LAW CLERKS ORGANISE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17348, 20 December 1919, Page 8

LAW CLERKS ORGANISE.

CANTERBURY MOVEMENT. FORMATION OF SOCIETY. OPPOSITION TO UNIONISM. [BY TELEGRAPH. OWN correspondent.] CKRISTCHUBCH, Friday. Following upon the recent proceedings before a conciliation council, the law clerks of Christchurch have held largely attended meetings, at which it was decided, with complete unanimity, to resist any attempt to involve law clerks in Arbitration Court proceedings. It is felt in the legal profession that, although there may be certain matters from time to time that may require investigation and remedy, Chere is no scope for any detailed definition of conditions such as is possible in, non-professional circles. With a view to maintaining the good relations that have existed in the past between legal staffs and their principals, while at the same time providing proper machinery for the ventilation of any possible grievance, a society has been formed, to be called the Canterbury Law Clerks' Society, on parallel lines to the Canterbury Law Society. Membership is open to all persons employed as clerks of law, including solicitors' clerks. The objects of the society are expressed in its rules as follows: —" The object, for which the society is established is the promotion of the welfare of the law clerks of Canterbury." Without in any way limiting the general objects as thus expressed, the objects of the society shall include in particular the follov'ing:(a) To promote the welfare of law clerks in the manner of remuneration, hours of work and holidays, and for this purpose to set up a standing committee as hereinafter defined to confer from time to time with a similai committee of the Law Society on the question of remuneration, hours and holidays generally, and also, if necessary, on individual cases; (b) to promote the education of law clerks of all classes in matters relating to their work, and for this purpose to organise meetings of the society and arrange for lectures, debates, papers, and essays by members of the Law Society, of this society, and others on such matters as Bar ethics, professional conduct, legal work generally, accountancy and law costs, commercial method, office routine, and organisation, and other matters of interest to clerks and principals alike; (c) |to promote social intercourse between clerks and principals.