Exemptions from the before mentioned | duty, if used for no other purpose of riding duties on carriages.-Coaches licensed by therein than as follows, viz.-By reason of the commissioners for hackney coaches with- the owner, or any of his servants, riding in the cities of Westminster and London. therein, when laden; or when returning Carriages kept by coachmakers bona-from or going for a load in husbandry or fide for sale, or for the purpose of being lent to any person during the time such person's carriage shall be under repair. Carts used wholly in the affairs of husbandry or trade are not chargeable with this trade; or conveying the owner or family to divine service on Sundays, Good Friday, or Christmasday; or conveying persons to or from the elections of members to serve in parliament. And so on at the respective rates for any number of such horses. Horses rode by butchers in their trade, 14. 8s. 9d. each. Where two only kept, the second at 10s. 6d.-Horses not exceeding the height of thirteen hands, 17. 1s. each. One horse used by bailiff on a farm, 1. 5s. Exemptions.--Any farmer whose rent is less than 200% per annum, and having no other income, although he does occasionally use a horse for the purpose of riding. Any person occupying a farm, and making a livelihood solely thereby, or any person carrying on a trade, and making a livelihood solely thereby, or making a livelihood by such occupation and trade jointly; or any ecclesiastical persons not possessed of an annual income of 100%. or upwards, whether arising from any ecclesiastical preferment, or otherwise, for one horse used for the purpose of drawing any taxed cart. Any person using any horse for the purpose of carrying burdens in the course of the owner's trade or occupation, or for drawing any cart, (not chargeable with the duties on carriages) or for riding when returning from any place to which any burthen shall have been taken, or to any place from whence any burthen shall be brought back, or for the purpose of riding to procure medical assistance, or to or from market, or any place of public worship, or any election of members to serve in parliament, or any courts of justice, or meetings of the commissioners of taxes. Horses used for the purpose of drawing and having one dog only, the same not being any hackney coach. a grey hound, hound, pointer, setting-dog, All mares kept for the sole purpose of spaniel, lurcher, or terrier. breeding. Any officer or private serving in any corps of yeomanry or volunteer cavalry, or providing a horse for any person serving in any such corps, who shall have been returned as effective members by the certificate of the commanding officer. Horses used in his Majesty's service by any non-commissioned officer or private. Horses used solely in public stage coaches or post chaise. Any rector, vicar, or curate, keeping but one horse, and actually doing duty in the church or chapel of which he is minister and not being possessed of an income of 60%. per annum. Draught Horses, Schedule F.- For every horse, mare, gelding, or mule, (not chargeable before with any duty) if thirteen hands high of four inches to each hand, the sum of 10s. 6d. Exemptions.-Horses kept and used for the purposes of husbandry. Horses kept by persons bona fide for the occupation of farms under 2001. per annum, and making a livelihood solely thereby, although such horses shall occasionally be used for hire or profit. Mules kept by persons who seek their livelihood by the carriage of ore, slate, stone, or culm, to or from the mine or pit, or the carriage of lime, sea-weed, or other manure, provided that such ore, &c. be loaded on the backs of such mules and not otherwise. Persons having dogs not six months old. Horse Dealers, Schedule H. Every person who shall carry on the trade of horse dealer, whether in partnership or separately, in the cities of London and Westminster and the liberties of the same, the parishes of Mary-le-bone and Pancras in Middlesex, the weekly bills of mortality, or in the Borough of Southwark, the annual sum of 251, and if in any other part of England and Wales, or Berwick-upon-Tweed, the annual sum of 12. 10s. Hair Powder, Schedule I.-Every person who wears it to pay annually 17. 3s. 6d. This act does not extend to any of the Royal Family, or any servants serving immediately under them; nor any clergyman, dissenting minister, or any person in holy orders, not possessing the annual income of 100%. (however arising); nor any person serving in the navy under the rank of commander; nor any subaltern or inferior in the army; nor any officer or private in any corps of volunteers, enrolled in defence of the kingdom. No person to pay for more than two unmarried daughters. Armorial Bearings, Schedule K.-Any person keeping a coach or other carriage, and using or wearing any armorial bearing, to pay annually 24. 8s. Any person not keeping a coach, &c. but liable to the house and window duty, to pay annually 17. 4s. and every other description of persons 12s, annually. Also, see Exemptions in Schedule E. Game Certificates, Schedule L.-Not Dogs, Schedule G.-Every person who to be altered except making 31. 13s. into shall keep any grey hound, the sum of 17.31. 13s. 6d. for each such grey hound. Every person who shall keep any hound, pointer, setting-dog, spaniel, lurcher or terrier, and for every other dog where two or more are kept of whatever description, (except grey hounds) the sum of 14s. for each dog. Every person who shall keep no more than one dog, not being of the description before mentioned, the sum of 8s. for such dog. Exemptions from Duty on Dogs.