The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-02-01
WILL WORK UNDER THE
new T0RRENS' SYSTEM
Mississippi First Southern State To
Use New Plan For Perfecting Land
Titles-Once Title Is Registered
With Chancery Clerk, 1t Holds Good
Indefinitely, 1t Being Insured.

w. S. Pierce, R. J. Bishop and George
w. Currie will be examiners of titles
for Forrest county for the next two
years Chancery Clerk Herbert Gil
lis has selected these men from the
list of the county's attorneys and they
will be sworn into office at once.
The appointment of three examiners
is made in accordance with the enact
mert of the 1914 Mississippi legisla- |
ture, which made the Torrens system
a part Of the Mississippi code. The
act is chronicled in chapter 131 Of the
laws of 1914.
The Torrens system was originated
in Australia, where it has worked sat
isfactorily for many years. 1t has
been adopted by several progressive
states in the East and West, but Mis-
sissippi is the first southern state to
use the system.
Under it man may file suit
against the world in chancery court
to have his title quieted. This suit is
properly advertised and the court ap-
points one of the examiners of titles
to make thorough investigation.
These examiners act for the state and
may recommend either for or against
the pleader The court acts on the
pleadings OF the attorney for the plain
tiff and of the examiner of titles.
Title Is Registered.
If the court is satisfied that the man
who files the suit has clear title to the
land. he orders the title registered by
the chancery clerk
This registration, which is obtain
ed on payment of a small fee to the
state, carries with it insurance by the
state that the title is clear. The fee
has to be paid only once, but the in
surance Of the title is good forever
This insurance is the most import
} ant feature of the new procedure
After a man has had his title quieted
registered and insured, he may con
tinue to hold the property for any
number Of years and when he is ready
to sell It, instead of having to furnish
, an abstract he may simply cite the
prospective purchaser to the registra
tion book in the chancery clerks Of
/ nce. This simple procedure is also
convenient where the property ownel
! desires to obtain a loan on the prop
{ erty.
= The act went into effect January 1
: 1915, but Clerk Gillis was allowed
y thirty days after this date in which
0 to appoint the examiners of titles
During that time he has considered
e carefully the various attorneys of tn
s county who are fitted for this work
s The lawyers selected have all had cor
J, siderable experience in the work the
e are to do, and are among the mos
}. prominent of the younger attorneys @
t the county.
eI VIII Help Land Owners.
e 81 believe there is no doubt that tn
q new system will be used extensivel
It by the landowners OF the county,
Is said Mr.. Gillis today. "The expens
II of having the title registered and II
sured after 1t has been quieted
s, small and it will undoubtedly say
.e much trouble and delay afterward.
t. number of land owners have a,read
TX told me of their intention to hay
le their titles insured as soon as the la
ID was put in operation and after Il
al method Of procedure is general
known, l believe the number OF
sured titles will grow steadily"