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special circumstances which would justify a reduction
in the costs having regard to the statement published
by the Council in the May, 1954, issue of the Society's
Gazette.
The Council held that the lease was a
long lease not at rack rent and that members should
be referred to the statement published in May, 1954
and should be informed that there would be no
objection to a reasonable reduction in the lessor's
costs but that this was a matter for the parties
themselves.
Workmen's Compensation Commission.
THE Secretary reported that the Minister for Social
Welfare had requested the Society to submit a
memorandum and to give evidence before the
commission on matters arising within its terms of
reference. The matter was referred to a committee
of the Council and it was decided to ask the Bar
Associations to assist in preparing a memorandum
of evidence.
APPOINTMENT OF LAW
LECTURER.
COUNCIL have appointed Mr. Patrick C. Kilroy,
M.A., LL.B., of 7
Suffolk Street, Dublin, as
the Society's
lecturer on Company Law and
Executorship Law and Practice.
This is a new
course of lectures established under the Solicitors'Act,
1954 (Apprenticeship and Education) Regulations,
1955 and which will commence in October, 1956.
EXAMINATIONS 1956.
THE following are the dates of examinations in 1956.
Preliminary examination March 26th and 27th
and September 4th and jth. Intermediate examina
tion May 22nd and 23rd and September 3rd and 4th.
Final examination March 26th, 27th and 28th and
September 3rd, 4th and jth.
First and Second Irish examinations June 29th
and 3oth and September 7th and 8th.
Notice must be given not later than three weeks
before the date of each examination.
COSTS OF ACQUISITIONS BY THE
STATE,
LOCAL
AUTHORITIES
AND PUBLIC BODIES
MEMBERS are reminded that following the rescission
of Rule II, Part I, Schedule I, S.R.G.O. 1884,
the costs of solicitors acting either for the owners
of land acquired either compulsorily or voluntarily
or the costs of solicitors acting for the acquiring
authorities will be chargeable on the commission
scale basis and not by detailed charges unless
the solicitor
before undertaking any business
notifies
the client by writing signed by the solicitor that
the remuneration will be charged under the old
system as altered by Schedule 2, S.R.G.O. 1884,
as amended.
If such notice is given to the client
before undertaking any business
the acquiring authority
will be bound by it. Under the terms of pargaraph 6,
S.R.G.O. 1884, (1956 Calendar and Law Directory
page 497), notice must be communicated to the
client and where a solicitor acts for the owner
notice to the acquiring authority alone will not
be sufficient. While notice of election must be
given to the client it would be advisable also to
send it simultaneously to the local authority or
other body paying the costs. In cases in which the
price paid is small it may be to the advantage of the
solicitor acting for the owner or for the local
authority to charge in detail for the work done
rather than on the commission scale basis.
CALENDAR 1956.
THE Society's
Calendar and Law Directory
is on sale.
It contains all regulations to date under the Solicitors'
Act, 1954. Price io/-, post free 10/10.
DELAY
IN
THE VALUATION
OFFICE.
THE President attended with representatives from
the Council at a conference with the Commissioner
of Valuation and officials of the Valuation Office to
discuss
the present unsatisfactory position and
arrear of business in the office.
It was agreed on
both sides
that the present delay in obtaining
determinations as to the value of property for the
purpose of Death Duties and Stamp Duties is
unsatisfactory and the Commissioner informed the
Society's representatives that a reorganisation plan
has been drawn up and has been in operation since
last August.
Some time must necessarily elapse
before the full effects of the re-organisation are
apparent, but the Commissioner hopes that by
June, 1956
the arrears would be equivalent to
six weeks intake of business and that from then
(a)
city cases would be dealt with in six weeks
to two months except during the months
of January and February in each year.
(b)
country cases would be dealt with where
inspection is required with a maximum delay
of six months.
The longer period in country cases is due to the fart-
that valuers visit each county twice during the year
and with the present staffing position it is not
possible to arrange for more frequent inspections.
The Commissioner will try to have cases in the
Dublin suburbs dealt with as in city cases.
(i)
Unnecessary delay will be avoided by en-