contained 11,814 acres; and it was held, that B. was not entitled to specific performance of the agreement with compensation. Earl of Durham v. Legard, 589
See Auction. Costs. Mine. Specific Per- formance.
VOLUNTARY ASSIGNMENT AND SETTLEMENT-A feme sole made a voluntary assignment, by deed, of her reversionary interest in stock held under a settlement. The deed was irrevocable. It was duly executed by herself, and attested, but was not communicated either to the trustees of the paramount settlement, or to the trustees of the deed itself, or to any of the parties who were to take under it. The lady subsequently destroyed the deed, and made a different dis- position of the stock by a codicil to her will. It was held, by the Master of the Rolls, that the trust fund not having been legally trans- ferred, nor the trust communicated to and recognized by the trustees of the original settle- ment, the assignment was incomplete and in- effectual. But, on appeal, it was held, by the Lords Justices, reversing the decision of the Master of the Rolls, that, the assignor having done all that she could for transferring her inter- est, the assignment was complete and effectual, notwithstanding the absence of notice. Also, there being no evidence before the Court dis- tinctly impeaching the deed, that it be treated as valid; but the solicitor who prepared it having made an affidavit and omitted to state whether he explained to the settlor the irrevocable nature of the assignment, leave was given to file a bill (within a fortnight) to set aside the deed. Re Way's Trusts, 49
J. M, by a voluntary settlement, assigned his personal estate to trustees upon trust for himself for life, and after his decease "upon trust to pay thereout all the debts then owing by the said J. M, and also all legacies or sums of money, not exceeding in the whole the sum of 4007. sterling, which the said J. M, by his will, or any codicil thereto, or by any writing signed by him, shall give or direct to be paid," and subject thereto upon trust for his son W. R. M. absolutely. It was held, that voluntary bonds executed by T. M, though with the express intention of defeating pro tanto W. R. M.'s interest, were debts within the meaning of the settlement, and must be paid out of the settled property. Markwell v. Markwell; and Markwell v. Bull, 55
If the debt of a creditor by whom a volun- tary settlement is impeached existed at the date of the settlement, and the remedy of the creditor is defeated or delayed by the existence of the settlement, the fact that the settlor retained suf- ficient money to pay all the debts owing by him at the time of making the settlement will not take the case out of the operation of the statute 13 Eliz. c. 5. But where the voluntary settlement is impeached by subsequent creditors, it is ne- cessary for them to shew, either that it was made
with express intent to "delay, hinder or defraud creditors," or that after the settlement the settlor had no sufficient means or reasonable expectation of being able to pay his then existing debts. A trust "only" for a married woman, her execu- tors, administrators and assigns, is not a trust for her separate use. By a marriage settlement, 2,0001, part of a mortgage debt of 4,0007. due to the wife, was settled upon trust for her for her separate use, and the residue was left un- settled. The husband having become bankrupt, an inquiry was directed whether, having regard to the marriage settlement and to the present circumstances of the husband, any and what additional settlement ought to be made out of the unsettled portion of the property on the wife and children of the marriage. Spirett v. Willows, 365
WATER-Public rights. See Nuisance.
