LAWYERS AND PUBLIC

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23019, 22 April 1938, Page 10

LAWYERS AND PUBLIC

DUTIES OF PROFESSION ADJUSTMENT OF VACATION LEGAL AID TO THE POOR [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION'] CHJUSTCHURCH. Thursday The Christmas vacation of a fortnight vlicn all the legal offices were closed should be reconsidered, as the profession had to preserve a continuity of service, and lawyers must always bo available when needed, said Mr. A. C. Stephens, of Dunedin, in speaking of the relations of the legal profession and public in an address to the annual conference of the New Zealand Law Society to-day. Although tho vacation was no longer than the holidays of public servants and employees of commercial undertakings, there was, said Mr. Stephens, a certain amount of complaint from business and commercial men because their legal advisers were not available for the Christmas fortnight. If this were adjusted it would be to tho advantage of everyone. Mr. Stephens emphasised that tho lawyer owed to the public a gratuitous service. He should also bo prepared to give assistance to those who were genuinely too poor to pay for legal assistance. At present a considerable amount of work was done for nothing, as 110 genuine Case of distress should go without redress, and further organised legal aid to the poor was being formulated so that the poor persons' relief procedure, which had been so successful in England, would soon be adopted to suit the conditions here. This matter had received the attention of tho law revision committee, and a good scheme had been outlined. It was the duty of the lawyers to give a general service to the community in matters outside their' purely professional sphere, added Mr. Stephens.