JOHN LAKE & SON, LIMITED-Petn for winding up, presented Sept 16, directed to be MACQUARIE HILL GOLD CO, LIMITED (IN LIQUIDATION)-Creditors are required, on or BANKRUPTCY NOTICES. London Gazette.-FRIDAY, Sept. 16. RECEIVING ORDERS. ANSELL, FREDERICK GEORGE, Margate, Builder Canterbury Pet Sept 14 Ord Sept 14 ARMSTRONG, WILLIAM, Aston juxta Birmingham, Commission Agent Birmingham Pet Sept 13 Ord Sept 13 BACKHOUSE, HERBERT, and XAVIER MARB, Walmgate, York, Cocoa Manufacturers York Pet Aug 29 Ord Sept 12 BEEBY, WALTER, and WALTER CALDWELL, Leicester, Boot Manufacturers Leicester Pet Sept 14 Ord Sept 14 BEWLEY, WILLIAM, Carlisle, Wine Merchant Carlisle Pet Sept 12 Ord Sept 13 BOYLE, Hon H, Grosvenor st High Court Pet Aug 4 Ord Sept 12 BRYANT, WILLIAM SYDNEY, Bristol, Manure Merchant CALDER, PERCY MOXON, Brixton rd, Licensed Victualler DANCER, Sir THOMAS, St James's pl High Court Pet June 28 Ord Sept 12 DE BULNES, ELIAS FERNANDEZ, Liverpool, Manager Liverpool Pet Aug 18 Ord Sept 14 DEWAR, HENRY JOHN, Rotherhithe New rd, Licensed WILLIAM GOUCH, Clifton gdns, Chiswick, Decorator Brentford Pet Sept 12 Ord Sept 12 GODFREY, ROBERT, Redinnick, Penzance, Licensed Victualler Truro Pet Sept 13 Ord Sept 13 GRIFFITHS, THOMAS, Рenbryn, Cardigans, Farmer Carmarthen Pet Sept 13 Ord Sept 13 HARTLEY, HARRY, Warrington, Butcher Warrington Pet Sept 13 Ord Sept 13 JENNINGS, ARTHUR EDWARD, Idle, Yorks Bradford Pet Sept 12 Ord Sept 12 JONES, GEORGE WILSON, Chester, Draper Chester Pet JONES, JOHN HARDING, Bettws, Carmarthens, Grocer Car- MORRISON, ROBERT BROWN, Carnarvon, Lodging house sea RACKHAM, JOHN, Watford, Herts, Carpenter St Albans Pet Sept 12 Ord Sept 12 RIX, THOMAS, Lingwood, Norfolk, Nurseryman Norwich ROBERTS, JOHN WILLIAM, Bangor, Carnarvon, Tailor TAYLOR, WILLIAM, Swansea, Baker Swansea Pet Sept 2 WHEELER, ROBERT PERCY, Eastbourne, Clerk Pet Sept 13 Ord Sept 13 WILKINSON, JOSEPH, Masham, Yorks, Farmer ton Pet Sept 13 Ord Sept 13 WOODYATT, JOHN, Bedford pl Ord Aug 30 Brentford Eastbourne Northaller Pet June 16 Amended notice substituted for that published in the London Gazette of Sept. 6: REID, WILLIAM, Monmouth Newport, Mon Pet Aug 23 Pet Sept 2 FIRST MEETINGS. AKAM, EDWARD WILLIAM, Gt Yarmouth, Dairyman Sept 27 at 10.30 Lovewell Blake, South Quay, Gt Yarmouth BACKHOUSE, HERBERT, and XAVIER MARB, Walmigate, York, Chocolate Manufacturers Sept 26 at 12.15 Off Rec, 28, Stonegate, York BARRY, WILLIAM JOSEPH MURPHY, Hove, Sussex, Doctor of Medicine Sept 26 at 12 Off Rec, Pavilion bldgs, Brighton BISHOP, JAMES, Halesworth, Suffolk, Watchmaker Sept 27 at 10.45 Lovewell Blake, South Quay, Gt Yarmouth BOYLE, Hon H, Grosvenor st Sept 26 at 11 Bankruptcy bldgs, Carey st BROCKWELL, HENRY TIITERTON, Brooke st, Holborn, Glass Merchant Sept 23 at 11 Bankruptcy bldgs, Carey st CABLE, ENOS WESLEY HILL, Pontypool, Furniture Dealer Sept 23 at 11 30 Off Rec, Westgate chmbrs Newport CALDER, PERCY MOXON, Brixton rd, Licensed Victualler Sept 26 at 1 Bankruptcy bldgs, Carey st CARTER, HENRY, Pontefract, Yorks, Boxmaker Sept 23 at 11 Off Rec, 6, Bond ter, Wakefield COUNSELL, WILLIAM, Newport, Mon, Grocer Sept 23 at 11 Off Rec, Westgate chmbrs, Newport DANCER, Sir THOMAS, St James's pl Sept 26 at 12 Bankruptcy bldgs, Carey st DAVIS, FREDERICK JAMES, Cheltenham, Hatter Sept 23 at 11.30 Inns of Court Hotel, Holborn SOUTHPORT CAFE CO, LIMITED-Creditors are required, on or before Nov 1, to send their COURT CAPTAIN COOK, Independent Foresters, Whitby, York. Sept 7 DEWAR, HENRY JOHN, Rotherhithe New rd, Licensed Vic-| R GREATOREX & Sox, Manchester, Carrier Sept 26 at 3 SAVAGE, HORACE WALTER, Sittingbourne, Kent, Oilman WELSTEAD, WALTER JOHN, Arreton, I W, Grocer Sept 26 at 11.30 Off Rec, Newport, I W WHITE, G, Bolt court, Fleet st, Commission Agent Sept ANSELL, FREDERICK GEORGE, Margate, Builder Canter- BLUNT, HENRY WILLIAM, Atherstone, Warwicks, Farmer CLAYTON, HENRY, Monton, Lancs, Grocer Salford Pet Sept 13 Ord Sept 13 CRAWSHAY, HENRY JAMES, Cheltenham High Court Pet June 27 Ord Sept 12 DUNNING, JOHN STONEMAN, St Thomas the Apostle, Devons, Maltster Exeter Pet Sept 13 Ord Sept 14 GIBBONS, WILLIAM GOUCH, Clifton gdns, Chiswick, Decorator Brentford Pet Sept 12_Ord Sept 12 GODFREY, ROBERT, Reddinnick, Penzance, Licensed Victualler Truro Pet Sept 13 Ord Sept 13 GRIFFITHS, THOMAS, Penbryn, Cardigans, Farmer maithen Pet Sept 13 Ord Sept 13 HARTLEY, HARRY, Warrington, Butcher Pet Sept 13 Ord Sept 13 Car Warrington HASWELL, JAMES ERNEST, Fratton, Hants, Builder Portsmouth Pet Aug 22 Ord Sept 14 JONES, GEORGE WILSON, Chester, Draper Chester Pat JONES, JOHN HARDING, Bettws, Carmarthens, Grocer Car- MORRISON, ROBERT BROWN, Carnarvon, Lodging house Norwich NESMYTH, HENRY GEORGE, Chertsey, Surrey, Builder 14 Ord Sept 9 WILKINSON, JOSEPH, Masham, Yorks, Farmer allerton Pet Sept 13 Ord Sept 13 York Pet London Gazette.