683 / 822
practice among solicitors of charging a reduced
fee in such cases proportionate to the work done,
and that it would be inexpedient that the Council
should seek to interfere with the practice. The
report of the Committee was adopted.
Duty
of a solicitor as a member of a public
body
ON a report from a Committee on facts submitted
the Council expressed the view that a solicitor who
is a member of a Board of Conservators ought not
to act for a defendant in proceedings brought by
the Secretary of the Board, and that a solicitor who
is a member of a County Council ought not to act for
plaintiffs or applicants in proceedings against the
Council or for the defendant in proceedings brought
by the Council.
Application for increase in Solicitors' remuner–
ation
THE Council considered the draft of a General
Order under the Solicitors' Remuneration Act,
1881, giving effect to the' decision of the Com–
mittee appointed under Section z of the Act on
the application of the Council for an increase in the
remuneration authorised by the General Order of
1884, as increased in 1920. The draft was submitted
to the Council for their observations and sug–
gestions pursuant to Section 3 of the Act. The
draft order provided for certain increases in the
scale fees chargeable in sales and purchases for
considerations exceeding £1,000, and for an increase
of i6f per cent, in the costs chargeable for miscel–
laneous business coming within Clause 2
(c)
of
the General Order of 1884.
It was decided that the
Secretary should s,ubmit written observations on
behalf of the Council suggesting that an increase
should be authorised in the scale fee on sales and
purchases for sums not exceeding £1,000, and that
the costs chargeable under Clause 2
(c)
should be
increased by 25 per cent, instead of i6f per cent.
Applications under Sections 16 and 18
Two applications from law clerks for permission
to be bound as apprentices for terms of three years
were considered and granted. Three applications
from intending apprentices, to the Chief Justice, for
exemption from the Preliminary Examination were
considered, and it was decided not to oppose the
applications.
One application under Section 47 was considered
and granted on payment of the current licence duty.
NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE
ACT, 1947
THE attention of members is drawn to Section 19
of the above Act which amends Paragraph
(g)
of
Part II of the First Schedule to the Act of 1911 by
the substitution of £500 for £250 as the salary-
level up to which .insurance
is compulsory for
certain classes of employees.
Subject to the statu–
tory exemptions there is now an obligation to take
out and stamp cards in respect of any persons
engaged under a contract of service on a salary not
exceeding £500.
AUCTIONEERS AND HOUSE
AGENTS' ACT,
1947
SECTION 7 of the above Act is as follows :.
" (i) Subject to subsection (2) of this section,
no person shall, on or after the operative date,-
carry on or hold himself out or represent himself
as carrying on the business of house agent or
act as a house agent except under and in accor–
dance with a licence under section 10 of this Act.
(2) Subsection (i) of this section does not
apply to
(a)
a licensed auctioneer,
(b)
a solicitor who is for the time being duly
qualified to act as solicitor,
(i)
a person acting as agent for a Minister of
State,
the Commissioners of Public
Works in Ireland, the Irish Land Com–
mission or any person authorised
to
acquire land compulsorily.
(3) A person who, in contravention of this,
section, carries on or holds himself out or repre–
sents himself as carrying on the business of house
agent or acts as a house agent shall be guilty of an
offence under this section and shall be liable on
. summary conviction thereof to an excise penalty of
one hundred pounds."
DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO THE
PROFESSION
Solicitors' Costs gross sum
IN
re
a Solicitor :
In
re
Taxation of Costs reported
in the
Law Times,
15 th March, 1947, is a decision
on the construction of Solicitors' Remuneration
(Gross Sums) Order, 1934, which is similar in terms
to our General Order of I5th November, 1920,.
printed at page 422 of the current
Calendar.
The
latter Order provides that the remuneration of a
solicitor regulated by clause 2
(c)
of the General
Order of 1884 (i.e. miscellaneous solicitor and client
costs not connected with litigation and not charge–
able with the scale fee for conveyancing matters)
may be a gross sum. The client has the right to
require a detailed bill within twelve months after
delivery of the demand.
In the above case the-