“STRATFORD EVENING POST" FRIDAY, OCTOBER, 25, 1929. SOLICITORS AND THE PUBLIC.

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 25, 25 October 1929, Page 4

“STRATFORD EVENING POST" FRIDAY, OCTOBER, 25, 1929. SOLICITORS AND THE PUBLIC.

DEFAULTING Solicitors have so besmirched the reputation ot an .honourable profession that the Law Practitioners’ Bill, which ihalT"heen promoted by the New Zealand Law Society, is doubly welcome. It will protect clients from the loss of trust funds, and’ it will restore public confidence in solicitors generally in their relation with the public. The Bill pronoses to make a levy on all solicitors of from £5 tq_£lo n, year for the creation of a solicitors’ fidelity guarantee fund of £ I CO. 000. Power is given in the "Bill to make a further levy up to £lO, but not to involve any solicitor in a payment into the funds of more than £SO during his practice- The levy is a comparatively light one when the benefits to tile profession and the public are realised. The Law Society, under the Bill, may appoint a registered accountant to investiate the affairs of any solicitor, and may also effect contracts of fidelity insurance in respect to solicitors in general or to particular solicitors. In its present form the Bill seems to be unobjectionable. It is a great improvement on last year’s measure, which proposed, among ot her things, certain "definite restrictions on non-professional persons in regard to conveyancing and the searching of titles. This Bill, very properly, limits itself to the protection of the public, and Hie hope that need be expressed regarding its operation is that there will he no tendency lo make restitution an excuse for any failure in prosecute defaulting solicitors in the future.