-TUESDAY, Sept. 20. RECEIVING ORDERS. BALDOCK, ROBERT JAMES, York, Letter Carrier Pet Sept 16 Ord Sept 16 BATCHELOR, GEORGE, jun, Strood, Kent, Contractor Rochester Pet Sept 16 Ord Sept 16 BURTON, JOHN HENRY, Kingston upon Hull Kingston upon Hull Pet Sept 15 Ord Sept 15 COOK, FREDERICK GEORGE, Scunthorpe, Lincs, Painter Gt Grimsby Pet Sept 16 Ord Sept 16 COOKE, JAMES, Oldham, Horse Dealer Oldham Pet Sept 16 Ord Sept 16 CRUMP, HARRY, Brighton, Jobbing Builder Brighton Pet Sept 15 Ord Sept 15 DAVIES, DANIEL, Llanegwad, Carmarthens, Licensed Victualler Carmarthen Pet Sept 16 Ord Sept 16 DURHAM, ELIZABETH, Tavistock, Devon, Fellmonger Plymouth Pet Sept 16 Ord Sept 16 EDWARDS, THOMAS CLARKE, Uttoxeter, Dairyman, Burton on Trent Pet Aug 22 Ord Sept 15 EVANS, RICHARD, Bethes ia, Labater Bingor Pet Sept 15 Ord Sept 15 FIFE, WILIAM THOMAS, Gt Grimsby, Grocer Gt Grimsby Pet Sept 12 Ord Sept 12 FOORD, LILIAN FANNY, Brighton, Dressmaker Brighton Pet Sept 16 Ord Sept 16 FOSTER, EDWIN JOHN, Gt Grimsby, Stationer's Clerk Gt FURBER, JOHN, Fishponds, Bristol, Traveller Bristol Pet GEORGE, GEORGE, Camden Town, Furnishing Ironmonger GUISE, RIVETE F, Orissa, India High Court Pet Jan 6 HAMMOND, JOHN WILLIAM, Earl Shilton, Leicester Leicester HEMINGWAY, JOHN HENRY, Redcar, Sewing Machine Agent HOPEWELL, HERBERT BARNETT, Nottingham, Insurance South SANDERS, FRANK, Hastings, Stationer Hastings Pet Sept 15 Ord Sept 15 SMITH, JOHN LEWIS, Cardiff, General Dealer Cardiff Pet SMITH & COLE, Clerkenwell, General Drapers High Court WALE, JOHN THOMAS, Foleshill, Warwicks, WEBSTER, FRED, Somerby, Leicester, Baker Leicester WHARTON, EDWIN, Nottingham, Draper Nottingham Pet Sept 16 Ord Sept 16 WOOLLEY, HUBERT, St John's, Worcester, Cabinet Maker Worcester Pet Sept 16 Ord Sept 16 WRIGHT, WILLIAM, Hucknall Torkard, Notts, Farmer Nottingham Pet Sept 16 Ord Sept 16 Amended notice substituted for that published in the London Gazette of Sept. 13: BLUNT, HENRY WILLIAM, Atherstone, Warwicks, Farmer Birmingham Pet Sept 5 Ord Sept 8 FIRST MEETINGS. ANSELL, FREDERICK GEORGE, Margate, Kent, Builder Sept 29 at 9 Off Rec, 73, Castle st, Canterbury BALDOCK, ROBERT JAMES, York, Letter Carrier Oct 3 at 12.15 Off Rec, 28, Stonegate, York BARUGH, JOSEPH JASPER, Stokesley, York, Painter Sept 27 at 11 Off Rec, 8, Albert rd, Middlesborough BARWICK, RICHARD, Margate, Builder Sept 29 at 9 Off Rec, 73, Castle st, Canterbury BEEBY, WALTER, and WALTER CALDWELL, Leicester, Boot Manufacturers Sept 28 at 12.30 Off Rec, 1, Berridge st, Leicester BLUNT, HENRY WILLIAM, Atherstone, Warwicks, Farmer CLAYTON, HENRY, Monton, Lancs, Grocer Sept 28 at 2.30 DAY, EDWARD NORMAN, Birmingham, Clerk Sept 30 at 11 FOORD, LILIAN FANNY, Brighton, Dressmaker Sept 28 at GREY, F B, New Broad st Sept 28 at 11 Bankruptcy GWYTHER, ANN, and JAMES FREDERICK GWYTHER, Aber- HARTLEY, HARRY, Warrington, Butcher Oct 7 at 10 50 HENN, JOSEPH, Birmingham, Metal Caster Sept 23 at 12 JONES, GEORGE WILSON, Chester, Draper Sept 30 at 3 KNOWLES, ARTHUR OSWALD, Great Horton, Bradford, LIDDELL, PATRICK JOSEPH, Exeter, Accountant Sept 29 LYNES, BENJAMIN CHARLES, Brixton, Licensed Victualler Sept 27 at SMITH & COLE, Clerkenwell, General Drapers ADJUDICATIONS. BALDOCK, ROBERT JAMES, York, Letter Carrier York Pet BATCHELOR, GEORGE, jun, Strood, Kent, Contractor BRAY, FREDERICK JAMES, Paddington, Cartage Contractor DAVIES, DANIEL, Llanegwad, Carmarthens, Licensed FACKS, HENRY FREDERICK, and MONTAGUE SYDNEY HER- FOORD, LILIAN FANNY, Brighton, Dressmaker Brighton FOSTER, EDWIN JOHN, Gt Grimsby, Stationer's Clerk Gt FURBER, JOHN, Bristol, Traveller Bristol Pet Sept 16 HAMMOND, JOHN WILLIAM, Earl Shilton, Leicester, Boot KEIL, OTTO, St Mary Axe, Mercantile Clerk High Court PAUL, SILAS GEORGE, Southampton, Builder Southampton PHILLIPS, CHARLES BERRY, St Michael's house, Cornhill ROBARTS, NATHANIEL FRANCIS, Fenchurch av, Merchant SMITH, JOHN LEWIS, Cardiff, General Dealer Cardiff Pet TRINEMAN, WILLIAM ALFRED, Seaton, Devon, Insurance URWIN, JAMES WILLIAM, Liverpool, Solicitor Liverpool WALE, JOHN THOMAS, Foleshill, Warwicks, Builder INCORPORATED WEBSTER, FRED, Somerby, Leicester, Baker Leicester WHARTON, EDWIN, Nottingham, Draper Nottingham WHITE, JOSEPH GEORGE, Bolt ct, Fleet st, Commission Amended notice substituted for that published in the GOOD HEALTH WITHOUT DRUGS. 