WATERWORKS CLAUSES ACT-A waterworks com- pany were by their special act (with which was incorporated the Waterworks Clauses Act, 1847,) authorized to make and maintain the reservoirs, aqueducts and other works therein described in the line and situation, and on the levels and upon the lands delineated on the deposited plans and described in the books of reference and defined on the sections, and to enter upon, take, purchase and use such of the lands, &c. men- tioned in the plans and books of reference as they might deem necessary for all or any of those purposes. The works authorized, so far as they related to a particular field which was situate within marked limits of deviation, were described as "an aqueduct, constructed in tunnel or otherwise as shewn on the original plans," which plans indicated no surface works upon the field, but merely shewed that it was intended to construct, at a depth of at least forty feet under the same an aqueduct in tunnel. After the spe- cial act was passed, the company served the owners of the field with a notice to treat for the purchase of it, with the view of sinking shafts in order to obtain an additional supply of water, and also of erecting thereon permanent pumping engines for raising water from beneath its sur- face. Upon a bill filed by the owners of the field against the company for an injunction to restrain the company from proceeding to summon a jury to assess the value of the field, and from using it for any other purpose than the construc- tion of an aqueduct, it was held, reversing the decision of one of the Vice Chancellors, that the company were not authorized to take or use the field permanently for any other purpose than that indicated upon the deposited plans. A public company claiming statutory powers must prove clearly and distinctly from their act of parlia- ment the existence of those powers; and if there any doubt as to their extent, that doubt must operate for the benefit of the landowner. Simp- son v. the South Staffordshire Waterworks Co., 380
WILL-The fiction or indulgence of the law which treats a child en ventre sa mère as actually born,
applies only for the purpose of enabling such child to take a benefit to which, if actually born, it would have been entitled; in all other cases, the word born" must have its natural interpretation. Blasson v. Blasson, 18
Testator devised real estate upon trust, after the death of the survivor of his sister and three other persons, to sell and pay the proceeds to "such person or persons as should then be the nearest in blood to him as descendants from his great-grandfather, J. S, and whose kindred with him originated with J. S." At the date of the will testator and his sister were the only lineal descendants of J. S, and it was improbable that either of them would leave issue; both testator and his sister died without issue. It was held, the word "descendants" must be taken to mean "collateral descendants," and that the descendants of a brother of J. S. were entitled to the gift. Best v. Stonehewer, 26
Testator by his will gave the whole of his real and personal property to his sister for life, and by a codicil made on the same day, he expressed his desire that his sister should do what she pleased with the remaining property, excepting a tenement called W. M. and 1,4007. stock, of which his sister should only receive the interest and rent for life, and afterwards to her eldest son on his taking the name of Millard; but should he refuse to take that name, or should his sister depart this life without a son, then the said tenement and stock should go over to his cousin T. P. on his taking the name of Millard, and so on to his heirs, each taking the said name, none of them being allowed to inherit the property who should not take or possess the name of Millard. The sister survived, and her eldest son received at baptism, together with other names, that of "Millard." It was held, first, that testator's sister took an estate for life, with remainder in fee to the son who should first come into esse, to vest immediately on his birth; secondly, that the condition as to taking the name of Millard was a condition subsequent; and, thirdly, assuming the condition not to be invalid for remoteness, that the name being given in baptism was sufficient compliance therewith. Bennett v. Bennett, 34
Testator gave several legacies of considerable amount to his children, to be paid out of his real and personal estate; and he gave 107. each to his two executors, in case they accepted and acted in the executorship of his will. He then made various specific bequests; "and as to the rest, residue and remainder of his real and personal estate, not therein before otherwise disposed of," he gave, devised and bequeathed the same to A. B. and C. D, and made them sole executors of his will. By a codicil, testator devised to his executors a particular house, not before mentioned, in trust for sale, and the proceeds to be divided between all his children. It was held, that the facts of the executors having equal legacies given them, and taking the residue in jointtenancy, though sufficient to have prevented
them from taking the residuary personal estate beneficially by virtue of their office, were insufficient to prevent the operation of the clear gift to them as individuals, and that they took the residue under the will beneficially. Re Henshaw, 98
