ANNO VICESIMO PRIMO

VICTORIÆ REGINÆ

No 15.

An Act to simplify the Laws relating to the transfer and encumbrance

of freehold and other interests in Land.

[Assented to, 27th January, 1858.]

Preamble.
WHEREAS the inhabitants of the Province of South Australia are
subjected to losses, heavy costs, and much perplexity, by reason that the
laws relating to the transfer and encumbrance of freehold and other
interests in land are complex, cumbrous, and unsuited to the requirements
of the said inhabitants, it is therefore expedient to amend the said laws—Be
it Enacted, by the Governor-in-Chief, of the said Province, with the advice
and consent of the Legislative Council and House of Assembly of the said
Province, in this present Parliament assembled, as follows:

1. All Laws, Statutes, Acts, Ordinances, rules, regulations, and Repeal of

practice whatsoever, relating to freehold and other interests in land, so far previous Acts.
as inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed, so far
as regards their application to land under the provisions of this Act, or the
bringing of land under the operation of this Act.

2. This Act may be cited for all purposes as the “Real Property Act.” Short title.

3. In the construction, and for the purposes of this Act, and in all Interpretation of
instruments purporting to be made or executed thereunder (if not certain terms.
inconsistent with the context and subject matter), the following terms shall
have the respective meanings hereinafter assigned to them, that is to say—
The word “Land” shall extend to and include messuages, tenements, and
hereditaments, corporeal and incorporeal, of every
kind
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kind and description, (whether of a greater or less description than life

estates, and whether at law or in equity), together with all paths,
passages, ways, waters, water-courses, liberties, privileges, easements,
plantations, gardens, mines, minerals, and quarries, and all trees and
timber thereon or thereunder, lying or being, unless the same are
specially excepted:
“Grant” shall mean the land grant of any land of the Crown by any
Resident Commissioner or Governor of the said Province, to any
person or persons:
“Proprietor” shall mean any person seised or possessed of any estate at law
or in equity, in possession, in futurity, or expectancy, whether a life
estate, or of a greater or less description than a life estate, in any land.
“Transfer” shall mean the execution of every instrument, and the
performance of every formality, including registration, required by
this Act, to give validity to the passing, either of the whole of the
proprietor’s interest in land, or of any less estate therein:
“Memorandum of Sale” shall mean the instrument executed by the person
having estate or interest in land under the operation of this Act, for the
purpose of transferring such estate and interest in form of the
Schedule hereto annexed, marked B:
“Transmission” shall mean the acquirement of title to or interest in lands,
consequent on the will, intestacy, bankruptcy, insolvency, or marriage
of a proprietor:
“Certificate of Title” shall mean the instrument executed by the Registrar-
General, in form A of the Schedule hereto annexed, duplicate of
which constitutes a separate page in the register book, vesting the fee
simple, or any less estate (as the case may be), in land brought under
the operation of this Act:
“Mortgage” shall be applicable to every charge on, or interest in land,
created merely for securing a loan:
“Mortgagor” shall mean the borrower of money on the security of any
estate or interest in land under the operation of this Act:
“Mortgagee” shall mean the lender of money upon the security of any
estate or interest in land under the operation of this Act:
“Bill of Mortgage” shall mean the instrument in form of the Schedule
hereto annexed, marked D, required under this Act to be executed by
the intending mortgagor, with a view to creating such mortgage as last
aforesaid:
“Encumbrance” and “Assignment” shall mean the execution by a person of
every necessary or suitable instrument, and the performance of every
formality, including registration, required by this Act, for assigning,
surrendering, or otherwise transferring land of which such person is
possessed, either for the whole estate of the person so possessed or for
any less estate, in order to render such land available for securing the
payment of any annuity or dower, or for the payment of any
sum
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sum of money either absolutely or subject to conditions, restrictions, or

