The Gazette 1952-1955

DUBLIN SOLICITORS’ BAR ASSOCIATION

(b) For the same reasons the District Court should be given jurisdiction in detinue where the value o f the article detained does not exceed £10. (c) Jurisdiction in ejectment for overholding should be increased to include cases where the rent reserved does not exceed £55 a year, to cover tenancies at a rent o f £1 weekly. The present limit of £zj in effect restricts the jurisdiction o f the District Court to tenement lettings. Furthermore, in many cases where premises were orig­ inally let at 10/- a week or less plus rates the increase of the rates alone added to the rent has already taken the lettings out of the jurisdiction of the District Court. In the experience o f solicitors a landlord of premises let as a single dwelling house may find it impossible to collect arrears of rent owing to the delay attendant upon ejectment proceedings in the Circuit Court. Several months elapse between the service o f notice to quit and the order for possession during which the tenant, who is often not a mark for the recovery of arrears o f rent- lives rent free. This is particularly notice, able where the notice to quit is served shortly before the long vacation and it is impossible to obtain judgment before October or November if a defence is entered. ADDENDUM . The present position of the Society in regard to the Superior Court Rules Committee is unsatis­ factory. The President is ex-officio the Society’s representative and is only o f limited service to the Committee due to the fact that he holds office for one year only. The Council suggest that a section should be included in the Bill enabling the Council to appoint two permanent representatives on the Committee to hold office for at least five years. This is the present position on the Circuit Court Rules Committee.

T he monthly meeting of the Dublin Solicitors’ Bar Association was held at the Dolphin Hotel, Dublin, on the 16th day o f February, 1953, when Dr. G. A. Little, President of the Old Dublin Society read a very interesting Paper on the Dublin Law Courts. Dr. Little traced the history o f the Courts from Scandiaavian times, the erection of the Public Record Office and the Four Courts on their present sites, the establishment o f the Kings’ Inns, the solicitors’ struggle for autonomy and the foundation o f the Incorporated Law Society in the Buildings now occupied by it. Mr. T. J. Kirwan presided and Messrs. Ernest Proud and James J. O’Connor also spoke. The next meeting o f the Association was held at the Dolphin Hotel on the 25th day of March, 1953, when Mr. Vincent Grogan delivered a lecture entitled, “ Justice in Med fe ral Dublin.” All solicitors, whether members of the Association or not, are invited to attend these meetings. As a result of a request made by the Dublin Solicitors’ Bar Association to the County Registrar o f the Dublin Circuit regarding the collection o f draft payments at Green Street Courthouse, the County Registrar is kindly arranging that in future all such payments out may be collected at the Circuit Court Office, Four Courts, which should prove much more convenient to practitioners and clients alike. As a result of representations made by the Associa­ tion to the Chief Justice concerning the door adjoining the District Courts .jn the Four Courts Building which had formerly been closed the Chief Justice has kindly consented to change the arrangements and the position now is that the door has been opened for the use o f members o f the legal profession.

ACTION UNDER LORD CAMPBELL’S ACT Payment o f Costs.

Signed on behalf of the Council.

J ames R. Q u irke , President. J ames J . O ’C onnor , Vice-President. E ric A P lunkett , Secietai-y.

T he question of the liability o f the estate of a deceased person for the costs of an action brought under Lord Cmpbell’s Act does! not frequently arise in practice. Probably in the majority of cases either the action is compromised or a successful verdict is obtained in which event the costs would

7 th February , 1953.

7 2