The Sun.
London, England, 1869-11-24 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

A STRAME PILENOMENON.—A case came before the
Court of Appeal for the purpose of obtaining their lord-
ships' sanction to a compromise in which Chancery delays
had actually proved beneficial to all the parties concerned.
One item of the property in dispute consisted of premises at
Bombay, which were worth in 1862 about £20,000, but
four years later rose in value to £30,000. The appeal was
pending two years on account of the difficulty of finding a
competent court of appeal, the case having been decided
by the present Lord Chancellor when Vice-Chancellor, and
the Lords Justices Selwyn, Rolt, and Giffard having all
been counsel in the case. All parties had become mollified
by the lapse of time, and an amicable arrangement was
come to.

THE TowN CorrNcir, OF STOCKPORT.—An application
was made in the Court of Queen's Bench calling upon the
defendant, a Mr. Anson, to shew by what authority he
claimed to exercise the office of town councillor of the
borough of Stockport, on the ground that he was dis-
qualified from his not being entitled to be on the burgess
roll. The court held that if his name was on the roll it was
sufficient, and his qualification was not for them to inquire
into. Rule refused.

FREEIIOLD BENEFICES.—A case has been heard in the
Court of Common Pleas which excited considerable

It was an appeal from a decision of the
revising barrister for Middlesex by the perpetual curate of
St. Andrew, Bcthnall-green, who claimed to vote for the
county in respect of his freehold benefice. The revising
barrister held that the appellant was not entitled to vote
in right of his office of perpetual curate, and further that
he was not by virtue cf his office entitled at law or in
equity to a freehold estate in lands or tenements in the
tame parish as that for which he claimed to be registered
of the clear yearly value of 40s. The appellant's income
was derived partly from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners,
partly from :the Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty,
and partly from fees. After lengthened arguments on
both sides, the Lord Chief Justice said that the
income derived from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners
could not be held to be an income derived from land
within the county. The same objection applied to endow-
ments from Queen Anne's Bounty, and the fees paid for
burials in Bow Cemetery. The fees paid for services per-
formed in the church had no connection with land, and it
seemed to him that the claimant bad no "free land or
tenement " worth 405., and as the pew rents were net
assigned to him there would be no income which would
give the appellant a vote. Decision affirmed without
costs.

interest.

THE CANONS OF EXETER.—The right of the residentiary
canons of St. Peter's Church, Exeter, to vote in respect of
their houses has been tried in the Court of Queen's Bench.
The respondent was one of the five canons residentiary,
each of whom occupied a houso. There aro 16 non-
residentiary canons, and 21 form a corporation aggregate.
The respondent was appointed for life, and claimed to vote
in rcuect of his house with the enjoyment of which the
Dean and Chapter as a body could not interfere. For the
appellant it was argued that the respondent occupied his
house only as a member of a corporation aggregate. The
Chief Justice, in giving an elaborate judgment, said that,
as a member of a corporation aggregate, the canon would
have no right to vote, bat he also held his house as a cor-
poration sole, having separate possession and separate
rights. He was, therefore, entitled to his vote.

A RAILWAY COMPENSATION CASE.—The case of "Burton v
the Midland Railway Company " has been brought before
the Court of Exchequer. The case has been previously
tried, the plaintiff, a weaver, having been awarded £750
damages for injuries received in a ra lway collision. On
the former occasion the plaintiff was carried
into court, presenting a miserable appearance, and
had a fit during the examination. A number
of witnesses on his behalf deposed that his
health had been completely ruined by the accident. Mr.
Overend now moved for a new trial, on the ground of
fraud and surprise. The plaintiff, it was said, had been
seen walking about before the trial, and catching_crabs on
the rocks at Scarborough, though he was said to be quite
helpless. Mr. Burton's counsel shewed cause against the
rule, but the court thought it should be made absolute,
and also that the damages and costs should b repaid.
RAILWAY. CHARGES AT NEWCASTLE.—A gentleman con
netted with the Cousett Iron Works, named Grcenwell,
has been summoned at Newcastle by the North-Eastern
Railway Company for travelling beyond the station to which
ho had taken his fare. The defendant had a return ticket
from Port C:arence to Gateshead. On arriving there he
gave up his ticket and said he was going on to Newcastle.
The ticket collector asked for the fare, 7d., but Mr. Green-
well said he would only pay the bridge fare, 4d. After a
dispute, the traveller went on to Newcastle without a
ticket. He was ordered to pay the 7d., and fined Ins. and
costs.

THE MINERAL WEALTH OF NEW ZEALANF.—
Yature states that the result of Dr. Hector's investigations
into the geology of New Zealand is that the islands must
be considered as, on the whole, well supplied with mineral
fuel. The most valuable description of coal 13 certainly
confined to limited and not very accessible areas ; .but still
there is nothing to prevent their being profitably worked
for the supply of the steam serii)e. The great point for
congratulation, however, io that throughout almost every
part of the island 3 coal of a practically uicfal descripti, n
to he fount with'n a short dis'aricc.

A strange scelvi hag u.4t occurred in Ant•„crp
C.Lthedral cn the occa,i..:n of a christening. As the priest
was about to commence the ceremony the (lean entered aid
ordered him to stop. Then, turning to the godfather, a
bookseller, he said, "You cannot be sponsor ; you sell
wicked books." The person addressed replied, "I do what
i can to get a living ; I sell Catholic books as I do others."
The other retorted, "I consider you as excommunicated ;
teave the church ;" and then addressed the beadle. " You
shall act as godfather ex officio." The religious rite was then
ldministered, the indignant godfather quitting the sacred
edifice and leaving behind the nurse with the child. At the
end, on her being asked who was to pay the fees, she replied,
"Oh, the new sponsor, of course ! " and withdrew
triulapbantly with 01 baby.