Queen's Counsel system.

And they agreed attorneys with the QC title should be discouraged from using it.

But one barrister recently appointed a QC last night voiced dismay at the decision.

Mr. Coles Diel labelled some of the arguments for abolition "fatuous''.

The moves were backed by 68 votes to 24 at a special meeting of the Bar Association at Cathedral Hall.

Lawyers also voted for a freeze on QC appointments while the Bar Council -- the association's executive -- tries to abolish the system.

It is unclear how long it will take for the Bar to achieve this.

The battle for abolition was launched by senior lawyer and Environment Minister the Hon. Ann Cartwright DeCouto.

She presented a motion to the 160-member Bar Association at its annual general meeting last month.

But lawyers ran out of time, and continued debating it at yesterday afternoon's special meeting.

The meeting ran from 12.30 p.m. to 2 p.m., and votes were carried out by secret ballot with 92 lawyers attending.

There was one amendment to the motion. It was agreed those who had their QC title because they had been Attorney General or Solicitor General should also be discouraged from using it.

Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto was delighted at the outcome of her motion, and exclaimed: "I am very pleased. I'm terribly pleased.''.

Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto, who has never contemplated applying to become a QC, was unsurprised by the size of the vote in favour.

"There is no doubt the system was causing divisiveness in the Bar. I was merely the torch bearer,'' she said.

She added colleagues had told her they would have no truck with the system.

Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto has branded the system as "intellectually dishonest'', saying good lawyers had been turned down for the title.

Controversy flared recently when veteran trial lawyer Mrs. Lois Browne-Evans was rejected.

"I was outraged to learn two other senior members of the Bar had been turned down,'' said Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto.

"I think we are now on the right track. Every year the Bar had been digging itself down, down and down.'' New President of the Bar Association Mr. John Cooper said he had been pleased by the standard of debate at yesterday's meeting.

"It was not only interesting, but also very orderly and both sides of the issue were discussed.

"Some people even spoke on both sides of the matter. It was fully and frankly discussed.'' Mr. Cooper said he would report the Bar's decision to Attorney General Mr.

Walter Maddocks and the Chief Justice the Hon. Sir James Astwood.

He said he was unsure of the process leading to abolition of the QC system.

The Bar Council would tell Governor Lord Waddington about the vote for a moratorium on QCs while attempts are made to scrap the system.

Mr. Diel was one of those successfully appointed to the title during the latest appointments.

Last night he was reluctant to comment at length on the Bar Association's vote.

"The association is entitled to its view, but I think it's a pity.'' Mr.

Diel, who did not attend the special meeting, described the arguments for abolition as "fatuous'', but declined to elaborate.

Another QC lawyer, former Attorney General Mr. Saul Froomkin, last night declined to comment.

"I was present at the meeting, and I did speak. I do have views but am not prepared to disclose them.''