THE LEGAL PROFESSION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11249, 13 April 1908, Page 7

THE LEGAL PROFESSION.

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. An uncommon application involving an important question m la\V offices was made before Mr Justice Cooper j- when Mr Fell applied under the Law Practitioners Amendment Act, 1898, to have Mr P. Putnam admitted as a barrister of the Supreme Court. The Act, it was stated, entitled a solicitor who had practised for live years, or who had been managing clerk to a solicitor for live years, to be admitted as a barrister. The point at issue was whether the Act was intended to apply to the case where Ji person was managing clerk to a. member of the firm, and not the whole firm. Mr Fell contended that Mr Putnam came within the Act, and was entitled to be admitted because he was managing clerk to Mr E. Bell, of the firm of Messrs Bell, [Gnlly, 'and Myers, and had charge of all work done by him. The work, he said, was not departmental, but general work, and experience gained would be just as much as if Putnam had been managing clerk of a single solicitor. To make the Act workable and fair, Mr Putnam should be admitted, otherwise the Act would be i practically restricted to managing clerks of single firms. His Honor expressed the opinion that a managing clerk of a firm vas a. gentleman who represented the firm when the members of it were away, and had authority over all other clerks. The question was an important one, affecting all large linns throughout New Zealand ; that was why his Honor did not deal with the matter m Chambers. Applicant was given an opportunity to file affidavits showing the class of work he did and the responsibilities he had. In the meantime his Honor reserved judgment.