ARE PROFESSIONAL FEES TOO HIGH?

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 247, 16 July 1935, Page 11

ARE PROFESSIONAL FEES TOO HIGH?

Farmers Debate Question

PROPOSAL TO INVESTIGATE DEFEATED

An investigation into legal and other professional charges was advocated in a remit which came before the executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union at its meeting at Wellington yesterday. Mr. 11. E. Blyde (North Taranaki), who moved the remit, said that many of the trades had reduced their costs, and prices also had come down. The only l»eople who had not suffered so much from the depression, so far as reduced charges were concerned, were the professional people, especially lawyers. It was recognised that members of the legal profession were just as entitledto adequate remuneration for their services as any other section of the community. "We are not asking that they should be treated unfairly. We are merely asking that tliein charges be investigated.” added Mr. Blyde. “How would we like it if the legal profession passed a resolution calling upon the Government to investigate our affairs with a view to curtailing subsidies on lime, etc.?” asked Mr. W. J. Polson, M.P. “The legal profession has suffered very much. I have an idea that a great many lawyers are having a thin time to-day. Some of them have actually gone out of business.” Another member asked the mover of the remit how it was proposed to investigate the charges. Mr. R. 11. Feisst (Auckland) said there was no doubt but that the legal profession was badly overcrowded. In many eases the charges were too high and above the schedule rates. Mr. Polson: I don’t know whether legal charges are too high or too low

Mr. Feisst: Dental charges in many country districts are outrageous. It is not only the lawyers who are charging too much. I honestly believe it would pay the professions to reduce their charges. At the moment they seem to be hanging on hoping that sooner or later people will be forced to seek their services. Somebody asks how are we to investigate the charges. Weil, I suggest we can do that by sending on the communication to the Law Society. You, Mr. President, ask how we would like it if the Law Society interfered with our charges. We haven’t got fixed charges. If we had, no doubt they would be higher than they are to-day. Mr. Polson: We have a hard enough row to hoe without poking up trouble. Mr. David Dickie (Southland) said that the legal fees for transfers were far too high. A man of normal intelligence could put through a transfer, but the lawyers charged from eight to twenty guineas. There was certainly room for investigation. Mr. Polson said that the remit was a general attack upon the professions, and would be regarded as such. If a man thought he was being charged too much, then he had a right to ask for a review of his case, but it was most injudicious to attack the whole profession. Mr. Blyde: I don’t think this constitutes au attack upon the profession. We are asking for an investigation. We haven’t even said that the charges are too high or too low. The remit was rejected.