Section 1. That it shall be the duty of the Governor to appoint a commission consisting of three proper and discreet persons, not more of two of whom shall belong to the same political party, whose duty it shall be to prepare separate bills for the consolidation and revision of the general statutes of this state upon the following subjects: (a) The law relating to domestic relations; (c) The law relating to highways; (d) The law relating to real property; and to report the same to the Governor on the completion thereof. Section 2. The plan and scope of said work shall follow that adopted in the negotiable instruments law, the general tax law, and the general law for the government of municipal corporations, so far as practicable. Said Commissioners shall suggest such omissions, contradictions and other imperfections as may appear to them in the existing statutes so proposed to be revised and consolidated, with recommendations for the amendment thereof, and they shall provide for the repeal of the statutes which would be superseded or covered by the several general statutes so reported by said commissioners. Said Commissioners may also prepare and report to the Governor, separate bills for the consolidation and revision, in like manner, of such other general statutes of this state, as such commissioners may consider most in need of consolidation and revision. Section 3. In case of the death, refusal or inability to act of any member of said commission before its labors are completed, the Governor shall appoint some suitable person to fill the vacancy. Section 4. Upon said bills being so reported, it shall be the duty of the Governor to cause the same to be printed by the State Printer, and forward to any person within the state applying therefor a copy thereof, and submit the same to the Legislature, if then in session, and if not, then at the next general or extra session thereof. Section 5. After the submission of said several bills to the Legislature, the members of said commission shall be entitled to a hearing before the committee or committees of the Legislature to whom said bills may be respectively referred, for the purpose of explaining the provisions of said several bills. Section 6. The members of said commission shall receive reasonable compensation for services and expenses, to be fixed and allowed by the State Board of Auditors. Such commissioners may employ a stenographer at a compensation to be approved and allowed by the State Board of Auditors. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON GRIEVANCES. To the Michigan State Bar Association: Gentlemen-The Committee on Grievances beg leave to report that the only matter referred to the Committee during the past year has been a charge made against a member of the Bar in the Lower Peninsula of misappropriating funds collected for a client. The Committee has the matter under investigation, and if satisfied that the charges in question are well based, will either institute proceedings for disbarrment, or take other appropriate action in the near future. Respectfully submitted, A. E. MILLER, Chairman. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON MEMBERSHIP. To the Officers and Members of The Michigan State Bar Association. Gentlemen: Your Committee on Membership begs leave to report that it has had presented to it 41 applications for membership and it has favorably passed upon all such applicants. The list of new members will be found enumerated in the Secretary's Report. JESSE ARTHUR, Committee. The Secretary, acting as the Historical Committee, herewith appends a brief biographical sketch of the members of the Association who have died during the past year. THOMAS L. CHADBOURNE. Thomas L. Chadbourne, of Houghton, Michigan, was born at Eastport, Maine, in 1841. He graduated from Harvard College with the degree of A. B. He married Miss Georgiana Kay and the following named children survive him: Mrs. E. W. Denton; Thomas L. Chadbourne, Jr., New York; Wallace A. Chadbourne, New York; H. W. Chadbourne, New York; Mrs. R. B. Haskins, Houghton, and A. S. Chadbourne, of Houghton. Mr. Chadbourne never held public office. He died at West Palm Beach, Florida, April 18th, 1911. WILLIAM D .FOX. William D. Fox was born May 23rd, 1861, in the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and educated in the public schools. He was married in Detroit, on February 5th, 1897, to Miss Susan Howe, and the_following children survive him: Dudley A. and Helen Virginia Fox. Mr. Fox was at one time Deputy County Treasurer of Wayne County, but in later years he was engaged in banking business and professional work. He enjoyed a very extensive law practice with German clients. Mr. Fox died at Detroit, May 1st, 1911. LEWIS G. PALMER. Circuit Judge Lewis G. Palmer, of Big Rapids, died