Testator was tenant for life of two estates, with remainder to his wife for life, with remainder to their first and other sons in tail male, with remainder to himself in fee. By his will (made before the Wills Act) he devised one of these estates, "in default of issue of his body, and subject to the life interest of his wife," to trustees in trust for his brother E. for life, with remainder to his first and other sons in tail male. And testator devised his other estate, "in the same terms," to the same trustees, upon trust to raise money to pay his debts, and subject thereto, in trust for his brother R. for life, with remainder to his first and other sons in tail male. Testator died without issue. It was held, the words "in default of issue," in the case of the estate devised to pay debts, clearly referred, not to a general failure of issue, but to a failure at the time of testator's death, that the same construction must prevail as to the other estate, and that both estates were well devised. The will further provided that in case R, or any son of his body, should succeed to a particular family estate, then the trusts before declared for the benefit of R, and such son of his body so succeeding should cease, and the estate should be in trust for the persons who, by virtue of his will, would become next entitled to the same. R. became tenant for life of the family estate, and his son tenant in tail in remainder; and it was held, that R. only had "succeeded" to the family estate, and that his son became entitled to the estate devised by the will. Bagot v. Legge, 156
Testator, who was entitled to various rectories in E. S, devised his manors, advowsons, messuages and hereditaments in E. S. to trustees upon trust to make certain payments out of the rents, issues and profits, and subject thereto to accumulate the "residuary or surplus rents, issues and profits" of the same property for twenty-one years on specified trusts. A claim by the heir-at-law to the proceeds of sale of a next presentation to one of testator's rectories, on the ground that the next presentations were not disposed of under the trust of "rents, issues and profits" was disallowed by the Lords Justices on the construction of the whole will. And semble-per Lord Justice Turner, that the words "rents, issues and profits" were of themselves sufficient to include the proceeds of sale of the next presentation. Cust v. Middleton, 185
Testator, in February 1827, devised real estate upon trust, after the death of the survivor of his sister and three other persons, to sell and pay the proceeds to "such person or persons as should then be the nearest in blood to him as descendants from his great-grandfather J. S, and whose kindred with testator originated from J. S." At the date of the will testator, who was
then sixty-seven, and his sister, who was seventy years of age, were the only lineal descendants of J. S. Both died without issue. On the ground, mainly, that the word "originate," as there used, imported, in consonance also with its use in another part of the will, the source from which the kinship was to be derived, it was held, in affirmation substantially of the decree made by the Master of the Rolls (but dissentiente Lord Justice Knight Bruce), that the nearest in blood to testator, at the decease of the survivor of the tenants for life, out of all the persons who could trace kinship with testator through kinship, whether lineal or collateral, with J. S, were beneficially entitled under the will. Best v. Stonehewer, 349
Although parol evidence is admissible to rebut a presumption of law against the words of a will, yet where the presumption arises from a rule of construction of words, simply quà words, no parol evidence can be admitted. Barrs v. Fewkes, 522
M. by her will (made subsequently to the Wills Act) gave a legacy of 1,000l. and half her residuary estate to her daughter P, a married woman, for her separate use. P. having under her marriage settlement a general power of appointment over all property coming to her during coverture, by her will, in pursuance of such power and every other power thereunto enabling her, appointed two specified sums of money, and "all other monies and securities for money over which she had any power of dispo- sition," to her executors upon certain trusts, and appointed all her "goods, chattels, and separate personal estate and effects, not therein before dis- posed of," to other persons. P. pre-deceased M, leaving her husband, who also pre-deceased M, and issue who survived M:-Held, that the legacy of 1,000l. and moiety of M.'s residuary estate passed by the residuary appointment in P.'s will. Whether the will of a child legatee who dies in the parent's lifetime leaving issue is, with reference to the property bequeathed to such child by such parent, to be construed as if the child had survived the parent-quære. Re Mason's Will, 603
Testator gave all his personalty for the use of his wife, not doubting but she would exercise due discretion and economy in expending the same; the whole of the property to be under the care of his said wife and his other executor, who were requested to pay out of the same all his debts and funeral and testamentary expenses; and after the decease of his wife he gave the residue of his personal estate, to be equally divided between five persons named. It was held the "residue" meant so much as remained after payment of debts, &c., and the wife was only entitled for life to that residue, with re- mainder over. In re Brooks's Will, 616
