The Gazette 1946-49

Law Clerks Wages BY the Employment Regulation (No. 2) Order (Law Clerks Joint Labour Committee), 1948 (S.I. No. 374 of 1948), minimum rates of wages and conditions of employment have been pre sented for managing clerks, conveyancing clerks and costs clerks. The Order came .into operation on i zth November and may be purchased at the Government Publications Office, 3 College Street, Dublin, price ^d. Barristers' Incomes THE news, if it can be called news, that the average income of practising barristers is lower than in most professions conies as no surprise to members of the " lower branch," who know the difficulties in the way of maintaining a post-war standard of life on the basis of scales of costs which have increased so little in the last fifty years. In the case 'of a number of experienced and representative common-law practitioners who answered a question naire put to them by the General Council of the Bar, the average income in London was £275, and in the provinces £212. In the case of some of the most successful members of the junior bar, the Council's figures showed an average income of £1,332 in London, and £1,385 in the provinces. Successful Chancery barristers are said to earn an average of £1,610 a year, and only a few fashionable " silks " earn large fees. These figures have been submitted in the memorandum of evidence of the General Council of the Bar to the Evershed Com mittee on High Court Practice and Procedure. The fees for conferences, pleadings and interlocutory work remain the same as they were when a man with a thousand a year was wealthy and income tax was half a crown in the pound, and brief fees have not noticeably increased. Justice is certainly not a vendible „ commodity, but those who have the courage to face the long wait and hard training before they are considered ready to administer it deserves something better than these recent figures show that they get. These figures also show that, whatever may be the cause of the high cost of litigation, it is not the enrichment of lawyers. (The Solicitors' Journal, England.) Solicitors' Accounts SOLICITORS who are interested in modern book keeping methods will find interesting articles on the subject in the Solicitors' Journal for the znd, gth, and 16th October, 1948. The articles, which are based largely on the English Solicitors' Accounts

Rules, 1945, describe a system of book-keeping which has been designed with the object of complying with the rule which requires solicitors to keep accounts showing the separation of solicitors' money from clients' money at any particular time. Emergency Powers Orders THE Government Publications Office have issued a list of Orders and Statutory Instruments made under the Emergency Powers Act, 1939/45, and the Supplies and Services (Temporary Provisions Acts), 1946 and 1947, and in force •after 3151 March, 1948. The publication is now on sale, price i/5d. OBITUARY MR. FREDERICK W. GILLIGAN died at a Dublin Nursing Home on i3th September, 1948. Mr. Gilligan served his apprenticeship with Mr. Wm. J. Norman of i, Dame Street, was admitted in Easter Sittings, 1930, and practised at 32, Bach elor's Walk, Dublin. He was lecturer in Equity and Conveyancing for this .Society from 1942 to 1946. MR. FREDERICK GEORGE DICKSON died at his residence St. John's, Fahan, Co. Donegal, on ijth October, 1948. Mr. Dickson served his apprenticeship with the late Mr. David R. Babington and Mr. Robert Wm. Babington of Londonderry, was admitted in Hilary Sittings, 1903, and practised as senior partner in firm of Colquohoun & Dickson at Londonderry and Fahan, Co. Donegal. MR. ROBERT M. KIERAN died in Dublin on I3th September, 1948. Mr. Kieran served his apprenticeship with the late Mr. George P. Cussen, of 44 Kildare Street, Dublin, was admitted in Trinity Sittings, 1908, and practised as Cartan O'Meara & Kieran, 10 Clare Street, Dublin. MR. HARRY R. MAUNSELL died at his residence Rathleigh, Killiney, Co. Dublin, on :6th October, 1948. Mr. Maunsell served his apprenticeship with the late Thomas T. Mecredy, jnr., of 91, Merrion Square, was admitted in Hilary Sittings, 1902, and practised as senior partner in T. T. Mecredy & Son, Merrion Square, Dublin.