2. THE LARGEST ORGAN IN THE BODY. It is the liver. This organ has multifarious duties to perform in the internal economy of the digestive system. After the stomach it is the most abused of all the digestive organs. It is inflamed and hardened by the abuse of alcohol, and its functions are hindered and impaired by the tannic acid, the outcome of tea drinking. Errors in diet lead to a diminished secretion of bile. It becomes torpid and sluggish and the defects react on the bloodcurrent-deleterious products are carried into the circulation-the skin becomes muddy and yellow, the tongue furred. Life becomes a burden and the victim says "Life is not worth living." He flies to drugs, blue pill, and other quack nostrums, and finds a temporary relief, and a rebound to a state worse than before; destroys his digestion by nauseous medicines and liver pills and wonders why he continues dull, languid, cranky, and out of sorts. He never pauses to consider the why and the wherefore, but continues to either doctor himself, or is doctored by others into a confirmed melancholy invalid, who invariably shuffles off the mortal coil of a miserable life through making his stomach a receptacle for all the so-called liver cures in the pharmacopoeia. There is only one method to maintain the liver in good working order, and that is attention to Diet and Exercis⚫. Happy is the man or woman who does not know they have a liver! Unless this mighty organ duly performs its principal function of secreting bile, a whole army of troubles arise. It cannot be done with medicine. It can, however, be done with a perfect food beverage, such as Dr. Tibbles' Vi-Cocoa, which possesses exceptional vitalizing properties. It will save your digestion part of its work, and is far more nourishing and sustenant than tea or the ordinary cocoa, whilst it possesses a tonic and recuperative force possessed by neither. LAW Dr. Tibbles' Vi-Cocoa is pleasant and palatable and it imparts nourishment and builds up strength. As a food beverage it is invaluable. The unique vitalizing and restorative powers of Dr. Tibbles' Vi-Cocoa are being recognized to an extent hitherto unknown in the history of any preparation. Merit, and merit alone, is what is claimed for Dr. Tibbles' Vi-Cocoa, and the proprietors are prepared to send any reader who names the SOLICITORS' JOURNAL (a postcard will do) a dainty sample tin of Dr. Tibbles' Vi-Cocoa free and post-paid. Address: 60, 61, and 62, Bunhill-row, London, E.C. SOCIETY. CLASSES AND TUITION FOR ARTICLED CLERKS. TUTORS. J. CARTER HARRISON, 30, Bedford-row, W.C.-Equity, Conveyancing, Conmon Law, and Bankruptcy. LEONARD H. WEST, LL.D., 19, Southampton-buildings, Chancery-lane, W.C.-Criminal and Magisterial Law; Probate, Divorce, and Admiralty ; and Ecclesiastical Law. Stephen's Commentaries. CLASSES for Final Students are held at the Hall of the Society on four afternoons each week during the following periods: August to January; January to June. These periods afford five months' class preparation, and students are advised to subscribe for a full course otherwise the work must necessarily be hurried. Students may join the classes either before or after the Intermediate Examination without subscribing to the course of Postal instruction, but it is recommended that they should avail themselves of both modes of instruction. Subscribers to either Class or Postal instruction have the opportunity of consulting the Tutors upon the work of the course in personal interview or by letter at any time. afforded by fortnightly papers, and embraces the following subjects: Equity, Conveyancing, Common Law, Bankruptcy, Criminal and Magisterial Law, Probate, Divorce, Admiralty, and Ecclesiastical Law. These papers both before and after the Intermediate Examinations are varied each year, so that students who may subscribe for more than one year's tuition receive additional assistance. These courses may be commenced at any time, but the Tutors recommend that the Intermediate course should be commenced at an early stage of the Articles, and the Final course soon after the Intermediate Examination has been passed. The results obtained have been satisfactory. Many pupils have obtained honours, and the percentage of passes is a high one, exceeding 85 per cent. of between three and four hundred pupils who last presented themselves for examination. It has happened on several occasions that all Class pupils have been successful, and the same has occurred in the case of subscribers to TERMS. FINAL. To those Clerks who are articled at a distance from large towns systematic instruction with advice and help