3. GAMBIA. [Contributed by A. GRAY, ESQ.] Ordinances passed-18. The Ceded Mile.-The Ceded Mile Administration Ordinance, 1896, noticed in our last year's review, seems to have given rise to some doubts of construction. The ceded mile is part of the Queen's dominions, but the Colonial Government finds it convenient to govern it under the laws relating to the Gambia Protectorate. The law of 1896 merely applied the Protectorate Ordinances, and reserved Her Majesty's rights of sovereignty. A new law (Ordinance No. 1) is now substituted, and effects a compromise between Colonial and Protectorate law. The Colonial laws are to apply so far as they are not inconsistent with the Protectorate laws applied. Of the latter, the Trade License Ordinance of 1895 is no longer to apply in the ceded mile. For purposes of the Colonial laws the Commissioner of the Protectorate territory is to exercise the powers of two justices of the peace. Licenses to Farm.-In order to encourage cultivation in British Kommbo, licenses to farm may be granted (Ordinance No. 2) at very moderate annual rents. The license is described as a "bare, untransferable license,” and is expressly stated not to confer any proprietary or possessory rights. Postal Laws. The postal laws of the colony are consolidated by Ordinance No. 6. It is normal in form, but properly leaves much to executive regulation. Emigrants.-Emigrants from the colony are further protected by Ordinance No. 7. It imposes proper restrictions on ships carrying more than twenty-five steerage passengers. Emigration agents must be licensed (5), and the agents must pay a fee of 4s. for every person they induce to emigrate. Accused Persons as Witnesses.-The Gambia colony has anticipated the United Kingdom in giving defendants in criminal proceedings the power of appearing as witnesses. The Ordinance (No. 10) is not hedged round with the provisos of the recent British Act: "The accused and the husband or wife of the accused shall be competent, but not compellable, to give evidence." A second clause provides that any person so offering himself as a witness shall take the oath and be examined, and may be cross-examined as an ordinary witness. Possession of Property Stolen Abroad.-Following Imperial legislation, the colony makes it an offence, punishable with seven years' imprisonment, to receive or possess in the colony any property which he knows to have been stolen abroad. The other Ordinances relating to details of summary procedure and matters of public health do not call for any special remark. 4. GOLD COAST. [Contributed by A. GRAY, ESQ.] Ordinances passed-23. Peace Preservation.—The first law meriting notice is a Peace Preservation Ordinance (No. 6) of quite an Irish complexion. There are provisions for proclamation of districts, heavy penalties for riot, costs of additional constabulary, etc. Probably in connection with this law, which betokens unrest, a subsequent Ordinance (No. 8) authorises the Governor to depose certain political offenders who have been disturbing the public peace. Book and Newspaper Registration. The Book and Newspaper Registration Ordinance (No. 14) is a tardy recognition of an Imperial desideratum. Three copies of every book published in the colony are to be sent to the Governor, of which one is to go to the British Museum. Compulsory Labour.—The Compulsory Labour Ordinance of 1895, which was noticed in our review for that year, and which was due to expire in December 1897, was renewed for another year. Native Customs: Fetishes. The Native Customs Amendment Ordinance, 1897 (No. 23), again introduces us to the realm of African fetish. It amends in some particulars the Ordinance of 1892, under which a number of specified and unspecified native customs were prohibited or controlled. It is curious to find in the interpretation clause such definitions as the following: “Tribal emblem' includes any drum, bell, head-dress, stool, figure, badge, fetish charm, or other thing having a symbolic meaning. "Fetish priest' means any person who has the custody of any fetish or fetish charm which is worshipped, or who controls or takes the principal part in any fetish worship, or who pretends to be able to evoke the power of any fetish, and includes the priests known as Dseme or Jeme. "Krobo customs' means any one or more of the customs known as Kotoklo, Nadu, Kokonadu, and Otufu or Dipo." VII. SOUTH ATLANTIC. FALKLAND ISLANDS. [Contributed by SIR COURTENAY IIBERT.] Ordinances passed-10. Cattle Disease.-Ordinance No. 1 amends the Scab Ordinance, 1895 and requires the branding of sheep afflicted with scab. The Ordinance of 1895 is further amended by Ordinance No. 9 of 1897. Customs. The Customs Ordinance, 1897 (No. 3), consolidates the law relating to the Customs duties in the islands. Protection against Fire.--The Local Rates Ordinance (No. 5) imposes a rate of 9d. in the on house property to provide means of protection against fire. The Stanley Fire Brigade Ordinance (No. 7) establishes a volunteer fire brigade, and contains sundry provisions for protection against fire. VIII. NORTH AMERICAN COLONIES. 1. BRITISH COLUMBIA.' [Contributed by WALTER PEACOCK, ESQ.] THE legislation of the past year anticipates a large increase of population and commercial activity in consequence of the recent discovery of extraordinary mineral wealth in the province. Company Law.