copy or written particulars thereof: Imp. Act, § 51. s. 51 (8).

The provision here made for protest in case of the accidental detention or retention of a bill is not in the Imperial Act. The necessary particulars can usually be obtained from the bill book.

The right to make a protest on a copy of a lost note has long been recognized: Dehers v. Harriot, 1 Shower, 163 (1690).

non-pro

delay.

9. Protest is dispensed with by any circum- Excuses for stances which would dispense with notice of dis- test and honor. Delay in noting or protesting is excused when the delay is caused by circumstances beyond the control of the holder, and not imputable to his default, misconduct or negligence. When the cause of delay ceases to operate, the bill must be noted or protested with reasonable diligence. Imp. Act, s. 51 (9).

The circumstances which dispense with notice of dishonor are set out in section 50, s-s. 2.

The circumstances which excuse delay in noting and protesting, as set out in this sub-section, are identical with those which excuse delay in making presentment for payment, as set out in section 46.

See the notes and cases cited under these sections; also Legge v. Thorpe, 12 East, 171 (1810); Gibbon v. Coggon, 2 Camp. 188 (1809); Greenway v. Hindley, 4 Camp. 52 (1814); Patterson v. Beecher, 6 Moore, 319 (1821); Campbell v. Webster, 2 C. B. 258 (1845); ex parte Lowenthal, L. R. 9 Ch. 591 (1874).

officer to

10. No clerk, teller or agent of any bank shall No bank act as a notary in the protesting of any bill or note protest.

M'C.B.E.A. -20

§ 51. payable at the bank or at any of the branches in which he is employed. R. S. C. c. 123, s. 11.

Liability

of acceptor

sentment.

This provision is not in the Imperial Act. It was first enacted for Upper and Lower Canada in 1850, and made applicable to the whole Dominion by the Revised Statutes of Canada.

52. When no place of payment is specified in as to pre: the bill or acceptance, presentment for payment is not necessary in order to render the acceptor liable : Imp. Act, s. 52 (1).

Where payment to be made.

The Imperial Act reads, "when a bill is accepted generally, presentment is not necessary in order to render the acceptor liable." The change was made in this section to correspond with that made in section 19, which provides that an acceptance to pay at a particular specified place is not a qualified acceptance. The same rule applies to the maker of a promissory note: section 86, s-s. 1. See Wilson v. Brown, 6 Ont. A. R. 87 (1881); Shuter v. Paxton, 5 L. C. J. 55 (1860); Archer v. Lortie, 3 Q. L. R. 159 (1877); Mineault v. Lajoie, 9 R. L. 382 (1877); Rowe v. Young, 2 Bligh, H. L. at pp. 467, 468 (1820); Maltby v. Murrelle, 5 H. & N. at p. 823 (1860). Also notes and illustrations. under section 86, s-s. 1.

The reason given by Chalmers for the rule in this section is that "at common law the debtor is bound to seek out his creditor to pay him": Coke on Littleton, s. 340; Cranley v. Hillary, 2 M. & S. 120 (1813). The general rule in Quebec is, that if no place is indicated in the contract, payment should be made at the domicile of the debtor: C. C. Art. 1152. By Art. 1069 of the Civil Code it is provided that in all contracts of a commercial nature in which the time of performance is fixed, the debtor is put in default by the mere lapse of time, and this would apply to

bills and notes not payable on demand, and would provide § 52. for interest from their maturity; so that it becomes a mere question of costs, if the debtor when sued pays the money into court.

A presentment and notice of dishonor unless dispensed with are necessary to render the drawer and indorsers liable sections 45, 46, 48 and 49.

ment at

specified.

2. When a place of payment is specified in the No presentbill or acceptance, the acceptor, in the absence of place an express stipulation to that effect, is not discharged by the omission to present the bill for payment on the day that it matures, but if any suit or action be instituted thereon before presentation the costs thereof shall be in the discretion of the court:

Section 52 (2) of the Imperial Act reads: "When by the terms of a qualified acceptance presentment for payment is required, the acceptor, in the absence of an express stipulation to that effect is not discharged by the omission to present the bill for payment on the day that it matures." The change in the first part of the sub-section was made Reason for in the Senate to correspond with the change made in section 19 as to an acceptance at a particular specified place; and in the latter part to meet the case of an acceptor providing funds at the proper place and the holder suing without applying there. Section 86 has a similar provision as to promissory notes.

