H.-47

3

Sir, Attorney-General's Office, Wellington, N.Z., 22nd March, 1918. I have the, honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th instant covering a, letter from Mr. R. A. Singer to the Auckland District Law Society, and other papers. As it appears to me that the subject-matter of Mr. Singer's letter is one more fitted for the consideration of the Council of the New Zealand Law Society than of the Attorney-General, 1 am forwarding your letter and its enclosures to that Council. I need hardly say that I do not express any opinion as to whether the, matter is or is not one in respect of which the Council of the New Zealand Law Society should in their discretion take any action. 1 have, &c, F. 11. D. Bell. The President, Auckland District Law Society, Post-office Box 46.1, Auckland. Sir,— Attorney General's Office, Wellington, 22nd March, 191.8. 1 have the honour to enclose herewith (1) a letter dated 20th March, 1918, addressed to me by Hie President of the Auckland District Law Society, and copy of my reply thereto attached ; (2) a, bundle of papers covered by Mr. Baxter's letter to myself, and specified in the first paragraph of that letter. I have the honour to request that you will lay the correspondence and the, papers before the Council of the New Zealand Law Society, noting that in my letter to the President of the Auckland District Law Society I have abstained, as I now do, from offering any comment or suggestion of my own. I have, &c, F. H. D. Bell. The Secretary, New Zealand Law Society, Supreme Court Library, Wellington. Sir, New Zealand Law Society, Wellington, 29th April, 1918. Re Mr. It. A. Singer's Complaint as lo Remarks made by the Hon. Mr. Justice Edwards in the Case of Rex v. Clark. Your letter of the 22nd March, 1918, together with the enclosures therein referred to, were considered by the Council of the New Zealand Law Society at a meeting held on the, 19th April, 1918, and I am directed by the Council to state the position which it takes up in connection with the matter. The Council was clearly of opinion that, while it is its duty to protect the legitimate, rights and privileges of barristers and solicitors practising in New Zealand, it cannot and ought not to intervene in any case in which the facts have, not been clearly ascertained so as to enable it to come to a conclusion whether the particular complaint is or is not a just one. It is clear that tin' Auckland District Law Society is justified in investigating the facts and ascertaining what is the real position. So liir the Auckland Society has not investigated the facts, but apparently thinks that it is desirable that you as leader of the profesuon should approach His Honour Mr. Justice Edwards and request him to furnish a statement of the facts. The propriety of this request is not a matter which concerns the New Zealand Law Society. It is clear that the New Zealand Society does not possess the necessary machinery to itself investigate the facts; and to attempt to make such an investigation would be to disregard the plain and sensible, working rule of practice which has obtained for a long time, that complaints touching or affecting the conduct or privileges of legal practitioners must be investigated in the first place by the society to which the particular practitioner belongs. It is clear that the, Council of the New Zealand Law Society cannot with propriety at the present stage approach His Honour the learned Judge with a request that he should supply it with a statement of what took place at the trial. I have, &c, The Hon. the. Attorney-General, Wellington. C. P. Skerrett, President. Attorney-General's Office, Wellington, Ist, May, 1918. Sir, — Mr. R. A. Singers Complaint. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 30th ultimo covering file of papers herein. I am also in receipt of a, letter of the 29th ultimo from the President of the Council on the same subject. I have, &0., F. H. D. Bell. The Secretary, New Zealand Law Society, Supreme Court Library, Wellington.