another, made incapcable of alienation, and given over to l)o dealt with by deeds and willa, or else to go to children or next of kiu whom neither may wish to benefit. I cannot now follow this into further detail ; but I will ask ■ anybody to imagine the faces of some honest carpenter and his wife, when a legacy of £50 has just accrued to the latter, and when they have been discussing how pleasant it wi'l be to buy that much-wanted stock of timber or some better machinery and to extend their operations, or to start son John in business, or daughter Anne in marriage, and when they have just been told that Mr. Eaikes's Act has benignly settled all these matters for them, and that the £50 cannot be dealt with except by His Honour the County Court judge, and that nothing of it except the income can be enjoyed during the marriage, unless they can prevail upon him, after a formal healing, to make some different arrangement in accordance with the practice of the Court of Chancery. How grateful our honest friends v/ould feel towards such legislators ! And how much of the fund would remain after all the business was settled ! That such an Act would benefit lawyers and, on a short-si f^h ted view, the Chancellor of the Exche^pier, is not to be doubted ; neither is it to be doubted that it would be a frightful plague among the poorer classes. And how would it affect the husband who swoops down the cases of ^^p^^ ]-^[g^ -^yife periodically for supplies ] Her cash, her bed, aarcfe ip. ^^^ chairs, her crockery, nay the very bread and butter slic may have laid out for her meal, v/ould it seems still belong to him; all these things being "transferable by mere delivery." She too, has, wo will say, a legacy of £50. He is the trustee of it until a legal proceeding is taken to displace him. Upon her death he is her successor in the enjoyment of the income ; and whatever her necessities may be, not a penny of the capiUil can be employed in their relief, unless with his consent and after fresh legal proceedings which may or may not be successful. Such provisions appear to be as inefficient against the evil-doer as they are oppressive ujion the innocent. The foregoinsc provisions relate to sjross amount of property, Arranpfements -^^ *= ° .„ , . ® . l i jy when the Avife irrespective of the wiie s earnings. With respect to earning,^, family '^^^ ^ the Bill provides that when a wife can show that for six months expenses. ^j^^ j^.^^ earned more than half the expenses of her flimily the jud^e of the County Court shall have ijower to grant her a
