A death should be

referred to the parochial authorities. registered within five days. See also CORONERS' INQUESTS,

ante.

Debtors Act.

The Debtors Act, 1869 (32 & 33 Vict. c. 62), abolished imprisonment for debt, except in default of obedience to an order of court, and as provided for the punishment of fraudulent bankrupts. See BANKRUPTS, ante.

Definitions. See LEGAL AND OTHER TERms Defined,

post.

Deserters and Military Offenders.

A con

Under section 154 of the Army Act, 1881 (see title ARMY ACT, ante), it is lawful for any constable to apprehend and bring before a court of summary jurisdiction any person whom he may reasonably suspect to be a deserter. stable should, however, before apprehending a man as a deserter, ascertain whether notice of the desertion appears in the Police Gazette, or he should hold a written authority from the colonel or adjutant of the regiment to which the man belongs authorizing his arrest. Communications received from non-commissioned officers regarding men supposed to be deserters should not be acted on by sergeants or constables without the authority of a superior officer.

Rewards are given for the apprehension of deserters. Application, on forms signed by justices, should be made to the War Office at the time the deserter is committed. Orders will be given by the War Department for the repayment of the necessary expenses incurred in the apprehension and conveyance of the deserter. A detailed statement of expenses, certified by the committing magistrate, must in all cases be forwarded, the statement to specify the person to whom the expenses are repayable.

Military offenders. In apprehending soldiers for civil offences in cases where they have to be taken from their barracks or when on duty, notice should be first given to the commanding officer.

Militia absentees.-Where an absentee or deserter from the militia has been arrested by the constabulary, notice should be sent to the adjutant of the regiment of the time and place at which the man is to be brought before the magistrates for trial.

Pretending to be a deserter.-Any person who falsely represents himself to any military or civil authority to be a deserter from Her Majesty's regular forces shall on summary conviction be sentenced to imprisonment not exceeding three months. Section 152 of Army Act, 1881.

Aiding deserter.-Under section 153 persons are liable to be imprisoned for any period not exceeding six months for aiding or assisting deserters, or for persuading any soldier to desert.

Section 6 of the Army (Annual) Act, 1884, enables any justice to issue a warrant for the apprehension of a deserter who is or is supposed to be within his jurisdiction if satisfied of that fact upon oath. See title ARMY ACT, ante.

Destructive Insects Act, 1877.

(40 & 41 Vict. c. 68.)

This Act was passed to prevent the introduction into Great Britain of the insect known as the Colorado beetle, and for preventing the spreading of the insect. By an Order of Council, dated 14th August, 1877, owners and persons in charge of crops are liable to penalties if they do not at once report to the police the finding of the insect. The police are to inform the local authority (41 & 42 Vict. c. 74, s. 4), who are to inform the Privy Council.

Disorderly Houses.

(25 Geo. 2, c. 36.)

Any person keeping a bawdy house, gaming, or other disorderly house is guilty of a misdemeanor. A person acting as master or mistress of the house will be deemed the owner (section 8).

In order to encourage prosecutions against persons keeping such houses, it is by section 5 of the Act enacted that, if any two inhabitants of any parish or place (being ratepayers) give notice in writing to a constable of any person keeping any such house, the constable shall forthwith go with such inhabitants to a justice of the peace, and on their making oath before such justice that they do believe the contents of such notice to be true, and on entering into a recognizance to give or produce material evidence, the constable shall enter into a recognizance to prosecute. By section 6 it is enacted that when such recognizance to prosecute is entered into the justice may issue a warrant to apprebed the accused person, and may bind him over to answer the charge at the sessions or assizes, and to be of good behaviour in the meantime.

Disorderly houses are common bawdy houses, gaming houses, betting houses, and disorderly houses of entertainment.

A disorderly house of entertainment is one kept for public dancing or music without being properly licensed, or one used for public entertainment or amusement attainable by payment of money upon Sunday.

A common bawdy house is a house or room or set of rooms in any house kept for the purposes of prostitution. A married woman my be guilty of this offence as if she were single. The owner of a house letting it out in different apartments to several young women who use the apartments for purposes of prostitution cannot be indicted for keeping a disorderly house (R. v. Stannard, 33 L. J. 61). In order to support a conviction it is not necessary that any evidence of

indecency or disorderly conduct should be perceptible from the exterior of the house (R. v. Rice, 35 L. J. 93). Nor is it necessary to prove who frequents the house; if unknown persons are proved to have been there conducting themselves in a disorderly manner it is sufficient.

BROTHELS.-The suppression of brothels is specially dealt with by the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1885 (Part II). See APPENDIX, p. 517. As to harbouring thieves, prostitutes, &c., on premises, see under titles LICENSING LAWS, p. 232; PREVENTION OF CRIMES ACT, p. 265; TOWNS POLICE CLAUSES ACT, p. 315, &c.

Distraint for Rent, &c.

By 11 Geo. 2, c. 19, where goods are fraudulently or clandestinely conveyed or carried away from premises to prevent the landlord from distraining for any rent then due, they may be seized by the landlord wherever found within thirty days, if not sold bonâ fide before such seizure to some person not privy to the fraud (see Riddle v. Bowater, New M. C. 6; 17 J. P. 792). The landlord must, however, have a right of distress at common law, or under 8 Anne, c. 14, s. 67, and the tenant must be in actual possession. If the goods so carried away be in any house they may be seized, and in case of a dwelling house, on oath made before justice in accordance with section 7 of the Act, the landlord may call to his aid the constable and break open the house without any warrant (a).

A tenant fraudulently, &c., carrying away goods, or any person knowingly aiding in the removal or concealment of goods to prevent the landlord from distraining for rent then due, is liable to forfeit double the value of the goods (section 4).

(a) Police are bound to assist duly authorized officers of the law in the execution of warrants of distress, but such assistance should be limited to the prevention only of a breach of the peace.

LODGERS PROTECTION ACT.-Two justices or a stipendiary magistrate may in certain cases order the restoration of the goods of a lodger seized for rent by a superior landlord (34 & 35 Vict. c. 79).

Disturbing Congregations or Brawling.

Any person is liable to fine or imprisonment who shall be guilty of riotous, violent, or indecent behaviour in any cathedral church, parish or district church or chapel of the Church of England, or in any chapel of any religious denomination, or in any place duly certified under 18 & 19 Vict. c. 81, whether during divine service or at any other time, or in any churchyard or burial ground, or who shall molest, let, disturb, vex, or trouble, or by any other unlawful means disquiet or misuse any preacher duly authorized to preach therein, or any clergyman ministering or celebrating any sacrament or divine service, rite, or office in any cathedral, church or chapel, churchyard or burial ground. The offender may be apprehended by a constable or churchwarden (23 & 24 Vict. c. 32, ss. 2 and 3).

Any place actually used as the "chapel of any religious denomination," whether certified or not, will be within the protection of the statute (34 J. P. 12).

The Acts 1 Will. & Mary, c. 18, s. 15; 52 Geo. 3, c. 155, s. 12; and 9 & 10 Vict. c. 59, s. 4, contain somewhat similar enactments. Provision is made for decency and order at burials under the Burial Laws Amendment Act, 1880.

Dogs.

The owner of any dog is liable for any damage done by the dog to cattle, horses, or sheep, even although he was not negligent and was ignorant of the dog's propensities. Damages under 5l. are recoverable as a civil debt at petty sessions (28 & 29 Vict. c. 60, s. 1). By section 2 the occupier