33 / 144
DECEMBER, 1933]
The Gazette of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.
29
Examinations in Irish.
The Legal Practitioners
(Qualification)
Act, 1929, as you know, applies to every
intending apprentice who was under the age
of
15 years on
the 1st October,
1929.
Intending apprentices who come within the
provisions of this Act must, before being
bound by indentures of apprenticeship, pass
a first examination in Irish, conducted by the
Society under the Act, and before they can
be admitted as Solicitors will have to pass
what is referred to in the Act as the "Second
Examination "
in
Irish, also
to be con–
ducted by the Society.
For this second
examination every apprentice must possess a
competent knowledge of the Irish Language,
and this knowledge, as defined by the Act,
means such a degree of oral and written
proficiency in the use of the language as is
sufficient to enable a practitioner efficiently to
receive instructions,
to advise clients,
to
examine witnesses, and to follow proceedings
in the Irish Language. The first apprentices
who will be required to pass this " Second
Examination " will present themselves for
examination about April, 1935, and
the
Court of Examiners recently had under their
consideration the test that will be applied in
order to comply with the provisions of the
Act, which we are bound to enforce loyally
and which it is our intention to do. It would
appear to us, after consultation with our
Examiner in Irish, Mr. Thomas P. Waller,
that apprentices will have to maintain a
continuous study of the Irish Language from
the time they pass their first examination in
Irish, and cannot rely on being able to pass
the test by merely working at the subject a
few months before they sit for same.
The Court of Examiners will shortly issue
for the guidance of apprentices a list of the
books, etc., which they should study.
Debt Collecting.
Some of our members have
recently
brought under our notice objectionable debt
collecting forms. These notices, which are in
print, are sent out by traders to their debtors,
and are framed in such a way as to imply
that they are documents issued by a Court
and have some legal effect. Similar notices
have appeared for some time past in England,
and a provision to prohibit their circulation
was inserted in a recent County Court Bill
which will shortly be introduced in that
country. Your Council has sent copies of
these notices to the Minister for Justice, with
a request that a similar provision to prevent
their circulation should be inserted in the
proposed new Courts of Justice Bill, and I
hope that this request will be acceded to.
There would also appear to be an increase in
the number of debt collecting agencies and
so-called associations for the protection of
trade, and in referring to these associations I
do not for a moment wish it to be thought
that I am in any way attacking those well-
known firms which have been in existence for
a considerable
time and which do such
excellent work for their members. What I
am referring to is the association employing
some high-sounding title (usually a one-man
concern) and whose objects are to do work
usually performed by members of our pro–
fession, and who frame their correspondence
in such a manner as to suggest to the public
that they are qualified legal practitioners.
Your Council are always on the alert to
prevent any infringement of the rights of
Solicitors, and the Society will not hesitate
to prosecute in any case where the facts
justify them in doing so.
Members of Society.
The number of members of the Society at
present is 768, an increase of 19 over the
figure mentioned by me in May last, but two
less than the corresponding number for this
time last year. There are 1,249 Solicitors
practising at the moment in the Irish Free
State, of which 481 are not members of this
Society.
I appeal to all of these gentlemen
to become members. Quite apart from the
advantages which membership of this Society
can offer in various ways, it is, I think, of
the utmost importance from a mere business
point of view that all practising Solicitors in
their own interests should be members. Let
me give you one example.
It is common
knowledge that a considerable amount of
business goes to Solicitors who practise in the
country
through
the
offices
of Dublin
Solicitors who are members of the Society.
I think I am right in saying that when we in
Dublin have to employ an agent in a country
town and we find that in that particular town
there are fellow-practitioners who are mem–
bers of the Society, we always give them the
preference over. Solicitors who
are
' not
members, and for the very good reason that
we feel that they are friends and colleague's
of our own.
Golfing
Society.
; .....
I had the honour of being present at the