An erroneous recital in a will or codicil, that testator has given something, which he has not given, will not of itself create a gift by
implication. A testatrix, by her will, gave a legacy of 1,000l. among such of the children of M. as should attain twenty-one. By a codicil she recited that she had by her will given 1,000l. to F, a child of M, and directed that "the said legacy" should not be payable till F. attained twenty-one. It was held that the recital re- ferred to the legacy given to the children of M, and that F. did not take a further legacy by the codicil. Mackenzie v. Bradbury, 627
Testator gave his residuary estate amongst his nephews and nieces, and after directing the share of his niece E. G, and also a sum of 1,000l. which he had given her, to be held upon certain trusts, with an ultimate gift over, from the benefit of which, as respected the 1,0007., he excluded a niece M. L, he directed the shares of other nieces (including a niece M. B.) and also certain sums of 1,000l. given to them to be held for their separate use respectively for their lives, and then for their children living at their respec- tive deceases: "but in case all the children of his said other nieces, or of any or either of them should die either in their respective lifetimes, or after their deceases, under age and without leav- ing lawful issue," then upon trust "to pay, assign and transfer" their shares "equally amongst all and every his nephews and nieces who should be living at such time or times, and to the issue of such of them as might be then dead, in equal shares and proportions (such issue to be entitled to its parent's share only) except as to the sums of 1,000l. given to his other nieces, which he directed should not survive to his niece M. L, but be paid in the same manner as he had directed the 1,000l. given to his niece E. G. in case of her decease without issue, or their all dying under age and without issue." The gift over of E. G.'s 1,000l. was not made to take effect on E. G.'s death without issue, but "in case all the chil- dren of E. G. should die either in her lifetime or after her decease under age, and without leaving lawful issue." M. B. died without ever having been married. It was held, the gift over took effect as to her share and 1,000l.; and semble-that even without the aid of the expla- natory reference to the gift over of E. G.'s 1,000l., the gift over would have taken effect. Held, also, first, that the word "issue" meant children of the nephews and nieces, and not issue generally; secondly, that the gift to the issue of the nephews and nieces was an original gift, and not a gift by substitution; thirdly, that it was not necessary that the children who took a share should survive the tenant for life, or, the gift being original, their parents; and, fourthly, that the children took as joint tenants. Lanphier v. Buck, 650
Testator gave a fund to trustees upon trust to pay the interest to his daughter for life and then to her children; and if his daughter should die without issue, then he directed the fund to be paid unto and among his four sons, share and share alike. But in case any or either of his sons should be then dead, he directed that the share of him or them so being dead should be paid to
his or their child or children, share and share alike. Testator's daughter survived the sons, and died without having had children. It was held, that it was not necessary in order to entitle children of the deceased sons to take that they should have survived the tenant for life, but that the gift to them being substitutional, it was necessary they should survive their respective fathers; and, consequently, that the shares of sons who died leaving children, vested, on their deaths, in their children who were living at their respective deaths. Re Turner, 660
See Accumulations. Charge. Devise. Le- gacy. Mortmain. Perpetuity. Power of Appointment.
WINDING-UP OF COMPANIES-A creditor brought
an action against a company, which afterwards resolved voluntarily to wind up. On an applica- tion by the company, all further proceedings in the action were stayed upon the creditor being allowed to prove for his debt, the costs of the action and of the application. In re the Life Association of England (Lim.), 64
The S. company agreed, in writing, to pur- chase the business of the T. company, and part of the consideration was to consist of a sum of money payable by instalments at fixed times. In 1861 an order was made for winding up the S. company. At that time all the instalments of the consideration-money had become due, but none had been paid, and the T. company claimed to be entitled to interest on the unpaid instal- ments from the respective times when they be- came due to the date of the winding-up order. The agreement contained no provision as to the payment of interest. It was held, that the T. company was entitled to interest at 51. per cent.; and that the Court of Chancery had jurisdiction, under 11 & 12 Vict. c. 45. 8. 83, to make calls to raise the amount of such interest. In re the State Fire Insurance Company (the "Times" Company Claim), 58