See McIver v. McFarlane, Taylor, U. C. 113 (1824); Macaulay v. McFarlane, Rob. & Jos. Dig. 493 (1841); Rice v. Bowker, 3 L. C. R. 305 (1853); Mount v. Dunn, 4 L. C. R. 348 (1854); O'Brien v. Stevenson, 15 L. C. R. 265. (1865); Crepeau v. Moore, 8 Q. L. R. 197 (1882); Chandler v. Beckwith, 2 N. B. (Berton) 423 (1838); Ratchford v.

change.

$ 52. Griffith, 4 N. B. (2 Kerr) 112 (1843); Biggs v. Wood, 2 Man. L. R. 272 (1884).

"Express stipulation."

or notice

It would seem as if the words "express stipulation" in the clause as it now stands, would mean an express stipulation that the acceptor should be discharged if the bill were not presented on the day of maturity.

Chalmers (p. 171) applies these words in the Imperial Act, to the case where a bill by the acceptance is made payable at a particular place only, and suggests that when a bill is made payable at a particular place and there only, the position of the acceptor is for many purposes analogous to that of the drawer of a cheque, and that if he could show that he was damnified by the holder's omission to present it on the proper day, he would probably be discharged. He refers to Bishop v. Chitty, 2 Stra. 1195 (1742); Alexander v. Burchfield, 7 M. & Gr. 1061 (1842); Halstead v. Skelton, 5 Q. B. at pp. 93, 94 (1843); Mullick v. Radakissen, 9 Moore P. C. at p. 70 (1854); and Smith v. Vertue, 30 L. J. C. P. at pp. 59, 60 (1860).

It will be observed that this clause in the Canadian Act is wider in its scope than the corresponding one in the Imperial Act. The latter applies only to a qualified acceptance making a bill payable at a particular place and there only; the former to all cases where either the bill itself or the acceptance names a place of payment.

No protest 3. In order to render the acceptor of a bill necessary. liable, it is not necessary to protest it, or that notice of dishonor should be given him: Imp. Act, s. 52 (3).

Protest or notice to the acceptor of a bill is unnecessary even if it be a foreign bill. The maker of a note is in the same position section 88, s-s. 4. The reason is that they are the persons primarily liable:

Treacher v. Hinton, 4

B. & A. 413 (1821); Smith v. Thatcher, ibid, 200 (1821). § 52. See also cases under sub-section 1, ante p. 306.

Present

payment.

4. Where the holder of the bill presents it for ment for payment, he shall exhibit the bill to the person from whom he demands payment, and when a bill is paid the holder shall forthwith deliver it up to the party paying it. Imp. Act, s. 52 (4).

Presentment for payment is made by the holder or by some person authorized to receive payment on his behalf: section 45, 8-s. 3. For a definition of holder see ante, p. 27 and as to payment, section 59. See section 69 as to a lost bill.

.

be ex

The bill should be produced and exhibited, as the person Bill should paying has a right to it as a voucher in his account with hibited. other parties: De la Chevrotiere v. Guilmet, 9 L. N. 412 (1886); Jordan v. Coates, 7 N. B. (2 Allen) 107 (1850); Hansard v. Robinson, 7 B. & C. at p. 94, (1827); Ramuz v. Crowe, 1 Ex. at p. 174 (1847); Crowe v. Clay, 9 Ex. 604 (1854); Musson v. Lake, 4 How. (U. S.) 262 (1846).

If a bill is payable at a bank or other particular place, and is lying there on the day of maturity, no special form of presentment is necessary: Harris v. Perry, 8 U. C. C. P. at p. 409 (1858); Pullen v. Sanford, 16 N. S. (4 R. & G.) 242 (1883); Souther v. Wallace, 20 N. S. (8 R. & G.) 509 (1888); Biggs v. Wood, 2 Man. L. R. 272 (1885)..

If on demand of payment the bill is not asked for and payment is refused on some other ground, or inability to pay is acknowledged, exhibition of the bill is waived: Chandler v. Beckwith, 2 N. B. (Berton) 423 (1838); Gilbert v. Dennis, 3 Metc. 495 (1842); Lockwood v. Crawford, 18 Conn. 361 (1847).