Sir James made the following reply:

MR. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN:

I am irredeemably indebted to you for this great compliment and fine expression of confidence, which convince me more than ever that I should devote the best that is in me to advance the interests and influence of our great profession, which is developing a united spirit and constructive effort from sea to sea. From my heart I thank you for this address and for the words of appreciation which have been spoken of me, all too favourable but most pleasing, and I thank all my good natured friends who are here for having listened to them with so many tokens of assent and approval. I cannot help but think that much of the applause was due to the fine phrases of the address and the eloquence of the speaker rather than to any merit in this ancient subject, an old topic worn and scored by the glacial drift of years. In eulogizing the event that I have been 45 years at the Manitoba Bar, added to which were the years I had lived before I came here, it is not your intention to place a chaplet on the abstract fact of age as being a thing desirable but rather that you appreciate the fact that one has been able to overcome the three score years and ten and more, and survive "the rack of this tough world," and had been able to stand the strain of so many years of exacting work at the Bar and still have an age as a lusty winter, frosty but kindly." Knowing that to be your thought, I would like to go on living in strength and be able to unite with others in celebration of the like happy circumstance for each one of you. I am happy to think that you do not in my case have the idea expressed by Dr. Johnson-" superfluous lags the veteran on the stage," and that you doubt the correctness of the old Greek adage: "Whom the gods love die young," and Wordsworth—

"O, Sir, the good die first

And they whose hearts are dry as summer dust
Burn to the socket."

Surely, gentlemen, your kind hearts are not saying that my age shows I was not loved of the gods or that I was not a good lawyer, but was like our old law books, dry as summer dust, and therefore I am burning to the socket. I have lived, however, long enough to have proved the fallacy of many adages, the untruth of many aphorisms. For instance, one quoted by Camden: "Young men think old men fools, old men know young men to be so." If that in any way applies outside of our profession it does not apply within it. The older lawyers admire aspiration and attainments in the younger, understand the constant difficulties which they will encounter, the industry, tact and courage necessary to surmount them, and so sympathize with them, are always ready to encourage and assist them in their worthy efforts, and the young lawyer is a hero worshipper and pays deference and respect to those who have worthily survived and risen in the profession. I do not mean to say that applies to unworthy or black sheep members of the profession; they are few, and for them both young and old at the bar have profound contempt. That is a word spoken from my experience. Much has been said of the wisdom of old lawyers. That and a desire to serve their country may be the reason for so many of them taking kindly to the

Bench and thus avoiding the anxieties for clients, the overstrain of active practice. The old lawyer shows wisdom in avoiding difficulties for he has not the persistent vigor to overcome them, in shunning the dangers of heavy cases, for he has not ready wit, alert thought and quick action to parry dangers lurking at every turn, and convert them to advantages, and, because he has not the strength to carry them through, in avoiding many new undertakings-the exception, where a man after he is 64, assumes the responsibility of carrying on a provincial government, and particularly with a four-party House.

Bacon says, that the old fellows object too much, consult too long, adventure too little, repent too soon, and seldom drive business home to a full period." He is not altogether correct, for they who object too much are the young men, and the old men knowing the law do not require to consult so long, and I have yet to find out by experience or observation 'that they repent too soon. Their period of repentance was in youth. The profession needs the enthusiasm, the energy, the endurance of the younger men, their tireless industry, their ambition and their public spirit, their exulting faith, their generous impulses. If by some alchemy those excellent qualities and attributes of both could be united in the lawyer from his call till he ceases professional activity, that event would demand such festivity as old time never witnessed. Eloquence would bring its tribute and music its enchantments and flowers would decorate. But why indulge such dreams, for we older ones know that we cannot turn backward time in his flight and that the goal is before us, where, let us hope, we may reach in peaceful glades of second youth.

Youth looks forward, age remembers. I remember when I came up 46 years ago to view the promised land, by flat-bottom river steam-boat, while it went around points, walking across them, and marvelling at the wild turkeys; and landing under the bastions of Fort Garry, then across what is now Main Street, which was a mud grade with side ditches for sewers, and a few plank sidewalks, and one over a stream where the Union Bank now stands, seeing duck marshes north of Portage and west of Maryland Street. I returned to Winnipeg, after being called to the Bar of Ontario. Professional connections were formed, and like stick or a brick I was builded into the structure of this Province. Even when my practice was most lucrative and compelling, still I took some part in the Sunday School, social, educational and militia work, the latter because if a nation is worth living in, it is worth defending. I had the sense, the conviction that I was somewhat selfish in my occupation. I had worked for myself for 30 years successfully, and concluded that I should devote more time to public service. The opportunity and call came in August, 1911, when I became a candidate in Brandon constituency and went into the Commons. There are very few here who do not know my public occupations since. In 1914 another call came to the wider service of the Bar and the formation of the Canadian Bar Association. It was the outgrowth of the meeting of the American Bar Association in Montreal which stimulated the Bar there and they passed it on to Toronto and Manitoba.

