The Gazette 1961 - 64

number of items, simplifying the wording and thus enabling a bill in the future to be not only very much easier to prepare but very much shorter. The actual schedules have all been revised and will I hope appear in a form more agreeable to our members. While I am quite sure no member of the com mittee would for a moment suggest that these rules will, when published, be perfect in every respect, they are in my view a tremendous step in the right direction and any small matters requiring adjustment can be easily and quickly dealt with by way of amendment under the ordinary power vested in the committee. I have no hesitation in saying that without the work done on these rules by Mr. Justice Murnaghan, and his sub-committee, and no one will ever know the hours and days at a time they have spent on the work, it would not now be so near to completion. In many other directions progress has also been made while in some discussions are still progressing. In some cases our problem could be resolved by the provision of one or two photo copying machines as in the Land Registry where, incredible as it may seem, the Registrar has to share a machine with other departments of the courts and send all his work out of the building to be copied. In other cases it will require legislation to effect the changes we require and I am now thinking of the Registry of Deeds where we have the sympathetic understanding of the Registrar and his officials who would be only too glad to see some much needed changes take place. We would like for example to simplify the form of the memorial, which we suggest could be typed on special paper other than parch ment. We would like to simplify the system of searches, standardise the fees payable and arrange for lodgment of prepaid requisitions by post, the search being sent out when ready. These and other matters are being considered with the full co operation and support not only of the officials as I have said but of the Minister for Justice. Pension Annuity Scheme As members are aware the Society made represen tations to the Minister of Finance with the object of improving the terms on which self employed persons could provide for their retirement. Two very worthwhile improvements in the position were made by Part 6 of the Finance Act, 1958. Firstly, the concession granted to certain life assurance companies by which contributions made to their annuity funds can be accumulated free of tax which has had the effect of enabling the life offices concerned to quote improved annuity rates, and secondly, the concession permitting a self, employed person to set off within prescribed limits 57

Land Commission During the year a sub-committee consisting of Mr. John Halpin, Mr. Dermot P. Shaw, Mr. E. J. Montgomery and Mr. Denis R. Peart spent con siderable time on the question of land commission procedure and in particular the procedure relating to the completion of sales and submission of title in land commission matters. Some of the more important matters now being considered include :— (1) The Statement of Ownership and Abstract of Title to be replaced by an Affidavit of Title accompanied by the Title Deeds. (2) The issue of Requisitions on Title by the ex aminer and the dispensing with the require ments for personal attendance by the Solicitor save in special cases. (3) The necessary searches and Requisitions as to tithe rents, quit Rents etc., to be made on direction of the examiner by land commission officials without the intervention of the solicitor. (4) The production of a simplified system of arriving at the appropriate costs payable and preferably one not requiring taxation. A satisfactory conclusion of arrangements with the Land Commission should simplify and expedite the work both of the solicitor and the Land Commission and we now await the Minister's decision upon the proposals before him. Rules of the High and Supreme Courts You are probably aware that for some years past the Superior Court Rules Committee has been dealing with the entire Revision of Rules of the High Court and the Supreme Court. An impossible task for a large committee and so the completion of this tremendous work was placed in the hands of a sub-committee under the chairmanship of Mr. Justice Murnaghan. The work of revision has now been completed and the draft Rules are with the printers. But for the intervention again of the General Election these Rules would have, by now, come before the full committee in their final form for approval and submission to the Minister. I now understand that it is unlikely that the Rules will be finally approved before the New Year and it is probable that they will not come into operation until after the long vacation in order to give an opportunity to both branches of the profession and the court officials who will have to operate the Rules of making themselves familiar with any changes arising therein. Considerable time has been spent on the rules relating to costs with a view to cutting down the