A company was formed for the purpose of purchasing and working a mine in Cornwall, and was registered under the Companies Act, 1862, in the Registry Office of the Stannaries Court, but its registered office was in London, and it never commenced business. It was held, this was a company 66 engaged in working" a mine within the meaning of the 81st section of the Companies Act, 1862, and that the jurisdic- tion to wind it up was in the Stannaries Court, and not in the Court of Chancery. The test of the Stannary jurisdiction under that clause is not "actual working," but the object for which the company is framed. Re the East Botallack Consolidated Mining Co. (Lim.), 81
A limited company, whose business is being carried on at a loss without any reasonable prospect of ultimate success, may be wound up, on the petition of a shareholder, before the whole of the capital has been called up. Re Factage Parisien (Lim.), 140
Upon a petition by an unregistered trans- feree of script certificates in a limited company, an order was made by the Master of the Rolls, and, on appeal, affirmed (but dissentiente Lord Justice Turner), for winding up the company on the petitioner admitting his liability as a contri- butory, and undertaking to do all necessary acts for making himself a legal shareholder. Re Littlehampton, Havre and Honfleur Steam-ship Co. (Lim.), Ex parte Ellis, 237
The Court will not, except under special cir- cumstances, order a limited company to be wound up, on the petition of a shareholder whose shares are fully paid up. Re the Patent Artificial Stone Co. (Lim.), 330
The holder of paid-up shares in a limited company is not ipso facto disqualified from pre- senting a petition for the winding up of the company; but to obtain a winding-up order he must satisfy the Court that the company has ceased to carry on its business, and that the assets of the company are sufficient, after pay- ment of the debts of the company; to produce a surplus for division among the shareholders. Re the Lancashire Brick and Tile Co. (Lim.), 331
A provisional official liquidator is not entitled to appear at the hearing of a winding-up petition. Re the General International Agency Co. (Lim.), 337
The S. Fire Insurance Company issued poli- cies, providing that the capital stock and funds of the company should be liable to make good the damage by fire sustained by the insured, and should alone be liable for all demands under the policies, and that the shareholders should not in any event be liable in respect of any claim upon the company beyond the amount of their interest in the capital stock of the company at the time when such claim might arise. The company was wound up, and it having been held that the policies did not create such a charge upon the stock and funds of the company as to give the policy-holders any claim upon its assets in pre- ference to the general creditors, calls to the amount of the whole nominal capital were made, and the proceeds were distributed amongst the policy-holders and general creditors pari passu. A further call was made under the winding-up, and the official manager proposed to divide the proceeds amongst the general creditors, to the exclusion of the policy-holders. The policy- holders contended that the proceeds of this call must be marshalled, and so much must be re- couped to the previous fund as would enable the policy-holders to receive on the whole an equal dividend with the general creditors. It was held the doctrine of marshalling did not apply, and that the proceeds of the further call must be dis- tributed amongst the general creditors only. An additional call was, however, directed to be made for the purpose of providing for the general costs of the winding-up, leaving the capital stock and funds to bear only the cost of their realization. In re the State Fire Insur. Co., 436
The summary power conferred by section 165. of the Companies Act, 1862, of ordering directors to repay money misapplied by them, cannot pro- perly be exercised by the Court under section 138. in the case of a company which is being wound up voluntarily, without making an order for the compulsory winding up of the company. The Court will not exercise the powers given to it by section 165. in cases where the question of the liability of the directors is complicated or difficult, but will in such cases require a bill to be filed for the purpose of taking an account against the directors. Re the Bank of Gibraltar and Malta (Lim.), 617
See Contributory. WORDS-"Born and living," 18 Continuing trustee," 481 "Descendants," 26, 349 "In default of issue," 156 "Issue," 650
"Rents, issues and profits," 185 "Succeed," 136
WRIT OF NE EXEAT REGNO-A. & Co. filed a bill, and obtained ex parte a writ of ne exeat against S; no interrogatories were filed. S. put in a voluntary answer to the bill; and it was held, on motion to discharge the writ, that S. was in the same position as a defendant who had answered fully would have been under the old practice, where interrogatories were annexed to the bill. A plaintiff applying for a writ of ne exeat must state his claims as definitely as possible. Anderson v. Stamp, 230
A writ of ne exeat will not be granted uopn the mere affidavit of the plaintiff of his belief that a certain sum will be found due to him from the defendant upon taking an unsettled account. Thompson v. Smith, 412
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