THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1881. A BEAST WITH A BILL.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2243, 10 June 1881, Page 2

THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1881. A BEAST WITH A BILL.

Some one or other is credited with a witty bon mot respecting th oornithoryncus platypus, which he described as analogous to a dun, inasmuch as it was a beast with a bill. After reading the letter of “ A Creditor” in this morning’s “ Press,” the public will probably ceme to the conclusion that the legal profession are entitled to bo conjoined in the generic term of beasts with bills, and those too of most prodigious length. It may bo said that cheap law is an incentive to litigation. There is probably some truth in this, but then wo must not omit to look at both sides of the question. It may bo that if such charges are permitted to go unchecked, as appear in the bill published m the letter referred to, men will rather suffer injustice, or even fraud, than pay through the nose for legal advice. While quite agreeing that the laborer—whether he be legal or agricultural—is fairly entitled to his hire, we cannot think that it is necessary to allow what really amounts to positive extortion. Lot us just glance for one moment at the items of the work of art as recorded in the columns of our contemporary. Wo say work of art advisedly, because no one but an artist imbued with a deep love of his subject

could have constructed such a picture. Passing over the first few entries, which in themselves are gems, wo come to this : —“ Attending ‘ Lyttelton Times ’ office with Gazette notice, 6s 8d; paid insertion, 7s 6d,” and a like item appears for the pleasure of waiting on our contemporary the “ Press” for the space of three seconds* and interviewing the urbane and courteous clerk to that extent. Now, let us just call attention to the modesty of this legal practitioner. The total charge for publishing forth to the thousands of readers of the papers throughout the length and breadth of the land amounts to 15s. The legal gentleman, with that innate delicacy which is so characteristic of the profession, would not for worlds rate this valuable and most important service of walking into the two offices and laying the document on the counter ns highly as the mere paltry infarmation conveyed by the papers to the general public. Thus does ho exemplify that thorough abnegation of self which is so conspicuous throughout his little account. He only charges 13s 4d, or precisely Is 8d loss than the whole cost of advertising! Generous and wholesouled man! Why did not the correspondent who hides this illustrious name under a cloud trumpet it forth to the world, so that duo honor might be done to so distinguished a benefactor of the human race ? Consider the herculean

labor involved in the act of placing that important document in the hands of the advertising clerk, and the monstrous expenditure of legal knowledge, acquired as we all know by the disbursement of untold wealth, which is entailed in conducting this delicate and intricate negotiation. Other and less important details connected with the law can bo and are conducted by youthful gentlemen addicted to marbles and receiving the magnificent

salary of 10s per week. But this must, from the charge, have been done by the great man himself, and must have therefore occupied hours of his valuable time. But the mere attending on vulgar newspapers sinks into utter insignificance in comparison with a solemn and impressive duty which appears to have been performed and duly charged for. There appears to bo in connection with insolvency a special rite, which no doubt is performed with appropriate solemnity, that is, the purchase of a minute-book. We are not told whether this purchase is effected to slow music such as greets the villain in a melo-drama when ho enters and glances round the stage. But wo leam that it requires “attendance,” and that this also requires paying for to the amount of 6s Bd. Again we are lost in. wonder and amazement at the self-denial exhibited by our legal friend. The cost of this mystic book must be enormous, and the trouble, therefore, necessary to obtain it proportionately great. No doubt the law, with that wise provision against undue haste and indecent celerity, has provided for sundry forms to be filled up by the intending purchaser of this beok, and a certain formula to be gone through ere It it can bo obtained. See, then, how desirous our legal friend is to spare the estate which, when all is done, will realise but little. He wastes his valuable and precious time in the interests of ungrateful creditors. Not only does he disburse out of his own pocket the enormous cost of this book, but he actually only charges at the rate of about one pound sterling per minute for the strain upon his gigantic legal intellect imposed by the operation. Again are wo iuipuUi.il tu cry aloud with Shylock, “ Oh! wise young counsellor ; oh excellent young man.” There are, no doubt, evil-minded persons who may attempt to sneer at this magnanimity and the wholesouled generosity which would only charge 6s 8d for the purchase of a sixpenny book. But have those petty detractors thought what amount of legal experience and knowledge is requisite to complete this most important transaction. An ordinary man of average intellect despatched on such an errand might return with a book bound in the wrong colour, or not ruled rightly. It. might even bo that this groveller would pay 6£d for it instead of the proper sum. What then would bo the fearful consequences wo are afraid to contemplate. Let us draw a veil over this horrid picture, as too much to even think longer upon. It is the cultured forensic experience of the master mind of the office that must grapple with so knotty a problem in the practice of the law as the purchase of this sixpenny minute-book, and surely no one but the most ungenerous and miserlymind would grudge the miserable pittance of 6s 8d for so groat a work. There are other points in this remarkable document worthy of attention, had wo time and space. Wo say remarkable advisedly, because for the first time it places before the public the miserably inadequate remuneration received by legal gentlemen. They now see that it must bo with the utmost difficulty those gentlemen are enabled to support themselves and their families in that state of respectability which they are bound to keep up. Mention has often been made of the sad state

of the cultured poor; those who, wearing an outward appearance of content, are yet suffering the pangs of hunger and misery, but who, Spartan like, make no sign. The letter of “ A Creditor ” to-day reveals in the fullest degree of whom this class consists. It is the poor, struggling, underpaid members of the legal profession who, as the account published plainly shows, have to give their time, their labour, and their experience for a mere paltry pittance. The public, and more especially the profession, owe a deep debt of gratitude to the correspondent for having at last torn away that veil of delicacy which has up to now prevented these unfortunate gentlemen making their unhappy case public. They have our most heartfelt sympathy and commiseration—a sentiment in which we feel sure the public generally will most cordially join.