-The Company Law has been consolidated in the Companies Act, 1897 (c. 2), which is based on the (Imperial) Companies Acts, 1862, 1867, and 1877, omitting the clauses dealing with winding-up, the Forged Transfers Act, 1891, and the Directors' Liability Act, 1890. The Provincial Act is divided into ten parts, of which I., II., and IV. are, broadly speaking, a transcript of I., II., and III. of the (Imperial) Companies Act of 1862. III. reproduces the sections in the (Imperial) Companies Act of 1867, which deal with calls, subdivision of shares, share-warrants to bearer, and reduction of capital. V. empowers companies to borrow money and secure repayment. VI. and VII. compel the licensing and registration of extraprovincial companies before they may carry on business within the province. VIII. deals with voluntary winding-up, a verbal transcript of ss. 129 and 139 of Imperial Act of 1862. IX. protects purchasers from losses by forged transfers and fraudulent and negligent practices, reproducing s. 1 of (Imperial) Forged Transfers Act, 1891, as amended by the Act of 1892, s. 4 of the latter Act, and ss. 3-5 of Directors' Liability Act, 1890. X. repeals former enactments. The Companies Clauses Consolidation Act, 1897 (c. 3), is an almost literal transcript of the (Imperial) Companies Clauses Consolidation Acts of 1845, 1863, and 1888, with a slight rearrangement of clauses. Compensation. Compensation is dealt with in the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act, 1897 (c. 20), which is a slightly adapted transcript of the (Imperial) Lands Clauses Consolidation Acts, 1845 and 1860, omitting certain clauses relating to entry upon lands, false evidence, and all the clauses respecting copyhold and waste lands. The Session 60 Vict, ended on May 8th, 1897. Of the seventy-seven Acts passed the first forty-five are classed as public, the remainder as private. Public Works: Railways, Roads.-The British Columbia Public Works Loan Act, 1897 (c. 24), in anticipation of a large and sudden increase of population, authorises the Lieutenant-Governor in Council to raise a loan not exceeding two and a half million dollars to be applied in grants of subsidies on certain terms to new railways; the balance (if any) to be applied towards the construction of roads and other public works. Dykes. The Dyking Debenture Act, 1897 (c. 12), empowers the Lieutenant-Governor in Council to raise a loan for redeeming certain debentures bearing a high rate of interest, issued under the authority of the Drainage and Dyking and Irrigation Act, 1894; and also to raise a further sum for strengthening and repairing certain dykes. Water Supply.-The Water Clauses Consolidation Act, 1897 (c. 45), confirms to the Crown all unrecorded water, and regulates the supply of water for (1) Agricultural and Mining Purposes. Owners of land and mine- (3) Industrial Purposes. Specially incorporated companies called Administration of Justice: Boundaries.-The Counties' Definition Amendment Act, 1897 (c. 5), empowers the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, for the purpose of providing more effectually for the administration of justice, to constitute by Order in Council a new county, to be known as the County of South Kootenay, to which all the provisions of the Counties' Definition. Act, 1895, are extended. (County Courts).-The County Courts Act Amendment Act, 1897 (c. 6), repeals s. 5 of the County Courts Act Amendment Act, 1896, and makes new provisions with regard to appeals. (Small Debts).-The Small Debts Act Amendment Act, 1897 (c. 7), provides in the case of execution returned nulla bona for the filing by the Registrar of the County Court of a transcript of the judgment, upon which the plaintiff or defendant may pursue the same remedy as if the judgment were originally obtained in the County Court. Provision is also made for the appointment of a Clerk of the Court. (Supreme Court). The Supreme Court Amendment Act, 1897 (c. 8), regulates the sitting of the judges of the Supreme Court as a Full Court for the hearing of appeals. (Crown Franchises). The Crown Franchises Regulation Act, 1897 (c. 9), enables the Attorney-General of British Columbia to proceed against persons misusing or usurping certain offices, and against any corporation contravening its Act of Incorporation or forfeiting its franchise by non-user. Statute Law Revision.-C. 41 provides for the revision and consolidation of the law of the province, including the Statute Law of England in force and applicable therein. Trustees. The Trustees and Executors Amendment Act, 1897 (C. 44), provides for the remuneration of trustees and executors, the removal of trustees appointed by the court at the request of the cestuisque trust; and enables executors, where the deceased has entered into a contract for the sale of real estate, but has not provided by will for the conveyance, to execute a good and sufficient conveyance to the person entitled. Where estate is insufficient to pay, a trustee may make a declaration and become trustee for creditors. Municipalities. The Speedy Incorporation of Towns Act (c. 16) empowers the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, without requiring the inhabitants to observe the provisions of s. 2 of the Municipalities Incorporation Act, 1896, by letters patent to incorporate into cities certain tracts of land thereafter to be known as the "City of Nelson," the "City of Rossland,” the "City of Grand Forks." Other clauses relate to the qualification for municipal office, the powers of municipal councils with regard to sewage, expropriation of water, etc., and the exemption of mineral lands from municipal taxation. Police. The Municipal Clauses Act Amendment Act, 1897 (c. 30), extends the series of matters with which the councils were empowered by the Act of 1896 to deal by bylaws. It is declared to be the duty of every municipality to provide a permanent police force, and to maintain law and order within its limits. The amendment, however, consists for the most part of slight and verbal alterations. Qualification of Electors.-The Municipal Elections Amendment Act, 1897 (c. 31), amends the Act of 1896 as to the qualification of electors. Labour. The Alien Labour Act, 1897 (c. 1), prohibits the employment of Chinese and Japanese on certain works. Master and Servant.-The Master and Servant Act, 1897 (c. 26), provides |