is given, and a course of preparation through the post has been devised, and is found to be useful where personal the Correspondence Courses. tuition is impracticable. after previous Postal Instruction... Class instruction is also provided on the selected portions of Stephen's Commentaries and the subjects above named, and it is recommended that the Class Instruction, 5 months... classes should be joined after the expiration of a course of Postal instruction. Students can join the classes at any time, the fees being proportionate to the length of attendance, except that no fee shall be less than that for a three months' course. Rooms are provided where subscribers may study, and books are supplied without extra charge. Periodical test examinations are held by the Tutors. The Classes for Intermediate Students are held in the Hall of the Society on three afternoons in each week during the following periods: August to November; October to January; January to April; March to June. Subscribers may subscribe for successive classes. Books can be obtained from Messrs. Stevens & Sons, or other law lending library, for an annual subscription of a guinea and a-half to cover the course of work for the Final Examination, and Stephen's Commentaries can be supplied to either Class of Postal Subscribers, at an annual subscription of one guinea, on application to the Tutor, Dr. West. In the case of students who have not passed the Intermediate Examination the Postal instruction is by means of monthly papers, and deals with the selected portions of Stephen's Commentaries. For those who have passed the Intermediate Examination instruction is ... after previous Postal Instruction.. INTERMEDIATE. after previous Postal Instruction... " after previous Postal Instruction... Postal Instruction, 2 years... ... Capital REVERSIONS BOUGHT. ... £400,000 MIDLAND GRAND (St. Pancras Station). LIVERPOOL BRADFORD LEEDS DERBY MORECAMBE ADELPHI QUEEN'S MIDLAND MIDLAND In Centre of Town. The Right Hon. Lord HALSBURY (Lord High Chancellor of England). The Right Hon. Sir JAMES PARKER DEANE, Q.C., D.C.L. WILLIAM WILLIAMS, Esq. RICHARD PENNINGTON, Esq. DIRECTORS. Deane, The Right Hon. Sir James Parker, Eilis-Danvers, Edmund Henry, Esq. Frere, Geo. Edgar, Esq. Garth, The Right Hon. Sir Richard, Q.C. Healey, C. E. H. Chadwyck, Esq., Q.C. Johnson, Charles P., Esq Kekewich, The Hon. Mr. Justice. Ludlow, The Right Hon. Lord. Masterman, Henry Chauncy, Esq. WE PRINT elsewhere the list of papers to be read at the Annual Provincial Meeting of the Incorporated Law Society at Swansea, which will commence on Tuesday next. It will be seen that they include discourses on the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1897, and the Formation of Limited Companies, both of which are likely to give rise to interesting discussion. THE LAND Transfer Rules, 1898, have now been issued in a convenient form, and can be obtained at the moderate price of 41d. The rules are prefaced by a memorandum describing shortly the contents of the rules, and pointing out very usefully their relations to the Acts of 1875 and 1897. We learn from it -what we did not clearly gather from rule 216-that upon an application for registration with possessory title any necessary surveying for the purpose of enabling the land to be identified on the ordnance map is to be done by the Land Registry surveyors free of charge. Attention is drawn in the memorandum to the application of compulsory registration to the grant of leases and dealings with leasehold land held under leases having not less than two lives to fall in or forty years still to run. The practical effect of rule 59 has not yet, we think, been fully appreciated. It provides, in effect, that when registration has become compulsory, an assignment on sale of a lease or underlease having at least forty years to run or two lives yet to fall in, and a grant of a lease or underlease for a term of forty years or more, or for two or more lives, executed after the commencement of compulsory registration and capable of registration, shall operate only as an agreement, and shall not pass any legal estate to the assignee or lessee unless or until he is registered as proprietor of the lease or underlease. Having regard, however, to Walsh v. Lonsdale (31 W. R. 109, 21 Ch. D. 9) it is possible that as regards the grant of a lease this provision of the rules will not be considered as a serious penalty and that registration will be omitted. WITH REGARD to Part III. of the Rules, special attention is called in the memorandum to the general provisions (rules 