and has been sent to the Lords), authorizes the appointment of a Minister of Health "for the purpose of promoting the health of the people throughout England and Wales," and the transference to him of the powers of the various bodies above-mentioned so far as they relate to the health of the people.

The honour of a Viscounty has been conferred upon Lord Finlay, who was Lord Chancellor from 1916 until January last. The announcement of the conferring of this honour has been cordially received by the profession, for, as the "Law Journal" says, "no man in the legal world has possessed in fuller measure the admiration and regard of his professional brethren. Throughout his long career, whether at the Bar or on the Woolsack, he has combined the qualities of a great lawyer and a great gentleman. All Englishspeaking lawyers-for his work as an advocate and judge at the Privy Council has made his name familiar to lawyers in all parts of the Empire-will join in wishing that he may long enjoy the well-earned dignity that has been bestowed upon him."

After an interval of some five months the vacancy in the Court of Appeal caused by the acceptance by Lord Sterndale of the Presidency of the Probate Division has been filled by the promotion of Mr. Justice Atkin to be a Lord Justice of Appeal. No better selection could have been made, for during the period of nearly six years in which he has sat as a judge in the King's Bench Division the new Lord Justice has amply proved that he possesses in a marked degree those qualities which go to make a good judge; and in view of the increasing number of commercial disputes which come before the Courts, his extensive knowledge of mercantile law will be of special value. Lord Justice Atkin is an Australian by birth, having been born at Brisbane in 1867. After being educated at Oxford, he was called to the Bar by Gray's Inn in 1891, and became a K.C. in 1906. He acquired a large practice in the Common Law Courts, especially on the com

mercial side, and in 1913 he was made a judge. During the war he has rendered the State much useful service outside the ordinary sphere of judicial work.

The vacancy in the King's Bench Division thus created has been filled by the elevation to the Bench of Mr. Greer, K.C., a mercantile lawyer of the first rank. The new judge, who was born at Liverpool in 1863, was called to the Bar by Gray's Inn in 1886. Like Lord Sterndale and many another judge who has gained distinction as a commercial lawyer, for many years Mr. Greer practised locally at Liverpool. Coming to London in 1907 he quickly acquired an extensive practice in the Commercial Court, and took silk in 1911, shortly afterwards becoming a Bencher of his Inn.

Sir Henry Bargrave Deane, until about two years ago a Judge of the Probate, Divorce, and Admiralty Division of the High Court of Justice, died on the 21st April at the age of seventy-two. Educated at Winchester and Oxford, he was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple in 1870, and took silk in 1896. When in 1905 he was raised to the Bench, Sir Henry was the recognized leader in the Divorce Court. His death is sincerely regretted by the whole profession, and particularly by those members of the Bar who practice in the Divorce Court, where for thirty years, first as an advocate and afterwards as a judge, he was a conspicuous and honoured figure. A model of judicial solemnity, he never failed during the twelve years in which he occupied a seat on the Bench to show a high regard for the responsibilities of his office.

Much interest has been aroused by the announcement that Sir Auckland Geddes, who throughout the war has been on leave from his Chair of Anatomy in the McGill University, Toronto, has resigned his position in the Government as Minister of National Service and Reconstruction to take up the office of Principal of that University. Although there have been

instances in which former members of Cabinets have accepted high positions in the Dominions, the acceptance by a Minister of the Crown of a position in a Dominion University is apparently without precedent.

After the lapse of some four and a half years a list of promotions within the Bar has been issued. In the early stages of the war it was announced that no new K.C.'s would be appointed until the restoration of peace, on the ground that the professional prospects of members of the junior Bar who were on war service would be prejudiced if the usual number of new "silks" were created in their absence. Of the 39 names in the new list nearly all are those of active members of the profession.

The enormous increase in the cost of administering the law in the United Kingdom is shewn by the Estimates for the coming financial year. The total amount required is £9,179,562. These figures shew an increase of £3,965,761 upon the amount a year ago.

The Law Society hope to raise a sum of £100,000 among the 15,000 members of the solicitors' branch of the profession for the establishment of a war memorial. Three objects are to be carried out by the funds when raised: (1) the erection of a memorial in the Society's Hall; (2) the compilation of a record of service of solicitors and articled clerks, and (3) the establishment of a relief fund for solicitors and articled clerks and the dependents of those who have been killed. It is not proposed to dispense charity, but to attempt in some small manner to discharge a debt of gratitude.

At a recent meeting of the Law Society a resolution in favour of the complete fusion between the two branches of the legal profession was carried. A poll having been demanded, voting papers were sent to all members of the Society, with the result that the motion was lost by 3,531 votes to 1,820. While there is much

to be said on theoretical grounds in favour of the abolition of the distinction between the two branches of the profession, it only requires knowledge of the real conduct of court work as divided between counsel and solicitors to realize that the existing practice has great advantages, and it is difficult to see that any great public interest would be served by the proposed change.

Although during his absence from the Courts, Lord Reading has rendered the State services of the utmost value, it is hoped that the Lord Chief Justice will shortly return to his judicial duties.

Yours, etc.,

W. E. WILKINSON.

IS IT HEREDITARY OR MERELY
COMMUNICABLE?

We clip the following news item:

"In the list of 38 young men who are seeking admission to Osgoode Hall Law School there appear the names of sons of three Ministers of the Provincial Legislature: William Irving Hearst, son of the Premier; Isaac Brock Lucas, son of the Attorney-General, and Norman Batten McPherson, son of the Provincial Secretary. Among several candidates who are seeking to follow in their fathers' footsteps are John Gowans Middleton, son of Mr. Justice Middleton, and Henry Machel Taylor, son of Judge Taylor, of Sarnia. Sons of six merchants, four farmers and two doctors are also on the list. The only lady candidate is Miss Phyllis Margaret Allan, of Picton."

HOW RIOTS ARE PAID FOR.

We clip the following item from a daily paper:

Commercial and industrial houses have within the last few days taken out riot insurance for upwards of $100,000,000. One concern alone has taken out $18,000,000 worth of insurance for its Toronto and western houses.

Ordinarily, the rates range from 16 to 30 cents per $100. Today they average from 48 to 90 cents per $100. There are seven American and two Canadian companies handling this class of business in Toronto.

COVERS EXTRA RISKS.

Riot insurance covers damage to building, breaking of windows, damage to machinery and loss by theft. A fire insurance policy is not applicable in case of riot or civil commotion, which come under the category of explosion insurance. All policies are being issued for one year and cannot be cancelled under ninety days.

One firm alone did business covering risks totalling $5,000,000 before noon to-day.

While it is not a strictly accurate statement that riots come under the category of explosion insurance, it is a fact that the "statutory conditions" say:

6. The company is not liable for the losses following, that is to say,

(b) "For loss caused by invasion, insurrection, riot, civil commotion, military or usurped power."

Thus the company under its ordinary fire policy is exempted.

Neither does the municipality disturb itself unduly about so small a matter as a riot. Witness the following cases: [See Ontario Weekly Notes, March 28th, at p. 58]. Baker v. City of Toronto, Speal v. City of Toronto.

Motions by the Corporation of the City of Toronto, the defendants in both actions, for orders (under Rule 124) striking out the statements of claim and dismissing the actions, upon the ground that the statements of claim disclosed no reasonable causes of action against the defendants.

Rose, J., in a written judgment, said that in the Speal case the allegations in the statement of claim were: that the plaintiffs