AUCKLAND LAW SOCIETY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16763, 1 February 1918, Page 6

AUCKLAND LAW SOCIETY.

| ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The annual meeting of the Auckland Lav Society was held yesterday./• ■' The president, Mr. R. McVeagh, occupied the chair, and there was a fair attendance. The annual report stated that the number of solicitors practising had decreased; last year 229 solicitors took out certificates, this year 220; 98 barrister? took out certificates this year, 97 last year. The growth of the judicial work in this district had m* posed an undue burden upon Mr, Justice Cooper, resident Judge. Representations were made by the council to the Attorney, > General and the .Minister for Justice, urging the necessity of a second Judge being assigned to the district, and & reply was received stating that the matter ..would receive careful attention, During the year 10 barristers and 15 solicitors were admitted. ' ;■,

The following officers were elected:— President, Mr. T. N. Baxter; vice-presi-dent, Mr. 5. P. Richmond; treasurer, Mr. J. Alexander; members of council; Messrs. R. McVeigh, C. J. Tunks, S. Hesketh, J.'W. Stewart, A. E. Skfelton, and Dr. H, D. Bamford; members of js 7 ew Zealand Law Society, Messrs; R, Mc/ Veagh, H. P. Richmond, and Dr. H. D. Bamford ; members of Council of Law' Reporting, Mr. R. McVeagh and Dr. R. D. Bamford.

Mr. M. 6. McArthur asked if the Law Society was referred to before appointments to the Supreme Court Bench were made. He thought the council should have something to say regarding the matter._ The chairman replied that the appointments were made by the Government, -and the council was never consulted, It. was a difficult matter to handle, and he could not see how that meeting could, pass #7 resolutions then. The matter had tees discussed freely of late, but the council could not intervene, and it might be in? judicious to express any opinion just now. Mr. McArthur: Could not the other judges eipress an opinion? Mr. McVeagh said that if any better means were to be devised it would have to come from the Government, but AS doubt Mr. McArthur would agree that it would be better to discuss the matter a* some time when no particular appointment was pending.