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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-