LEGAL PROFESSION.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19910, 23 April 1930, Page 10

LEGAL PROFESSION.

PROPOSED LEGISLATION. [THE PBEBB Special Service.] AUCKLAND, April 22. In an address at the Legal Conference, the Chief Justice, Sir 1 Michael Myers, said law was the only profession to have its status lowered in recent years. It ivas now possible for men who had practised as solicitors for five years, to be admitted as barristers, and enter the profession as it were through the side door. A result of this was that in the future there might be Judges and King's Counsel who bad not passed the necessary examinations to enter the profession through the front door. Protection was needed against such possibilities* Proposed legislation of interest to the legal profession Was outlined by Sir Thomas Sldey. The. subject of legal education would be considered by Parliament this session, he said, and this would possibly pave the way for the abolition next year of the contentious five years' qualification. He agreed that the practice by which a solicitor of five years* standing could be admitted as ft barrister, was a blot on New Zealand's system of legal education. With all the encouragement given by the Government to young men to take advantage of free education there was no reason why every barrister should not pass the necessary examinations. Sir Thomas also mentioned that an attempt'would be made this session to amend the Coroners' Act, by making provision for the reopening of inquests, as was the case in England. Efforts were also to be. made to frame a better Companies Aet than that existing at present.