally followed. The profession, how–
ever, owe him deep gratitude and the Council have
decided to mark the occasion in a suitable manner.
Mr. J. Travers Wolfe has been fifty years quali–
fied and is a very old member of the Council and
was our President three years ago. Mr. Wolfe was
one of the ablest solicitors that Ireland has pro–
duced and the number of kind acts he did in the
Council and outside are very well known. On the
death of certain solicitors he conducted the
businesses of the deceased, free of charge, for the
benefit of the widow and children until some son
was qualified to take up the work. That is the sort
of brotherhood I like to see among the members.
The men I have just mentioned were exceptional
characters and I wish I could hand down a survey
of their characters as a shining light to guide the
generation of solicitors who will be our successors.
My predecessor, Mr. Hamill. and the Council,
got the Government to accept a sixty per cent,
pass in our Final Examination as equivalent to a
University Degree for those who seek appoint–
ments in the Irish Civil Service. That was a
valuable achievement, but I fear it will not do
much towards helping the numbers who join the
ranks. The Government are
inclined to take
advantage of the fact that young solicitors will
work for very small salaries.
At the conclusion of the President's speech, Mr.
D. D. MacDonald drew attention to the position
arising in appeals to the Supreme Court heard by
four judges where members of the Court are
equally divided in their opinions and suggested
that all such appeals should be heard either by
three or five judges. He also referred to the
necessity in the Circuit Court of making an
application for a case stated before judgment has
been delivered.
The President replied to the points raised.
Mr. Cox having been moved to the second chair.
Mr. Hayes proposed and Mr. Wolfe seconded a
vote of thanks to the President for his address.
The motion was passed with acclamation. The
President having replied, the proceedings ter–
minated.
MR. WILLIAM S. HAYES
IN Trinity Term, 1884, Mr. William S. Hayes was
admitted a solicitor. He was elected a member of
tiie Council in 1894 and has been re-elected each
year since then without interruption. He served as
President of the Society in 1906-1907. It is un–
necessary to refer to the great part which he
has during all these years played in the affairs of
the Society and of the profession. In the present
year he will complete his sixtieth year as a solici–
tor, and his fiftieth year of continuous service on
the Council.
The Council feel that such a golden jubilee,
which is unique in the history not only of this
Society, but, perhaps, of any other, and which is
unlikely to recur in the lifetime of the present
generation, if indeed ever, should be commemora–
ted by some appropriate tribute to Mr. Haycs' long
and devoted service to the profession, and his
distinguished record as one of its leaders. They
believe that in sponsoring this proposal the}' will
have the warmhearted approval and support of
the entire profession.
In the opinion of the Council the tribute woidd
most fittingly take some form such as will record
for future generations of solicitors the association
of Mr. Hayes with the Society.
After full consideration the Council have re–
solved to commission Mr. Leo Whelan, R.H.A.,
one of Ireland's most distinguished painters, to
paint the portrait of Mr. Hayes, which on its com–
pletion will be unveiled at a simple ceremony and
hung permanently in the Society's premises.
The Council, therefore, acting on behalf of the
profession generally, have directed me to invite
the members of the Society, and any other solici–
tors who would so desire, to subscribe to the cost
of the portrait. If the required amount should be
over-subscribed, the surplus will be paid to the
funds of the Solicitors' Benevolent Association.
The Council consider that the portrait executed
by this eminent Irish painter will, in addition to
being a tribute to Mr. Hayes, add to the dignity of
the Society, and they feel confident that the pro–
fession as a whole will be anxious to subscribe to
it. Subscriptions, which are limited to one guinea,
should be addressed to the Secretary, Incorporated
Law Society of Ireland, Solicitors' Buildings, Four
Courts, Dublin.
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