146 to 165) applicable to all classes of transactions in the Registry, particularly to the provisions as to the form and execution and attestation of registered dispositions, and their delivery at the Mellor, The Right Hon. John W., Q.C., Registry for registration and as to their priority; also to the Mathew, The Hon. Mr. Justice. M.P. Mills, Richard, Esq. Morrell, Frederic P., Esq. (Oxford). Williams, C. Reynolds, Esq. provisions (rules 121 to 126) adapting to sub-mortgages and to incumbrances prior to registration the provisions of the Act of 1875 with regard to charges. The first-mentioned sub-mortgages have hitherto been capable of being protected only indirectly on the register by cautions, &c., and as to the secondly-mentioned incumbrances, though they were capable of registration by way of notice, yet subsequent dealings with them (except discharges) could not be registered. Both classes are now rendered capable of registration. The new rules, which repeal all existing rules made under the same power, except the rules of 1892 applicable to small holdings and two rules made in 1876 and 1897 as to the transfer of titles from the register kept under Lord WESTBURY's Act to the register kept under the Land Transfer Acts, are to come into operation on the 1st of November next, while, as we announced last week, the operation of the Act of 1897 is to be postponed to the 1st of January next. mentioned Act, he is liable to an action in tort if the new master sustains damage in consequence of hiring a servant on the strength of the false character. A FEW DAYS ago a charge of a somewhat unusual character came before the justices at Bournemouth. The accused was charged with "offering himself as a servant with a false, forged, and counterfeit certificate of character," contrary to the provisions of the Servants' Character Act, 1792. He had applied for a situation and submitted in support of his application a written testimonial purporting to be signed by a former employer, which signature was proved to be a forgery. Although this Act is a very useful one, and has been over a century in operation, proceedings seem to be seldom taken under it. The offences aimed at are, however, far from uncommon. Besides the offence just referred to, for which, no doubt, an indictment for forgery at common law would lie, it is provided that any person is liable to a penalty who offers himself as a servant falsely pretending that he has served in any IN THE CASE of New Ixion Tyre Co. (Limited) v. Spilsbury (46 service in which he has not actually served, or who alters any W. R. 567) KEKEWICH, J., decided that a registered licensee written character given by a former master. The Act also under letters patent is to be postponed to a prior unregistered deals with anyone who falsely personates a master and assignment of which he had express notice. The result is in gives a false character to a person offering himself as a servant. accordance with the effect usually given to registration, save in It does not, however, deal generally with the case of an cases where it is expressly provided that the registered title employer who dismisses a servant, but gives the servant a shall prevail notwithstanding notice, but it is singular that character which the employer knows he does not deserve; yet registration should be allowed to vary so much in its operation this is an offence against society which is unfortunately very according to the property which is in question. Under the common, and from which many householders and men of business Middlesex Registry Act, as under the repealed Yorkshire Acts, have suffered at one time or another. It has been held that no registration is no protection against a prior unregistered assurance one need give a servant a character at all unless he chooses; of which the registered purchaser has notice, and this, of but to refuse a character is almost the same as giving a bad one, course, represents the equitable view of matter, though it is set and many otherwise estimable people, good naturedly, and so aside whenever the Legislature really wishes to make regisas not to deprive the servant of the power of earning his living, tration effective. This has been done under the Yorkshire give characters which, if not directly false, are misleading and Registry Act, 1884, and, save in cases of actual fraud, an have the same effect as if they were false. There can be little assurance registered under that Act has priority notwithstanding doubt that, although such a person is not liable under the above-actual or constructive notice of