at his home in that city, January 4th, 1911. Judge Palmer was born in Herkimer County, New York, September 17th, 1851. He received his early education in the public schools of Detroit and Big Rapids, and the Michigan Agricultural College. On November 12th, 1874, at Ravenna, Muskegon County, he married Miss Una Rice, who, with the following named children, survive him: Una, Mary and Frank R. Judge Palmer held many public offices, among them being County Superintendent of Schools, Prosecuting Attorney, United States District Attorney, and Circuit Judge of the Michigan 27th Judicial District. EDWIN S. PRATT. Edwin S. Pratt, of Traverse City, Michigan, was born in Deerfield, Livingston County, Michigan, April 23, 1844. He graduated from the University of Michigan, in 1866, with the degree of LL. B. On August 13th, 1868, he married Miss Ada K. Sprague, at Traverse City, and the following children survive him: Louis A. Pratt, of Detroit; Mrs. Winifred E. White, and E. Sprague Pratt of Traverse City. Mr. Pratt died at "Hillcrest", his home, in Traverse City, June 5, 1911. EUGENE PRINGLE. Eugene Pringle, of Jackson, was born at the village of Richland. Otsego County, New York, December 1st, 1826. He was educated in the district schools, Mayville Academy and in a classical school at Batavia, N. Y. In 1849 he was admitted to the bar at Batavia. In 1850 he came to Jackson, Mich. He has been successively Circuit Court Commissioner, Village Recorder, Prosecuting Attorney, City Attorney, Member of the Legislature of 1860, Secretary to Governor Blair, State Senator in 1866, Commissioner of Insurance in 1883, and Mayor of Jackson in 1885. Mr. Pringle was married, in Marshall, September 6, 1855, to Miss Frances A. Becker, who with two daughters, Mrs. Jessie Harmon and Miss Fannie Pringle, survive him. Mr. Pringle died at Jackson, June 15, 1908. JOHN C. SHAW. John C. Shaw, of Detroit, was born at Simcoe, Ontario, March 17th, 1863. He was a graduate of the University of Michigan, securing the degree of LL. B. On September 30th, 1890, he married Miss Marie F. Scranton, of Sault Ste. Marie, who, with their two sons, survive him. The children are: John Scranton Shaw and Philip Martin Shaw. Mr. Shaw was a noted admiralty lawyer. He died at Denver, Colorado, January 23rd, 1911. GUY JOSEPH WICKSALL. Guy J. Wicksall, of South Haven, Michigan, was born at Paw Paw, August 19th, 1872. He was a graduate of the University of Michigan, receiving the degree of LL. B. from that institution in 1895. In December, 1900, he married Miss Juliette McCarthy, who, with their two children, survive him. The children's names are Marion and Robert. Mr. Wicksall was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1907. He died at South Haven, December 23rd, 1910. REPORT OF SECRETARY FOR 1911 To the Officers and Members of Gentlemen: The Michigan State Bar Association. Your Secretary has been so busy making preparations for this meeting that he has not had time to make an elaborate report. He has collected membership dues, remitting them to the Treasurer; looked after the Christiancy Memorial collections; acted as a member of the Committee on Membership; has secured or will secure short biographical sketches of the members of the Association who have died during the past year, for the purpose of publishing these sketches in our printed proceedings, and has carried on the general correspondence of the Below is a summary of the finances, and membership of the Association: Association. Members who have removed from State, withdrawn or been dropped since last meeting New members 1910-11. Total present membership... The following named members have died since the last meeting of the Association, since July 26-27, 1910, namely: T. L. Chadbourne, Houghton, April 19, 1911. Wm. D. Fox, Detroit, May 1, 1911. Judge L. G. Palmer, Big Rapids, January 4, 1911. Edwin S. Pratt, Traverse City, June 5, 1911. Eugene Pringle, Jackson, June 15, 1908. John C. Shaw, Detroit, January 23, 1911. Guy J. Wicksall, South Haven, December 23, 1910. The following named members have either removed from the State or have withdrawn from membership: John Q. Adams, Negaunee. E. S. Black, Marine City. Harry E. Hunt, Detroit. Geo. L. Nadolleck, Detroit. Harry H. Partlow, Grand Ledge. Chas. W. Stratton, St. Joseph. The following named new members have been elected since the last report: Allen, Maxwell B., Battle Creek, May 29, 1911. Bailey, John W., Battle Creek, May 29, 1911. Beck, Ira A., Battle Creek, May 29, 1911. Bowler, Jos. F., Clare, July 6, 1911. Buchanan, Claude R., Grand Rapids, July 6, 1911. Burke, Geo. B., Ann Arbor, June 29, 1911. Cyrowski, August, Detroit, June 23, 1911. Fales, Ira, Midland, June 30, 1911. Ford, Albert N., Battle Creek, June 29, 1911. Gilbert, Parm C., Traverse City, June 29, 1911. |