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young members of the bar and students he said that it should be the ambition of every lawyer to aspire to the bench, even if by so doing he sacrificed the more substantial emoluments of legal practice. It was only by such sacrifice of the leaders in the profession that strong benches could be obtained

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The speeches of both Messrs. Dunn and Spotton were interspersed with smart legal quips and much interest was evinced when the wit of the local judiciary, H. C. Pope, whose name was coupled with a pawky Scot, C. Lennox, was called upon to respond to the toast to "The Profession." reply. Mr. Lennox, who had just arrived back from an extended trip from the old country, maintained that according to the history of the bar in its earliest times, it was the tox populi. While doctors, he said, and ministers, attended to physical and spiritual needs, members of the bar tried to enable every man to live at peace with his neighbour. In concluding he reminded the gathering of an old adage of an Edinburgh jurist, which was, explain to client, never regret, and never apologize," three things which a member of the noble calling should never be obliged to do.

In response H. C. Pope started off with a light sally in his characteristic humour. It was easier to propose than to reply he said, mindful of the ladies present, but, added, that seemingly to many of the bachelors present, proposing even was difficult. Unlike doctors, he continued, the bar members could not bury their mistakes, these were ever with them. The speaker then referred with pride to the esprit de corps that existed between members of the local judiciary. Against each other they fought valiantly, but dined as friends. Referring then to a simile of W. F. Dunn's, who had likened the bar members and the bench to hod carriers and bricklayers, Mr. Pope proposed the toast to the hod carriers.

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Even more renowned in legal pleasantries and wit was J. E. Chisholm, who was called for the fifth consecutive year to propose the toast to the ladies. Personally, while commending the work of the banquet committee, he thought it quite in order that the committee should "shew cause' he should have the honour thrust upon him. "I suppose, he said, "I am one of those who have left undone the things which they ought to have done." " And have done the things which they ought not to have done," responded a voice in sepulchral tones, at which there was great laughter.

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H. D. Pickett then proposed the toast to "The Students," which

was responded to by W. G. Ross. With the customary

farewell song the gathering then broke up. Throughout the evening the Royal George orchestra discoursed fine selections of the latest music. Theodore Fossum accompanied on the piano to the vocal efforts of Arthur Terrill, which were very well received.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NOVA SCOTIA BAR.

The annual meeting of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society was held in the west Court room, John T. Ross, K.C., senior councillor, in the chair, in the absence through illness of the President, H. Mellish, K.C. The reports of the treasurer, secretary, librarian, were read, and shewed the affairs of the society to be in a flourishing condition, and were passed unanimously. A resolution was passed authorizing the incoming council to procure legislation on the basis of the Barristers' Act of 1893, requiring each barrister to take out an annual certificate before he could tax or recover costs. The following resolution was moved by J. J. Power, K.C., and seconded by J. A. Chisholm, K.C., and was subsequently ordered to lay on the table for a month and be considered at an adjourned meeting on March 25th next, at 4 p.m., then to be dealt with, and that in the meantime copies of it be sent to each certificated barrister in the province, inviting his opinion and notifying that it would be dealt with at the adjourned meeting. The resolution reads thus:

Whereas since the incorporation of this society in the early 50's no improvement has been made in choosing an executive representative of the bar of the province.

Be it, therefore, resolved, that the council of the Nova Scotia Bar Society be requested by this society in annual meeting assembled to procure such legislation at the present session of the local Legislature, amending the Barristers' Act on the lines of the Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia Benchers' Statute, so that the president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer and members of the council residing in the city of Halifax, and one member of the council from each county, shall be elected by the Provincial Bar by a voting paper sent out in proper form, and under proper supervision, prior to the annual meeting in each year, to each certificated barrister, who may vote for an executive as above of his own choice, and return the said ballot after marking the same to the proper officer at Halifax appointed

to receive the same; and that the said ballots shall then be counted by the proper officer, and the result communicated to the annual meeting and the candidates having the majority votes shall constitute the society's executive for the ensuing

year.

The mover, in speaking to the resolution, referred to the lack of interest taken in the society's meetings generally and the unrepresentative character as far as the whole province was concerned of the executive officers elected at the annual meetings at which only a handful attend and instanced the present gathering yesterday as being only attended by 19 members of the Bar and those all belong to Halifax. The seconder, Mayor Bligh, J. C. O'Mullin and T. S. Rogers, K.C., favoured the principle of the resolution, and thought it change, and on motion of Mr. Rogers, K.C., seconded by Mr. Burchell, K.C., it was ordered to lay on the table for a month and the opinion of the profession taken on it by circulating copies of it as above.

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R. H. Murray gave notice of a motion he would move at the adjourned meeting, for holding quarterly meetings of the society at which law topics would be discussed and law papers read by prominent members of the profession and social intercourse of the members of the Bar otherwise proThe suggestion met with very general approval. The following officers were then elected for the ensuing

moted.

year:

President, H. Mellish, K.C.; Vice-President, John T. Ross, K.C.; Secretary, W. R. Foster; Treasurer, J. L. McKinnon; Council, T. S. Rogers, K.C., J. A. Chisholm, K.C., S. Jenks, K.C., F. P. Bligh, E. P. Allison, and J. A. Mc

Donald.

