The Gazette 1964/67

date in support of its genuineness otherwise than verifying his signature as an attesting witness. Accountants' Certificates The Council considered the replies received in response to the recent circular issued to 1,320 members in which the Council informed the pro fession of their intention to ask the Minister for Justice to bring section 31 of the Solicitors (Amendment) Act 1960 into operation unless they receive letters from a majority of the members objecting to such proposal. The Sec retary stated that he had received 60 letters in reply to the circular. Of these 32 stated that the section should not be brought into operation without the support of the majority of the pro fession by a vote taken at a general meeting of the Society or by a postal ballot. Letters were received from 28 members expressing support for the introduction of accountants' certificates immediately. The Secretary stated that he had received letters from the Bar Associations in Tip- perary, Waterford and Donegal expressing sup port, and from the Southeren Law Association, the Midland Bar Association and Mayo, Ros- common and Limerick requesting that a General Meeting should be held before bringing the section into operation. The Cavan Bar Association was equally divided. Consideration of the matter was deferred and it was decided that further action should not be taken at present without further notification to members. Compensation Fund The Council admitted for payment claims amounting to £35,357. At the Annual General Meeting of the above Association held at the Courthouse, Ennis, on the 16th December, 1965, the following officers were elected : President, Mr. Bryan McMahon; Vice-President, Mr. P. J. Chambers; Honorary STANDARD CONDITIONS OF SALE Public Auction and Private Treaty, Parcels of 50 @ £2-10-0 per parcel plus 2/6 postage per parcel are available and may be purchased only from the Society. Orders discharged as received. Please specify Private Treaty or Public Auction or both. THE COUNTY CLARE LAW ASSOCIATION

and Bray and a copy of the correspondence was sent to the Dublin Solicitors' Bar Association and the Wicklow Bar Association with a request that they should consider the matter jointly with the solicitors practising in Dun Laoire and report hack to the society. Unqualified person, debt collection Members of the Society directed attention to the form of letter issued by the Irish Finance Corporation Ltd., in debt collection matters signed by an official of the company over the words "Legal Action Department." The letter was con sidered objectionable and the matter was taken up with the company who submitted an amended form of letter meeting the objection of the Coun cil. Solicitor's Undertaking A member gave an undertaking on behalf of a purchaser to lodge the conveyance with the bank on completion as security for a loan to the client. After execution and delivery of the con veyance by the vendors the purchaser for personal reasons refused to sign the deed and member enquired whether he should stamp the deed at the 25 per cent ad valorem rate in the absence of a certificate by the client that he was an Irish citizen and also how he could deal with the difficulty caused by the necessity of an applic ation to the Land Commission under section 45 Land Act 1965. The committee having considered the terms of the undertaking advised that member having made provision for his costs should for ward the deed to the bank together with such funds as he had received in respect of stamp duty and registration fees. Collusive Transaction A member was asked to prepare a deed of gift of £3,000 from an old lady to one member of her family resident in London which raised in his mind a suspicion that the transaction might not be genuine and that the deed might possibly be used for the purpose of accounting for monies received from the donee from some entirely different source. He satisfied himself that the sum of £3,000 was in fact paid over in cash on the execution of the deed and enquired as to his professional duty. The Council on a report from a committee advised member that he was under no professional obligation to enquire further into the bona fides of the transaction but that he should not give any certificate or further assurance which could be used as of later

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