493
additional expenditure.
4
Nor can I follow the argument
that existing arrangements give the Crown Solicitor an
unfair advantage over the rest of the profession. The Law
Society and Mr. Goldring apparently overlook the fact that
any advantage the Crown Solicitor gains from his position
in getting certain practice o.g. Chinese Extradition Cases
and conveyancing for the Admiralty and War Office, is
counterbalanced by losses in other directions. For
instance his Firm are precluded from defending prisoners
at the Police Court and Supreme Court and loses other
lucrative business, e.g. that of the Opium Farmer which the
Firm held till Mr. H. L. Dennys became Crown Solicitor, in
which the interests of clients might clash with those of
the Government. Moreover the fact that Messrs. Johnson,
Stokes and Master gave up the Crown Solicitorship in 1896
and that Messrs. Dennys and Bowley have recently stated
that they must resign the Crown Solicitorship unless
emoluments of the office are increased is evidence against
the soundness of the argument; as is also the fact that
even with the Crow Solicitorship, which engages the time
of more than one member of the Firm, the Firm of Messrs.
Dennys and Bowley only consists of 4 Solicitors against
6.