W. H. Covert, K.C., was elected Court House Com

missioner, and the county members of the council re-elected with the exception that J. A. McDonald, K.C., succeeded the late A. J. McDonald in Victoria and F. L. Milner succeeds J. L. Ralston, for Cumberland. The meeting then adjourned to March 25th next.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BARRISTERS' SOCIETY

OF NEW BRUNSWICK.

The New Brunswick Barristers' Society at their annual meeting, failed to reach a decision on the often discussed question of the placing of other law schools on the same basis with King's College Law School and allowing their graduates to

be admitted as attorneys without standing the society's usual examinations.

The matter was discussed at considerable length by the members of the profession who gathered for the meeting, the suggestion being made that graduates of Dalhousie, Harvard and Yale Law Schools be put on the same standing with those from King's College. Finally the matter was left to a committee, consisting of the Registrar, Dr. T. C. Allen, J. D. Phinney, K.C., and H. A. Powell, K.C., to take up the whole question of the standing generally of the schools of law with the society.

JUDICATURE ACT AMENDMENTS.

Dr. Allen, as treasurer of the society, presented his annual report, shewing the society to be in a most encouraging condition, the balance on hand at the end of the year being $992.02.

The question of amendments to the Judicature Act was discussed at length, and it was finally decided to leave the matter for further deliberation in the hands of the committee appointed at the last meeting, consisting of the retiring President, R. W. Hewson, K.C., the registrar, and Mr. J. B. M. Baxter, K.C.

STENOGRAPHERS AT COUNTY COURTS.

Regarding the question of having stenographers in attendance at the County Courts, Ald. P. A. Guthrie, of this city, said that with Judges Wells, Carleton, and Forbes, he had met Hon. J. D. Hazen, when he was Premier and Attorney-General, at St. John, and Hon. Mr. Hazen had told the delegation that he was not sure that the proposal would meet with the favour of the municipalities, but promised to take the matter up. Then Hon. Mr. Hazen became a member of the Federal Cabinet and thus was unable to do anything further. The committee was continued, Mr. T. J. Carter, K.C., M.L.A., declaring that the system was in vogue in Victoria county and was proving a money saver.

OFFICERS ELECTED.

The election of officers resulted as follows:

President, J. B. M. Baxter, K.C., M.L.A.; Vice-President, A. R. Slipp, K.C., M.L.A.; Secretary-Treasurer, Dr. T. C. Allen; Members of Council, M. G. Teed, K.C.; A. J. Gregory, K.C.; H. A. Powell, K.C.; J. D. Phinney, K.C.;

R. A. Lawlor, K.C.; A. B. Connell, K.C.; W. A. Ewing, K.C. There are four additional members ex-officio.

Among those present at the meeting were: R. W. Hewson, K.C., of Moncton, the retiring president; Attorney-General Grimmer, Dr. T. C. Allen, A. B. Connell, K.C., of Woodstock; R. A. Lawlor, K.C., of Chatham; T. J. Carter, K.C., of Andover; J. D. Phinney, K.C., J. T. Sharkey, A. R. Slipp, K.C., R. B. Hanson, E. A. McKay, H. G. Fenety, Peter J. Hughes, E. C. Weyman, of St. John; H. A. Powell K.C., C. D. Richards, A. T. LeBlanc, of Campbellton; J. R. H. Simms, of Woodstock; F. R. Taylor, of St. John; W. P. Jones, K.C., of Woodstock; L. P. D. Tilley, of St. John; P. A. Guthrie, J. J. F. Winslow, and others.

REPORT OF AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION.

The report of the 35th annual meeting of the American Bar Association, held at Milwaukee, Wis., just to hand, and speaks eloquently of the energy and ability of those having in charge the meeting and publication of the proceedings. The association is an exceedingly strong one, totalling 5,584 members, drawn from every State in the Union.

After the preliminary work was completed, an able address was given by the President, S. S. Gregory, Esq., of Chicago, Ill., and addresses were made on "The New Nationalism," by Frank B. Kellogg, of the Minnesota Bar; "The Courts and Constitution," by Senator George Sutherland, of Utah; "The American Judicial System of Judges," by Henry D. Esterbrook, of New York; "Lawyers," by Joseph C. France, of Baltimore, Md., and "Procedure," by Fred. N. Judson, of St. Louis, Mo.

The tone of all these addresses is an exceedingly high one, and the ethical ideals exemplified in the addresses reflect the high standard set by these leaders of the Bar in the United States, which must have done much to inspire all who had the privilege of listening to the addresses with a higher opinion and a better realization of the nobility of their calling than ever before, in addition to which reports were made by various committees on the great questions of interest

of the day.

VOL. XXXIII. C.L.T.-14

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