-Any person who on account of poverty shall be exempt from the duty on his dwelling house Notice papers to be returned within twenty-one days from the date under the penalty of 50%. and if the exemptions are not claims therein they cannot be allowed. Persons who have entered into composition for these assessed taxes are entitled to keep any number of servants or articles of the same description, as they have compounded for free of duty. Persons who have compounded for a two wheel carriage, may keep a four wheel carriage with paying the difference between a four wheel and two wheel carriage. BILLS OF EXCHANGE. A Bill of Exchange is an obligation, whereby the drawer directs the acceptor to pay a certain sum at the day and place therein mentioned, to a third party, or his order. Originally bills were drawn by a person in one country on his correspondent in another, and they obtained the name of bills of exchange because it was the exchange, or the value of money in one place, compared with its value in another, that determined the precise extent of the sum contained in the draft. When parties to bills are of different countries, questions concerning them must be determined by the received customs of trading nations, but it is to bills of exchange drawn and negotiated in this kingdom that the following observations principally apply. The drawer of a bill should either subscribe his name at the bottom, or it should be inserted in the body of the instrument; and it must be written either by the person purporting to be the drawer, or by some person authorised by him. If drawn or signed by an agent, it is usually signed in the following mode, "A. B. for C. D." and if such agent do not express for whom he signs, he becomes personally liable. If signed by one person of a firm, for himself and partners, it is usual, and perhaps necessary, to sign "for self and company." The obligation of the drawer to pay is absoTute, and he becomes, whether the bill be drawn on his own account or that of a third person, upon its dishonour or non-acceptance, immediately, * Bills of exchange were first intro duced into the commerce of this country about the year 1381. even before the time specified for payment in such bill, liable to an action, not only for the principal sum, but likewise, in certain cases, for damages and interest; as a consequence of the bill not being honoured. Exclusive of this obligation to pay he is further bound to indemnify the acceptor, if he has not effects in his hands to the amount, from any loss he may sustain in consequence of his acceptance. The acceptor is that party who agrees, either verbally or in writing, to pay the bill, and previous to such acceptance he is called the drawee. The contract of the acceptor being absolute, he cannot insist, as a defence, on the want of the presentment of the bill at the precise time when due, or on an indulgence to any of the other parties. In a foreign bill, where the course of exchange has altered, the acceptor will, however, only be obliged to pay according to the rate of such exchange when the bill becomes due. If the holder of a dishonoured bill sues all the parties to it at the same time, the acceptor is the only person responsible to the plaintiff for the costs of all the actions. The acceptor of an accommodation bill, if obliged to pay such bill, may sue the drawer, upon his implied contract to indemnify him. If a person write his acceptance to a bill, he is answerable, although the name of the drawer should have been forged, because his engagement has relation to his own writing. An indorser transfers or assigns his right to another, and this may be done either simply by delivery, where the instrument is payable to bearer, or by indorsement and delivery, where it is payable to order. Indorsements The holder of a bill, whether transfer are of three kinds, namely, in blank, in full, and restrictive. The most usual species of indorsement is in blank, where no name is mentioned but the indorser's; and although it has been adjudged that such an indorsement does not transfer the property and interest in the bill without some further act, it gives the indorsee, as well as the other persons to whom it may be afterwards transferred, the power of making himself assignee of the beneficial interest in the instrument, by filling it up payable to himself, or by writing over the indorser's name, pay the contents," which may, when an action is brought for recovery, be done at the time of trial. An indorsement in full is that in which the name of the person in whose favour it is made is mentioned; and this is also called a special indorsement, and may restrain the negotiability of the bill. A restrictive indosement prevents the person to whom a bill is paid from making any further transfer of it, and may be expressed in these terms-"Pay the contents to A. B. only." No form is required for an indorsement; it is sufficient that the name of the indorser is written upon the back of the bill, which is most usual, or on any other part of it, either by the party making it, or by some other person duly authorised as his agent. The forgery of an indorsement in a bill transferable by indorsement only will convey no interest, and therefore any person coming into possession of a bill by a forged indorsement, does not acquire any interest in it, although he be not aware of the forgery, and consequently the original holder may, in such case, recover against the acceptor or drawer, although the acceptor may have paid the bill; and if the person attempting to derive an interest under such indorsement sues the acceptor, he will be admitted to prove that the indorsement was not made by the person purporting to have made it. If a bill be lost, and it comes into the hand of some person who was not aware of such loss, for