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the same as those upon which the Society’s Lecturers
instruct the apprentices here in our own hall.
University Law Faculties.
T
h e
result is inevitable. The students lose interest
in the lectures given elsewhere, and time which
might be profitably employed in practical work in
and around the master’s office or in the Courts, is
wasted. I am happy to say, however, that this
position may in the near future be remedied. The
law faculty o f University College Dublin, has
designed a new course to lead to a newly established
Degree—Bachelor o f Civil Laws—which will provide
apprentices availing of it, with an extensive series of
lectures in all the theory subjects included in our
examination courses. The Society’s lectures will
thus be relieved o f the burden o f duplicating
instruction given elsewhere, and can devote their
time to lecturing in practical subjects essential to
the training o f solicitors’ apprentices and on which
they will have to face an examination before being
admitted to practise. Whether the object o f this
Council in thus securing a wider field o f instruction
will be successful remains to be seen, but it is a
move in the right direction and deserves, I think, to
be crowned with success.
Since the minimum
percentage required to pass our Final Examination
was increased from 40 to 50, the number o f successful
candidates has declined somewhat noticeably, but
I think the ultimate effect o f the change will be to
raise the standard all round to the benefit and
satisfaction of the profession as a whole. It would
be ungracious here not to acknowledge the help,
encouragement and desire to co-operate shown
towards your Council in this matter by Professor
Frances Moran o f T.C.D., and Professors Tierney
and McGiUigan o f U.C.D. At the time o f the
presentation o f this report, it has not been possible
to enter into a like arrangement with T.C.D., but
it is hoped to do so in the future.
Legal Text Books.
I
t
has been said that our students are handicapped
by the lack o f up-to-date text-books in many
subjects. This cannot be denied, and the Council
has given deep consideration is to how the position
could be remedied. The publication o f new books
seems to be as far off as ever. What inducement
can be given to anyone with the knowledge, desire
and time to give his mind to the writing o f a new
work on the many subjects on which solicitors and
apprentices alike need guidance ? None, unless he
can be subsidised from some fund as yet unavailable
to the Society. His chance of adequate compensation
for his efforts from the sale o f his work is insignificant
—his market is small and is limited by the fact that
each class o f apprentices sell their books, when their
immediate need has passed, to the succeeding class.
Even the question o f reproducing some o f the
existing works does not seem to be the solution as
they are in some respects outdated, and the cost
of reproducing them would be altogether out of
proportion to their value. While I share to the full
the uneasiness o f my predecessors at this lack of
books, I feel with great sincerity that I would like
to see our apprentices sound in the matters not to
be found in books—that they should be taught by
precept and example to have a real pride in the
profession to which they aspire, to have a full sense
o f responsibility towards those they will serve, and
to have a sound ethical approach to their duties
as well as to their rights.
The Solicitors Bill
A
n d
now with the same feelings o f optimism as
imbued other Presidents, I introduce King Charles’
head—the Solicitors Bill. For more than a decade
each of my predecessors has at a General Meeting
expressed the conviction that this important measure
was almost ‘ on the stocks ’ (their expression, not
mine) and that the profession might shortly expect to
see it on the statute book. Such hopes were in vain,
and in recent months your Council felt that the Bill
was fated to remain ‘ on the stocks ’ indefinitely,
despite their constant requests that it be passed. In
that set o f facts and with the welfare o f both the
profession and the public—each being dependent
on the other in this respect—uppermost in mind
your Council had considered the advisability of
summoning a General Meeting to get powers to
amend the Bye-laws, for the purpose o f bringing
into effect on a voluntary basis some o f the main
features o f the Bill. Let it not be thought that
this action was to be taken either to bring pressure
on the Government, or to contrive a substitute for
the Bill, but merely to effect reforms long overdue
as a temporary measure until such time as the Bill
would be passed. It is generally known that the
Bill, conceived by the profession with a full
knowledge for its need, is to provide amongst other
things safeguards for the public by giving to the
Council wider control over the manner in which
solicitors conduct the business entrusted to them,
and to provide also where necessary for monetary
compensation for members o f the public damnified
by the mishandling o f their legal affairs by members
of the profession.
It is with satisfaction, therefore, that I can report
now that the end o f our long agitation may be in
sight. The Government which has recently gone
out of office has now adopted the Bill, with
modifications, and within recent weeks furnished to
your Council printed copies o f the Bill for observa
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