I have found public life interesting but exacting; my work in the Bar Association demanded much effort and time, but was withal pleasant, delightful because of the happy and larger company I was placed in,

because of the good fellowship of the profession in all Canada, good fellows they are, well trained in mind, of orderly habit, just, kindly, full of sanity, devoted to their profession and its best service to the people, public spirited and downright in their loyalty to Canada. With such men our profession stands pre-eminent among all callings. With such men Canada will never lack leaders in her great destiny which I am convinced is to be the first in that coterie of great nations which is the British Empire. To our profession Canada and the Empire are looking. To our Canadian Bar the Bar of the United States is pointing with pride and as an example to be followed. To us that greater and most distinguished Association of all, the British Bar, extends a hand of brotherliness and asks us as equals to join them in that great gathering in London next July as hosts to the most numerous of all Bars in the world, the American Bar.

Gentlemen, while we are proud of our exalted position as a profession, let us modestly realize our great responsibilities and discharge them as only well-trained, high-minded lawyers can.

article on "Legal Aid

In connection with Mr. Prud'homme s Societies," published in this number of the REVIEW, the following extract from the New York Evening Post is of interest:

66

'The work of the Legal Aid Society continues to grow, the annual report of this extremely useful organization showing that 29,270 cases were handled last year. The prospect is for a further extension of its activities. A branch, it is expected, will soon be opened in The Bronx and the addition of 175 lawyers to its volunteer legal forces promises well for the future. It is all-important that no man be denied the advantage of competent legal representation in any court action, and the society has performed a notable service in taking the part of those unable to pay the fees of attorneys. The prediction of its expansion during this year augurs well for the administration of justice in New York City."

In his report handed into the Governor-in-Council of Newfoundland under date of March 15th, T. Hollis Walker, K.C., of London, England, Royal Commissioner who spent the last ten weeks there investigating the allegations of wrong-doings which led to the downfall of the Squires Government last summer, finds definitely and absolutely against Sir Richard Squires, former Prime Minister of Newfoundland. The commissioner reports he holds it as proven that Sir Richard accepted presents of large amounts of money from the Dominion Iron and Steel Company at a time when that concern was conducting negotiations with the Government of which Sir Richard was leader. He judges it proved that amounts of money totalling over $40,000 were paid from the treasury of the company to Sir Richard Squires with the knowledge, consent, and approbation of high officials of the company. He concludes that such payments could be made only because the company hoped they would thereby influence Sir Richard as Prime Minister in favor of its interests. Commissioner Walker finds that the Nova Scotia Steel and Coal Company was not a party to these transactions, and states there was no evidence

adduced to show that it at any time paid over any moneys to Premier Squires.

The remarkable sum of approximately £292,000,000 has been contributed by the British Exchequer for the relief of the unemployed since the signing of the armistice. This includes over £100,000,000 used in re-settling ex-service men, but does not include £100,000,000 contributed to the unemployment fund by employers and workers.

Time loss due to industrial disputes reported to the Canadian Department of Labour during February was 101,968 working days, involving 11,518 employees in 13 separate disputes. In the previous month 186,078 working days were lost, involving 12,793 employees in 14 disputes. These figures mark a considerable increase over the same months a year ago.

Statistics published in the current Labour Gazette show little change in retail food prices as compared with the previous month or a year ago. Reports from the employment service of Canada show at the beginning of February, 1924, the percentage of unemployment among members of trade unions stood at 7.5, as compared with 7.2 per cent. at the beginning of January and 7.8 per cent. at the beginning of February, 1923.

A lawyer, a golfer, a fisherman and woodsman, a man of letters, deeply interested in the affairs of the country and particularly in our French-Canadian compatriots, but above all a genial and loyal friend-such was "Billy Blake," otherwise William Hume Blake, K.C., son of the Honourable S. H. Blake, as I knew him.

Born in November, 1861, after attending Upper Canada College and Dr. Tassie's school at Galt he graduated from University College in 1882, was called to the Bar in 1885 and was made a K.C. in 1902. After his retirement from the Bar he devoted himself to literary work, and his "Brown Waters" and admirable translation of Louis Hémon's "Maria Chapdelaine" have achieved for him great literary distinction abroad as well as at home. He died suddenly on the golf links at Victoria, B.C., on the 5th February last, and rests in the little churchyard at his beloved Murray Bay, Quebec.

From 1887 until his death it was my good fortune to know him in all his various spheres of activity and to enjoy his friendship. I cannot say whether I admired most his ability as an advocate, his charm as a writer, his skill as a fisherman or the dogged "will to win" that made him a formidable opponent at golf and a staunch partner in a foursome. To him perhaps more than to any other one person was due that spirit of camaraderie which characterized. the membership of the old Toronto Golf Club, of which he was one of the charter members.

The period of Blake's career at law extended from his call in 1883 till about 1909, when he retired from active practice. During that time he was largely though not exclusively engaged in agency and counsel work at Osgoode Hall. His confreres in that branch were Mr. Justice Middleton, Douglas Armour, K.C. (now of Vancouver, B.C.), the late Wm. Douglas, K.C., the late John H. Moss, K.C., and myself. It is no exaggeration to say that each member of that group entertained for the legal ability and fairness of the others the most absolute respect, and for the individuals personally a sin

C.B.R.-VOL. II.-15