a valuable consideration, (and without a forgery having been committed) previous to its being due, such person, although deriving his interest in the bill from the person finding it, may recover the amount of the bill from the acceptor, or other parties to it, and the person who lost it will consequently forfeit all right of action. able by delivery or not, ought, in all cases of loss, immediately to give notice of such accident to the acceptor and all the antecedent parties, and also to give public notice of such loss, in order to prevent any person from taking it. The holder of a bill of above £5, expressed for value received and payable after date, may, in case of loss, demand of the drawer another bill, of the same tenor with the original one, upon giving security, and indemnifying him, in case the lost bill should again be found. The holder of a bill, either by indorsement or delivery, or both, is entitled to receive payment from the acceptor. It is in some cases necessary, and in all advisable, to present a bill for acceptance, not only because another security is thereby added to the bill, but because by acceptance only the person ou whom the bill is drawn becomes debtor for the amount to the holder, and responsible to him. If the drawee refuses to accept, or, having accepted, if he refuses payment when due, the bill is dishonoured, and the holder, in case of neglect to communicate notice to the drawer or indorsers, within a reasonable time, will not be at liberty to resort to these parties, who, by that neglect, will be discharged from their respective obligations. The right of a drawer or indorser to receive notice, in case of a bill's being dishonoured, is so strong a principle of law, and in all cases so indispensable, that nothing but what has been, by the act of God, rendered impossible, can excuse the want of it. If the parties reside in the same place where the bill was dishonoured, notice should be given on the same day; and by that day's post, if the parties are resident out of that place. In inland bills, protested for non-acceptance, if the notice or protest thereof be not sent within 14 days, the drawer or indorser will not be liable for damages. can be legally demanded, are, the notarial fees, namely, The costs on a returned bill, that first, PROTESTS. Out of Under. Stamp. In City. City and within limits A bill £20.......... 2s. 7s. 6d. 10s. £20-£100, 3s. 8s. 6d. 11s. £100-£500, 5s. 10s. 6d. 13s. £1 £500or upward 10s. 17s. 6d. If beyond the limits, the additional charge of noting is to be added to the protest out of the city on each kind of bill. In addition to these, the holder of a dishonoured bill may recover postage, commission paid to a banker, and interest; but no extraordinary expenses which any of the parties may incur by travelling, or by an advantageous engagement being defeated by want of punctual payment, can be legally demanded. appears to be decided that the act of one partner, in the name of the firm, is obligatory upon the others, though it may be on his own separate account, unless the persons claiming the benefit of this responsibility received the bill with the knowledge of the circumstance, that it was only the concern of one party. One partner may pledge the credit of his copartners to any amount, by an act in the way of trade and merchandize, done in the name of the firm. One partner, however cannot bind another by deed, without the express authority of all the parties bound. An authority given to one partner to receive all debts owing to, and to pay all debts due from the partnership, on its dissolution, does not authorize such party to indorse a bill of exchange in the name Where different parties to bills or him, and accepted by the debtor of of the partnership, though drawn by notes have become bankrupt, the the partnership after the dissolution. holder may prove the full amount In order to render the dissolution of a against them all, in the same manner partnership legal, it is indispensably as he may proceed in different actions necessary that notice of such dissoluat law till he has obtained a full satis-tion should be published once in the faction. The costs and charges of pro- London Gazette, with the signatures testing bills, before an act of bank- of the parties affixed; it is usual also, ruptcy, may be proved, but those in the country, to advertise such nowhich accrue afterwards cannot; nor tice in the provincial paper or papers is the holder of a bill or note entitled published where the business has been to any interest accruing after the date carried on, that the persons with whom of the commission issued. The proof they have traded may the better be of the debt, arising out of the bill or brought acquainted with that circumnotes, is to be made before the com- stance; and it is further necessary, in ormissioners, at their sittings, as in case der that the dissolution may be brought of any other debt. Any bill or note home to the knowledge of the holder given by a bankrupt as a consideration of any bill, or other negotiable instrufor signing his certificate, or for with- ment, in which the firm is concerned, drawing a petition against it, is illegal that the partners should give notice to by statute, and such instrument is null all their individual correspondents; otherwise, notwithstanding the notice in the Gazette, and provincial papers, they will stand responsible for all bills negotiated, by one of the former partners, in the name of the firm. and void. Partnership Concerns.-In partnership concerns, where one partner accepts a bill for himself and partners, the firm is bound to pay it if it concerns the trade; and from a decision in the case of Sheriff v. Wilkes, it |