previous unregistered dealings THE CRIMINAL Evidence Act, 1898, finally does away with the old principle that a person is disqualified by interest from being a witness, and henceforth the proceedings at a criminal trial will be very similar to those at a civil trial. Some important distinctions, however, will still exist. Last week in these columns we commented upon a restriction put by the Act upon the liberty of speech of counsel. The Act, however, contains AN INTERESTING point was decided by the Liverpool County yet another restriction upon the discretion which has been Court judge on Wednesday in the case of Re Higginson & Deane, acceded to counsel in conducting cases. In criminal as well as Ex parte Littledale & Co. HIGGINSON & DEANE became bankrupt in civil trials it has hitherto been permissible for any witness to in 1847 and the Royal Bank of Liverpool (which was a com- be cross-examined as to credit, and everyone has heard cases in pany registered under the Companies Acts) were creditors whose which the testimony of some plausible witness has been blown. proofs were admitted for about £550,000. The banking com- to pieces by a few questions which have shewn the jury his true pany were wound up, first voluntarily and subsequently under character. In the case of the prisoner-witness, however, the supervision, in and after 1867; and in 1887 an order for dissolu- Act provides that he shall not be asked any question tending to tion of the company, as from the 26th of December, 1887, was shew that he has ever committed any offence other than the one made by Mr. Justice NORTH. In the present year fresh assets for which he is being tried, or that he is of bad character, of the bankrupts HIGGINSON & DEANE were discovered, in the except in certain cases-i.e., (1) where the proof that he has shape of shares which had been formerly regarded as worthless but committed such other offence is admissible to shew that he is. were now worth over £5,000. The Crown claimed the dividend guilty of the offence for which he is being tried; (2) where he which would have become due to the banking company, on the (or his advocate) has asked questions of the witnesses for the ground that upon its dissolution the right to all further divi- prosecution with a view to establish his good character, or has dends vested in the Crown as bona vacantia. Other creditors of given evidence of his good character, or where the nature or the bankrupts applied to the court to expunge the claim of the conduct of the defence involves imputations on the character banking company, without prejudice to the dividends already de- of the prosecutor or the witnesses for the prosecution; clared, on the ground that the company had ceased to exist. The (3) where he has given evidence against any other person charged. county court judge held that on the dissolution of the company the with the same offence. This restriction upon the right of debt due to it was extinguished so as to be incapable of sub-cross-examination is no doubt reasonable, for although the sequent ownership, and that, therefore, there was no moment of fact that a man has been guilty of crimes in the past does time when the debt was without an owner, and he directed often add to the probability of his guilt in the present, still a that all future assets of the bankrupts should be divided among man of known bad character is liable to be charged with an the creditors other than the banking company. It is clear that offence upon much slighter grounds than a man of good reputathe effect of the dissolution of a company is to extinguish debts tion. The fact that A. committed a burglary in 1890 cannot be due from, and claims against, the company: Coxon v. Gorst relevant to the question whether A. has committed a burglary (1891, 2 Ch. 73), and it would seem to follow, on principle, that in 1898, and it would not be fair to allow the issue to be presuch dissolution also extinguishes debts due to, and claims on judiced by the introduction of irrelevant matter under the guise behalf of, the company. of cross-examination as to credit. Probably, however, when the prisoner is not defended by counsel, he will often lay himself open to cross-examination as to his past life under the second exception referred to above. If prisoners act in the future, when upon oath, as they have done in the past when merely making statements to the jury, they will no doubt frequently make assertions of their good character, and will often make serious imputations on the character of witnesses for the prosecution, The force of this restriction