The Gazette 1944-46

The President, last President, and the Vice- Presidents are members ex-officio of all committees.

investments, amounting to £9,927 Ss. 7d., had been re-invested. Extraordinary Members of the Council. THE Council adopted the election of the following as the extraordinary members of the Council:— Incorporated Law Society of Northern Ireland :— Messrs. R. A. Corscadden, A. S. Merrick, Charles MacLoughlin, George Murnaghan and. James C. Taylor. Southern Law Association :—Messrs. J. W. O'Donovan, Edward Emerson, John K. Coakley, J. J. Horgan and Barry M. O'Meara. the chair. Also present:—Mr. Roger Greene, Vice-President, Messrs. J. R. Quirke, P. R. Boyd, G. A. Overend, W. S. Hayes, C. G. Stapleton, William L. Duggan, H. St. J. Blake, J. B. Hamill, J. Travers Wolfe, Scan 6 hUadhaigh, Patrick F. O'Reilly, W. J. Norman. Statutory Committee. THE Secretary read a letter from the Chief Justice appointing the following seven members of the Council to constitute the Statutory Com mittee for the year:—H. St. J. Blake, J. B. Hamill, Daniel O'Connell, L. E. O'Dea, P. F. O'Reilly, Scan 6 hUadhaigh, G. A. Overend. Committees of the Council. THE following Standing Committees were ap pointed for the year :— , Court of Examiners :—The President, Daniel O'Connell; the Vice-Presidents, M. G. R. Lardner, Roger Greene ; The last President, P. F. O'Reilly ; P. R. Boyd, J. B. Hamill, H. P. Mayne, W. J. Norman, G. A. Overend. Legislation and Privileges Committee :—A. Cox, E. M. FitzGerald, W. S. Hayes, W. J. Norman, L. E. O'Dea, J. S. O'Connor, S. 6 hUadhaigh, J. R. Quirke, J. J. Smyth, Court and Offices Committee :—H. St. J. Blake, P. R. Boyd, E. M. FitzGerald, J. J. Lynch, R. A. Macaulay, H. P. Mayne, Hugh O'Donnell, C. G. Stapleton. Finance Committee :—A. Cox, P. R. Boyd, J. P. Carrigan, J. J. Dunne, J. B. Hamill, W. S. Huggard, C. G. Stapleton, J. P. Tyrrell. Gazette Committee :—J. J. Bolger, F. J. W. Darley, J. J. Dundon, J. S. O'Connor, Peter O'Connor, L. E. O'Dea, J. R. Quirke, J. T. Wolfe. DECEMBER 14th. The President in

Harbours Bill, 1945. Local Government Bill, 1945.

THE above mentioned Bills were discussed and the drafting of certain suggested amendments was re ferred to the President and Secretary. CALENDAR AND LAW DIRECTORY, 1946 THE Calendar will be on sale on February 6th. After providing for orders already received. a limited number of copies will be available. Orders will now be taken for these copies. MODERNISATION OF LEGAL CODE EXPECTED FOLLOWING upon the decision to establish a Law Reform Committee, some very far-reaching developments and improvements in the legal code are expected to be brought about in the near future. As yet, the establishment of the Law Reform Committee has only been decided upon in princi ple, but the question of personnel and matters of detail are under active consideration. Consolida tion has also been decided upon as an independent matter, and the necessary staff arrangements are under discussion. This process, which may prove long and difficult, will result, it is hoped, in our having our own Statute Book, beginning from , 1922, in modern and concise form. Consolidation, it is said, is a sufficient end in itself, and if codifica tions are ever eventually decided upon, it would be a useful, if not essential step, in that direction. Bills drafted, or in the course of drafting, and in the nature of legal reforms, include, it is under stood, the following :—; A bill dealing with the frequent incidence of infanticide by treating the matter, in appropriate cases, as a distinct statutory offence; a bill putting the defence of insanity on a proper statutory basis, and bringing it and the rules laid down in 1843, in McNaughton's case more in line with modern knowledge and practice; a bill providing for contribution between joint tort feasors ; a bill amending the administration of criminal justice, the main provisions of which were designed to simplify and expedite the taking of depositions in indictable cases, while preserving all the essential safeguards, and also classifying and somewhat extending the jurisdiction of jus tices to deal summarily with minor indictable

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