The Gazette 1964/67

to meet this object and in many ways a well qualified

solir.itor now is better equipped than perhaps some of us

older members were when we started. I feel that a more

valid effort is now being made by apprentices to avail in

full of the facilities for learning actual practice in their

masters' offices

than

there was

in my

time. This

essential particularly in view of the increased complexity

of modern legislation and the modern way of life. We

are not complacent about our system and feel it can be

improved but concrete steps are being held up till the

Commission on Higher Education makes its report.

While on this subject of education I would like

say a word in praise of the founders of the Society of

Young Solicitors. This is an Association which only came

into being in my term of office. They have organised a

series of

lectures and discussions on wide

ranges of

topics as is in keeping with the primary object of the

Association. I would recommend all young solicitors to

join

this Association which apart

from

the

lectures

encourages the younger members of our profession

meet one another and exchange ideas and methods on

various matters of common practice. Each solicitor may

be working in offices doing or specialising more in certain

types of practice than others and most useful hints can

be exchanged and this in the long run does enable us to

give a better service to our clients which is our primary

function as solicitors. However, I would as I have already

done before warn them to be careful not to cut across

the work of the Law Society or the Bar Associations.

They must

try and work in the closest collaboration

with these organisations and under their imprimatur. I

do also think that they might be well advised to change

their title so

that no one will even contemolate that

there is any iota of a rift in the professions. They might

call themselves the Young Solicitors Group and make it

clear in their publications, etc., that they are in every

way subsidiary to

the Law Society and

I do attach

importance to the word "Young" as I feel that the group

should adhere closely

their original objective

promote knowledge and practical experience among the

more recently admitted members of the profession at the

early stage of their career.

I said in my last speech to you that the Council had

prepared Standard Form of Contract for sales by Public-

Auction and Private Treaty. At that time, it was intended

that one document would be used. As a result of later

meetings and further consideration and particularly after

a meeting with a

special committee of

the Dublin

Solicitors Bar Association, it was decided that it would

be better to have two separate forms. These were pre

pared and now the printing strike is over, we hope to

have the documents available soon.

With the growth of building of new houses,

there

have arisen many and varied forms of building agree

ments and agreements for leases. These varied to an

amazing extent and the Council in an effort to achieve

uniformity and fair dealing between all parties have

asked the Southern Law Association and the Dublin

Solicitors Bar Association to prepare and submit drafts.

The new Council will do its utmost to have this impor

tant

document

circulated

the

earliest

practical

moment. A draft has been prepared and is practically

settled but it has to undergo further scrutiny by the

appropriate committee before

the Council

finally ap

proves of it.

That hardy annual delay in government offices keeps

cropping up every year. I commented in May on the

Registry of Deeds. From my own experience, this office

is working well

though, I

see no valid

reason why

Searches should not be issued faster. The offices coming

in for most comment now are the Land Commission and

the Land Registry. Lack of staff and the reluctance of

recruits to come forward on present salary scales seem

to be the main trouble. Some appointments boards have

sat recently and there is a hope that the former body

will improve in the new year when the new appointees

take up their positions. The Land Registry need more

and more staff and the delays there seem to be getting

worse and worse. An

improvement had been effected

but this has vanished. I have heard of cases where it

took the best part of a year to register a freehold; there

may have been queries but even if there were it should

not take so long. The Land Registry is supposed to be

cheap and quick. It is neither. In all cases of transfers

of a house or land over about £300 in value, the fees are

higher than in the Registry of Deeds and it need only

take two days to register a dealing there or quicker if

any special urgency arises. Transfers on sale and leases

are

to my own certain knowledge

taking months

staffing and there seems to be no possibility of the new

Act coming into force anywhere unless there is a vast

improvement. The building programme envisaged by the

Minister for Justice some time ago would probably have

to come first and we can only hope that it is one of the

miscellaneous items referred to in the objects which the

new Government Loan is to cover.

The prime purpose of this section of my address is to

try to bring it home to the general public that much of

the alleged delay in the law is in no way whatsoever due

to any default or neglect of the lawyers but is due to the

lack of facilities in the public services which still have to

be brought up to a sufficient pitch of efficiency to cope

with the increasing demands of our modern way of life

and the general improvement in standards of living even

compared with that of only 30 years ago. The Council

will as always keep on pressing for proper service in all

public departments.

As you all know, every member of the Council receives

a copy of the

Gazette.

This document in many instances

is probably put aside with an inward thought—"I must

look at that when I have time"—time never comes and

so it must often happen that the

Gazette

is never read

unless another colleague says—"did you read that article

in the

Gazette—

it settled such and such a point and

has cleared up a doubt that has hoevered in my mind

for a long time". I would appeal to all of you to make a

special effort to read the

Gazette

every time you receive

it. The Council and its committees and the Secretary

and his staff and the Librarian have put many active

and hard working hours into the decisions and matters

discussed

the

Gazette

and

the compilation of

articles and

recommendalions. Every solicitor should

read

it.

I feel that possibly criticism of

the Council

might be lessened and the true value of its work realised

if the

Gazette

receives the attention it deserves. One very

important fact of its work is the way it pinpoints recent

legislation and important decisions in the Court. We are

always learning and why not avail of a document that

makes this learning easy for us.

Of course, circulars come from the Council from time

time and these being specially prepared should be

read at once. I think I can validly quote, in conclusion

on this point of apathy, the report of Scrutineers of the

Ballot already read

to you—out of a possible voting

strength of 1,320 only

711 members

returned

their

voting papers completed

time. Can

the non-voters

va!idly complain about the Council or its work if they