especially of police witnesses. will, moreover, grow less in time. An accused person who has previously borne a good character will generally be very eager to give evidence thereof. This will be looked for by juries, and as the law becomes more widely known it will be found that jurymen will note the absence of evidence of good character and draw their own conclusions. LUNATICS OUT OF THE JURISDICTION. THERE has recently been a remarkable development of the law with regard to the powers of the court both under and apart from the Lunacy Act, 1890, over the property of lunatics out of the jurisdiction." trace it and sum up its results. In this article an attempt will be made to with the land (section 14). In the case of shipping the earlier | given as carrying on business in Manchester. It would be inlegislation went to the other extreme, and under the Merchant teresting to hear whether there are many other country offices Shipping Acts of 1845 and 1854, not only was notice of an which can trace their pedigree in "direct succession " for over unregistered assurance ineffectual as regards an assurance on the a century. How does an office of this antiquity manage to find register (Mc Calmont v. Rankin, 2 D. M. & G. 403), but an un- storage for all its accumulated papers? registered dealing with the ship was absolutely void (Liverpool Borough Bank v. Turner, 2 D. F. & J. 502). In this latter respect, however, the law was altered by the Act of 1862, and the Act of 1894 saves the effect of unregistered instruments, subject always to the absolute priority of registered instruments whether with or without notice. The question of the effect in this respect of the registration of an assignment of a patent seems to be new. In New Ixion Tyre Co. (Limited) v. Spilsbury (46 W. R. 567) the registered owner of letters patent on the 24th of June, 1896, agreed for valuable consideration to transfer them to the plaintiff company's predecessor in title, but the agreement was not registered till the 27th of September. On the 16th of September the owner granted to the defendants the 16th of September the owner granted to the defendants a licence to use the patent, and the licence was registered on the 18th of the same month. Prior to the granting of the licence the defendants had express notice of the agreement of the 24th of June. The provision for the registration of assignments of patents is contained in section 87 of the Patents Act, 1883, and it is thereby provided that the registered proprietor shall, "subject to any rights appearing from such register to be vested in any other person," have absolute power over the patent. In the present instance the licence was on the register when the agreement for assignment was registered, and therefore, prima facie, that agreement was subject to the rights of the licensees. The section concludes, however, with a proviso that any equities in respect of the patent may be enforced in like manner as in respect of any other personal property, and this seems to forbid too strict an enforcement of the legal rights of interests are entered on the register. If the general rule of equity as to personal property is to prevail, it is clear that registration cannot protect a person taking with notice of a prior right. So, accordingly, KEKEWICH, J., held, and affirmed the title of the plaintiff company under the agreement of the 24th of June. persons whose THE FRESH evidence disclosed by the recent Report of the Commissioners in Lunacy as to the increase of insanity in this country raises a question whether our existing legal machinery may not be partly responsible for this unpleasant fact. There is a consensus of opinion among experts that one at least of its main causes is the difficulty of securing the treatment of insanity in its incipient stages. The reluctance of the friends of a person in whom the symptoms of mental disease are manifesting themselves to take an initiative which will place the stigma of insanity on the family name has much to do with this difficulty. But it is idle to disguise the fact that the unwillingness of medical men to certify is a far more operative cause of its creation. The section in the Lunacy Act, 1890, which enables a medical man to have frivolous and vexatious proceedings against him stayed (section 330), has not, in practice, afforded any very great protection to the profession. It is not easy for the unofficial medical man to get an action stayed; and even if he succeeds in doing so, he seldom can recover his entire costs. It really seems to be worthy of consideration