a conference on next Tuesday, the 21st of January, 1919, in order that we may present these measures to them and be afforded an opportunity for the deliberate and calm discussion of their provisions. If these four measures commend themselves to the legislative leaders, we shall hope for their enactment before the close of this session. Those who are of that school of thought which opposes the codification of the law may be assured that the issue as to codification of the law is not involved in the enactment of uniform State laws. This The purpose of your Committee on Uniform State Laws, as it is the purpose of other similar committees and of the various State Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, is not to embody common-law rules in the form of statutes. is a noteworthy fact. The purpose is not to make more statutory law, but to make the presently existing statutory law more uniform, and, if possible, in the process, reduce the bulk of it. The statutes of the various States on a given subject are taken as they stand, and the effort made to eliminate their divergences. That is the whole purpose here, and that being the purpose, the work of the Committee is thereby clearly limited and defined. In conclusion, let us say that the work for uniformity of law has commended itself to every one who has given it intelligent thought. Courts and judges have frequently, in passing upon provisions of uniform statutes, taken occasion to approve the movement and show their approval by interpreting the acts in the interest of uniformity. Legislatures appoint commissioners and appropriate moneys for this purpose. It would seem to be the least that we can do if we were to use every effort with our own Legislature to consummate the work for uniformity by enactment of the measures proposed in this behalf. To that end, we earnestly bespeak your co-operation and support; and, to make the matter concrete, we offer the following resolution, which I again read: Resolved, That it is the sense of the New York Bar Association in annual meeting assembled that the drafts of the four uniform acts, respectively entitled “Uniform Partnership Act," "Uniform Probate of Foreign Wills Act," "Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act," and “ Uniform Conditional Sales Act," having been heretofore approved by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and by the American Bar Association, be and the same hereby are approved by it; and be it further Resolved, That the Association and its members, collectively and individually, use its efforts, so far as may be, to secure the enactment of these measures by the New York State Legislature at its present session. With reference to the first two acts that have already been approved by this Association, but not with the rider to which, if the resolution is adopted, I want to add the motion that the Committee be continued. (At this point the President relinquished the chair and requested Mr. Delancey Nicoll, of New York, to preside.) The Chairman: Gentlemen, you have heard the report of the Committee on Uniform State Laws. What is the pleasure of the Association upon it? Frederic W. Hinrichs, of Brooklyn: I move that the report be received and placed on file. The motion was duly seconded and carried and the Committee continued. The Chairman: The next item of business is the report of the Executive Committee. William D. Guthrie, of New York: Mr. Chairman, members of the New York State Bar AssoOn behalf of the Executive Committee, I beg to ciation. submit the following: REPORT OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE To the Members of the New York State Bar Association: The substance of the business transacted at the last meeting of the Executive Committee on November 23rd, 1918, was thereupon stated, and upon motion duly made and seconded, the stenographer's transcript of the minutes was approved. The subject of the amendment to the By-Laws, with reference to creating a Committee on Legislation, proposed at the last meeting of the Executive Committee, held on November 23rd, 1918, a notice of which was served on the Executive Committee, as required by the By-Laws, and notice of which was also printed in the announcement of this annual meeting, was brought to the attention of the meeting, and on motion duly made, the following amendment to the By-Laws was approved and recommended for adoption by the Association. Committee on Legislation.- The President shall appoint a Committee on Legislation which shall consist of fifteen members. It shall be empowered to watch pending legislation and proposed amendments to the law, especially with regard to procedure, and, when in its judgment action should be taken, report thereon to the Committee on Law Reform; and, alone, or in cooperation with individuals, other committees, civil bodies or other associations, support or oppose proposed or pending legislation when directed so to do by this Association or the Executive Committee or the Committee on Law Reform." The report of the Treasurer of the Association, duly audited by a committee previously appointed by the President, was presented, and, on motion duly made and seconded, was received and filed. The Treasurer presented a list of members of the Association who are in arrears in the payment of their dues for the years 1917 and 1918. The following resolution was offered and duly adopted: "Resolved, That the names of members of the Association who are in arrears in the payment of their dues for the years 1917 and 1918 be stricken from the Membership Roll for non-payment of dues, unless their arrearages shall be paid on or before the first day of May, 1919." The Treasurer presented a list of names of members who were elected during the past year, and who failed to qualify. The following resolution was offered and duly adopted: "Resolved, That the names of candidates for membership in the Association who have failed to qualify shall be stricken from the Membership Roll, unless they qualify by paying their dues on or before the first day of May, 1919." The Secretary presented a list of sixty-nine (69) applicants for admission to membership in the Association, and these were duly elected. The Secretary further reported that one hundred and ninetysix (196) new members had been elected since the proceedings of the last annual meeting were published, in addition to those elected at this meeting of the Executive Committee, making a total of two hundred and sixty-five (265) new members so elected during the past year. It was duly moved and seconded that the Executive Committee approve in principle the recommendation made by Mr. Alfred W. Gray, of Niagara Falls, in respect of the allowance of costs and disbursements in connection with claims against the State, growing out of condemnation or seizure of private property, and that a committee, consisting of Mr. Gray as Chairman, and Messrs. Samuel H. Ordway, of New York, and Jerome L. Cheney, of Syracuse, be appointed, with authority to report the form of an appropriate resolution for the consideration and action of the Association at the annual meeting. The motion was duly adopted. On motion duly made, seconded and adopted, it was resolved that the bill drafted by Mr. Nathan D. Lapham, of Geneva, amending sections 1091 and 1091-a of the Penal Law, be referred to the Committee on Law Reform. On motion duly made and adopted, the sum of six hundred dollars ($600) was appropriated for the Secretary to cover the expense of clerical assistance for the year 1919. On motion duly made and adopted, the sum of five hundred dollars ($500) was appropriated for the services of the Treasurer's clerk for the year 1919. On motion duly made and adopted, the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) was appropriated for the services of Mr. Kaestner in connection with the work of this annual meeting. On motion duly made and adopted, the sum of seventy-five dollars ($75) was appropriated for the services of Mr. Caplan in connection with the work of this annual meeting. On motion duly made and adopted, the Secretary's salary was fixed at the sum of two thousand dollars ($2,000) per annum. |