HIGH COURT OF MADRAS. 



137 



The style of the new Court, it was enacted, should be the 

 Madras Court of Small Causes, and it was given jurisdiction 

 in all suits where the debt or damage claimed, or value of the 

 property in dispute, was not more than Eupees 500, extended 

 to Rupees 1,000 by Act XXVI of 1864. 



Any Judge of the Supreme Court who should consent to 

 aid in the execution of Act IX of 1850, was empowered to do 

 so by section 11, and under this provision the Judges of the 

 Supreme Court while Sir Christopher Kawlinson was Chief 

 Justice (1850 to 1859) sat twice a week for the disposal of 

 small causes. 



Small Cause Courts were subsequently established in the 

 Mofussil under Act XI of 1865 and Madras Act I of 1866. 



In addition to the unsatisfactory state of the Court of 

 Bequests at the time of the passing of the Statute 39 and 40 

 Geo. Ill, c. 79, it was considered that great inconvenience 

 had also arisen from the practice of granting letters of adminis- 

 tration in cases where the next of kin, or any of the creditors 

 of the deceased, did not apply for the same, to persons calling 

 themselves friends of the deceased. It was therefore enacted 

 (39 and 40 Greo. III., c. 79, s. 21) that whenever any British 

 subject should die intestate within either of the Presidencies 

 of Fort William, Fort St. Greorge, or Bombay, or the terri- 

 tories subordinate to either of the said Presidencies, and on 

 return of the citation to be issued from the proper Ecclesi- 

 astical Court no next of kin or creditor should appear and 

 make out their claim to the administration of the effects of 

 the intestate deceased to the satisfaction of the said Court, it 

 should and might be lawful for the Registrar of such Court 

 respectively, and he was thereby required to apply for, and 

 such Court was required and directed to grant such letters 

 ad colligend% or of administration, as to such Court should 

 seem meet, by virtue whereof such Registrar should collect 

 the assets of the deceased, and should bring them for safe 



19 