whether a system of official certification might not with advantage be instituted. As we are apparently to have new lunacy legislation within the next year or two, perhaps the authorities may keep this suggestion before them. WE CHRONICLED last week the circumstance that the firm of solicitors of which the late Mr. CUNLIFFE, of Manchester, was a member went back "in direct succession for over a hundred years." We do not quite know what is intended by "direct successior," but we assume it means that members of the same family had been carrying on the practice for the period mentioned, and this we suppose was the case, although the name of Cunliffe first appears in the Law List for 1810. The earlier Law Lists, however, are very unreliable as regards the inclusion of all the solicitors practising in provincial towns. In the issue for 1779 the names of only eleven solicitors are She had The cases may most conveniently be examined in chronological order. For our present purpose we may take as a starting-point Re Barlow's Will (1887, 35 W. R. 737), a case not arising under the English lunacy jurisdiction. There a lady for life to the income of one-third of a testator's residuary who was detained in an asylum in New South Wales, was entitled estate, and was absolutely entitled to a fund of about £2,000 which had arisen from accumulations of this income. for years been maintained by the Colonial Government at a total expense of £803. Under the New South Wales Lunacy Act (42 Vict. c. 7), a distinction is drawn between "insane persons" and "insane patients." The latter to which class the lady in question belonged-are persons detained as lunatics but not so found by inquisition; and the Act confers on the Colonial Master in Lunacy extensive powers as to the management of their property, enabling him, for example, to sue for (within the colony) and receive debts due to the patient, but without, however, "vesting," in the technical sense of English law, such property in him. accumulations, which were in England, paid over to him, whereupon the trustees paid them into court under the Trustee Relief Act. The court (COTTON, BOWEN, and FRY, L.JJ.) held, affirming the judgment of KAY, J., that as the lunatic was not judicially so declared, and as there had been no vesting of the property in the Colonial Master in Lunacy, the latter had no claim as of right to have the whole of the accumulations transferred to him; but that the court, acting as trustee, was justified in paying over to the Master anything which the competent authority decided to be necessary for the maintenance or benefit of the patient-in this case the £803 for past maintenance, the income of the remainder of the fund so long as the patient should be detained as an "insane patient" in New South Wales, and the patient's share of the income of the residuary estate. Some of the expressions in the judgments in Re Barlow's Will are capable of being interpreted as indicating that the case turned on the absence of a formal vesting order. The Master claimed to have the But this view has been negatived by LINDLEY, L.J., in Re Brown (1895, 2 Ch., at p. 672), where it is said that the difficulty of the court arose in Re Barlow from the fact that the lunatic was a patient not judicially declared to be insane. Re Brown (ubi supra) was also an Australian case, but it differed from Re Barlow's Will in several important particulars. The lunatic had been so found by the Supreme Court of Victoria sitting in Lunacy, and the application in England was made under section 134 of the Lunacy Act, 1890, under which the Court in Lunacy has jurisdiction to order funds in this country standing in the name of a person resident abroad and found lunatic by a foreign or colonial court to be transferred to the committee, curator, or other person duly appointed by that court to manage the lunatic's personal estate. The two cases were, however, alike in this, that in neither did the colonial statute actually "vest" the property of the lunatic in the Master according to the strict legal meaning of the term "vest" in England. Re Brown therefore neatly raised, so far as proceedings under the Lunacy Act, 1890, are concerned, the point which Re Barlow's Will had left doubtful. The court held that "vested" in section 134 includes the right to obtain and deal with, without being actual owner of, the lunatic's personal estate, and prefaced the order of transfer with a statement that the estate was vested" within the meaning of that section. LINDLEY, M.R, pointed out that any other construction would render section 134 |