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ago 1 had the pleasure to be a guest at the inaugural
dinner of the latter. Great praise is due to those
members o f our profession who have been active
in this work. There is no agency so capable o f
helping solicitors as is the local Bar Association.
Nor is the benefit confined to the profession. It
is equally or even more a benefit to the public.
As even the work o f the Solicitors’ Benevolent
Association has been worthy o f all praise. I think
that we should do public honour to the men who
so unselfishly devote themselves to its work, and
in particular to Mr. Richard A. O’Brien its untiring
Chairman. I would be impossible to say how deep
is the debt o f gratitude to him and his fellow members
o f all those who are so generously helped in their
hour o f need.
I do not want to enter here into matters o f detail.
I feel however that I should refer to the difficulties
occasioned by the stamp duties on the sale o f lands
and houses imposed first by the Finance No. 2 Act
o f 1947 and continued and amended by subsequent
Finance Acts. This Society has protested on
several occasions on what appears to be the unjust
and heavy taxation imposed by theses Acts, but what
concerns us professionally is the very defective nature
o f the provisions which they contain. An example
o f this is the fact that where a limited company
figures upon a title it is apparently necessary for a
proper investigation o f the title for the practitioner
to enquire into the citizenship of every person who
has been a shareholder. The complexity and
possibly injustice o f this hastily drafted legislation
is well known to every conveyancing lawyer, and
is no credit to our legislators.
In conclusion I may be permitted a personal
remark. It has chanced that I have been President
in this memorable year. I can never forget all the
kindnesses I have received and all the help that
has so generously been given to me by every member
o f the Council, by all the members of the Society,
and by Mr. Plunkett. I should like to close these
these brief remarks by some expression however
inadequate, o f my thanks.”
The motion for the adoption o f the report was
carried unanimously.
Mr. Joseph Barrett proposed and Mr. Patrick-
R. Boyd seconded the following motion :—
“ That the following members o f the Society
be appointed as the Society’s representatives
on the Nomination Committee for the
Cultural and Educational Panel pursuant
to the' Seanad Electoral (Panel Members)
Act, 1947, Section 22 :—Arthur Cox, Francis.
J. Gearty, Patrick F. O’Reilly, James R.
Quirke, John J. Sheil,”
The motion was put to the meeting and carried
unanimously.
It was decided that an Ordinary General Meeting
o f the Society should be held on 26th November,
1953
-
On the motion o f Mr. Louis E. O’Dea, Dr.
Counahan, Vice-President, took the Chair. Mr.
O’Dea then proposed a vote o f thanks to the
President for his distinguished services to the
Society as President during his term o f office. The
motion was carried with acclamation. The President
replied and the proceedings terminated.
MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL.
27TH N
ovember
.
The President in the Chair.
Also present, Messrs. Desmond R. Counahan and
Gerald J. O’Donnell, Vice-Presidents, Joseph P.
Tyrrell, Charles J. Downing, John J. Dundon,
Maurice M. Power, Louis E . O’Dea, Peter E.
O’Connell, John Maher, John R. Halpin, James R.
Quirke, Dermot P. Shaw, Reginald J. Nolan,
Desmond J. Mayne, Janies J. O’Connor, George
G . Overend, Ralph J. Walker, Patrick R. Boyd,
Joseph Barrett, Francis J. Gearty, Cornelius J .
Daly, Sean O hUadhaigh, Derrick M. Martin, John
J. Sheil, Niall S. Gaffney, Desmond J. Collins,
John Carrigan, William J . Norman, Henry St. J.
Blake, Patrick F. O’Reilly, John J. Nash, Thomas
A. O’Reilly.
The following was among the business trans
acted :—
Business in the Land Registry
T
h e
Council considered on a report from a Com
mittee a number of complaints from members
about delays in the Land Registry, principally in the
day to day work o f bespeaking and inspecting
documents in the General Office. It was ordered
that the Secretary should write to the Registrar of
Titles giving a summary of the complaints received
and asking him to receive a deputation from the
Society.
Land Commission—Payment o f Costs in
Land Bonds
T
h e
Council considered a report from a Committee
concerning complaints that solicitors’ costs are
reduced by payment o f costs in 4 per cent, or
3^ per cent. Land Bonds. The market value of
these Bonds has dropped to 86 and below that
price, and solicitors cashing the Bonds find that
their costs are reduced by 14 per cent. In their
✓