The Gazette 1952-1955

firm o f builders, o f which the solicitor to the company is a director, containing a clause that the deposit included all legal and architect’s fees. The Council expressed the opinion that the advertisement was open to objection and that it might be misleading if it conveyed the impression that the company’s solicitors would investigate the title for the lessee free of charge. The Council further expressed the opinion that it would be unprofessional for a solicitor acting as director of a company publishing such advertisements to act for lessees or purchasers from the company or to permit his firm to do so. A further note will be published in the next issue. Entries in Directories. T he Council on a report from a Committee decided to modify the ruling published in the Society’s Gazette for January 1951 on the subject of solicitors’ entries in Directories. The amended ruling will be printed in the next issue. Landlord and Tenant A c t ; Renewal Leases. T he Council considered the scale o f costs chargeable on renewal leases and decided to publish a recom­ mendation to the profession which will be printed in the next issue. Draft Land Registration Rules (Solicitors’ Costs). D raft Rules submitted giving effect to the recent decision of the Land Registration Costs Committee were considered and adopted. The rules will not take effect until the Minister for Justice concurs. IN his Budget Statement on 21st April the Minister for Finance made the following reference to stamp duties on the sale o f land and house property— “ The purchaser of a new house qualifying for a Government grant gets the benefit of a special 1 per cent, rate of stamp duty. Many transactions continue to carry 3 per cent, rate o f duty and in certain circumstances this may give rise to hardship —for instance, on young people setting up a home who, for one reason or another, find it more con­ venient to buy a house of the older type or perhaps a new house in respect of which a previous occupier has got the Government grant. This and similar cases will be met by a general relief which I am proposing for transactions under £2,500. This relief will apply to all sales o f property which at present attract rates o f duty up to 3 per cent, and will take the form of a 1 per cent, rate o f duty on property up to £1,000 in value and thereafter v scale of duties rising gradually from 1 per cent, at • 84 BUDGET STATMENT ON STAMP DUTIES

£1,000 to 3 per cent, at a point a little below £2,500. A 2 per cent, rate will be reached at £1,500 and a per cent, rate at £2,000. There will, o f course, be no abrupt change in the rate o f duty at any point. In this way some relief will be given on almost all transactions under £2,500 in value, and, in the lower ranges, the relief will be quite substantial. Within the limits I have mentioned, the proposed new rates o f duty will apply to conveyances and transfers of lands as well as of houses. I am hoping, therefore, that the changes will not alone help persons buying the less expensive type of houses to five in, but will also give a stimulus to the market in small properties generally. They will come, into operation on the 1st August, 1954, or on the passing of the Finance Act, whichever is the later, and will cost roughly £45,000 this year.” T he attention of members is drawn to the Bill which was introduced in Dail Eireann and quickly passed through all stages. The Bill proposes to continue for a further period o f two years the payment o f grants at the present rates to persons and Public Utility Societies. A number o f miscel­ laneous amendments in the law in relation to these grants are included in the Bill. The Bill proposes to amend Section II of the Labourers (Ireland) Act 1906 as applied by Section 50 o f the Housing Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1931 to facilitate the payment of compensation for land acquired for housing purposes by rural and other housing authorities by adopting £250 instead o f £60 as heretofore as the maximum compensation for the purpose o f applying the provisions simplifying the requirements as to the investigation o f title. Section 11 ( 8 ) o f the Labourers Act 1906 dealing widi payment o f compensation into the Circuit Court is also amended by the substitution of £600 for £100. Section 19 o f the Bill provides that the purchaser o f a labourer’s cottage may devise the cottage. Section 21 o f the Bill proposes to afford protection to housing authorities who take a charge on lands without sub division in connection with advances under the Small Dwellings (Acquisition) Acts 1899-1954. INTESTATES’ ESTATES ACT, 1954 . T he Act which will come into operation on 1st June 1954 repeals the Intestates’ Estate Act 1890 and substitutes more adequate provision for the widow HOUSING (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1954 .