contingencies; including also the execution, by the Registrar-General, of
every instrument, and the performance by him of every formality
required by this Act to give validity to such encumbrance or assignment:
“Encumbrancer” shall mean the person, not being a mortgagor, who shall
have assigned any estate or interest in land under the operation of this
Act for the purpose of securing any annuity, dower, or sum of
money:
“Encumbrancee” shall mean the person, not being a mortgagee, to whom
or for whose benefit any estate or interest in land under the
provisions of this Act shall have been encumbered or assigned:
“Bill of Encumbrance” or “Bill of Trust” shall mean the instrument
creating such encumbrance or assignment executed by the person
having estate or interest in land under the operation of this Act in
form of one or other of the Schedules hereto annexed, marked
respectively E or F:
“Estate in Fee Simple” shall mean the absolute property in land, such as is
originally vested by a “Grant” in the meaning of this Act:
“Registration Abstract” shall mean the instrument under the hand and seal
of the Registrar-General, executed in form of the Schedule hereto
marked H, or in words to the like effect, available in lieu of the
Register Book, for the purpose of enabling a person to mortgage or to
sell, in places without the limits of the said Province, land under the
operation of this Act whereof he may be seised as proprietor:
“Lunatic” shall mean any person who shall have been found to be a lunatic
upon inquiry by the Supreme Court, or by any Judge thereof, or upon
a Commission of Inquiry issuing out of the Supreme Court in the
nature of a writ de lunatico inquirendo:
The expression “Person of Unsound Mind” shall mean any person not an
infant, who, not having been found to be a lunatic, shall be incapable,
from infirmity of mind, to manage his own affairs:
“Consular Officer” shall include Consul-General, Consul, and Vice-
Consul, and any person for the time being discharging the duties of
Consul-General, Consul, or Vice-Consul:
“Registrar-General” shall mean the Registrar-General, or other officer duly
authorized or appointed to carry out the provisions of this Act, or any
person duly authorized as Deputy of such Registrar-General, or to act
on his behalf in respect to this Act:
“Instrument” shall mean and include any land grant, certificate of title, or
other document in writing, relating to the transfer, encumbrance, or
other dealing with land:
“Register
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“Register Book” shall mean the book hereinafter directed to be kept for the
purpose of recording therein, in order, grants and certificates of titles
issued, and the execution of instruments affecting land under the
operation of this Act:
“Person,” used and referred to in the masculine gender, shall include a
female as well as a male, and shall include a body corporate:
The naming any person as proprietor, vendor, mortgagor, mortgagee,
encumbrancer, encumbrancee, lessor or lessee, or as trustee, or as
seised of or having any estate or interest in any land, shall be deemed
to include the heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns of such
person:
And, generally, unless the contrary shall appear from the context, every
word importing the singular number only shall extend to several
persons or things, and every word importing the plural number shall
apply to one person or thing, and every word importing the
masculine gender only shall extend to a female.
Functions of the Re- 4. The department of the Registrar-General shall be the department to
gistrar-General and
his department. undertake the general superintendence of matters relating to the transfer,
transmission, sale, mortgage, and encumbrancing of all land under the
operation of this Act, and the releasing of such land from any mortgage or
encumbrance, and shall be authorized to carry into execution the provisions
of this Act, and of any Acts to amend or extend the provisions of this Act
in force for the time being.
Certificate and docu- 5. All documents whether purporting to be issued or written by or
ments purporting to be
signed and sealed in a under the directions of the Registrar-General, and purporting either to be
given manner to be sealed with his seal or signed by him, or by one of his deputies shall be
received as evidence.
received in evidence, and shall be deemed to be issued or written by or
under the direction of the Registrar-General without further proof unless
the contrary be shown.
Registrar-General 6. The Registrar-General may, with the consent of the Governor, for
may make rules.
the purposes of carrying into effect the provisions contained in this Act,
give such instructions as to the manner of making entries in the register
book, as to the execution and attestation of instruments as to any evidence
to be required for identifying any person, and generally as to any act or
thing to be done in pursuance of this Act, as he may think fit.
Registrar-General, 7. The Registrar-General may, with the consent of the Governor of the
with sanction of
Governor, to issue said Province from time to time prepare and sanction forms of the various
forms of instruments, books, instruments, and papers required by this Act, and may with like
&c.
sanction from time to time make such alterations therein as he deems
requisite ; and shall, before finally issuing or altering any such form, give
such public notice thereof as he deems
necessary
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necessary in order to prevent inconvenience ; and shall cause every such

form to be sealed with such seal as aforesaid, or marked with some other
distinguishing mark, and to be supplied at the General Registry Office free
of charge, or at such moderate prices as he may from time to time fix, or
may licence any person to print and sell the same ; and every such
instrument and paper as aforesaid shall be made in the form issued by the
Registrar-General, and sanctioned by him as the proper form for the time
being ; and every such instrument or paper, if made in a form purporting to
be a proper form, and to be sealed or marked as aforesaid, shall be taken to
be made in the form hereby required, unless the contrary is proved.
8. Every person who counterfeits, assists in counterfeiting, or procures Penalty for counter-
feiting seal, fraudu-
to be counterfeited, such seal or other distinguishing mark as aforesaid, or lently altering forms,
who fraudulently alters, assists in fraudulently altering, or procures to be and for not using
forms issued by Re
fraudulently altered, any form issued by the Registrar-General with the gistrar-General.
view of evading any of the provisions of this Act or any condition
contained in such form, shall for each offence be deemed guilty of a
misdemeanor, and shall incur a penalty not exceeding One Hundred
Pounds ; or may, at the discretion of the Court before whom such case may
be tried, be imprisoned for any period not exceeding twelve calendar
months ; and every person who, in any case in which a form sanctioned by
the Registrar-General is by this Act required to be used, uses without
reasonable excuse any form not purporting to be so sanctioned, or who
prints, sells, or uses any document purporting to be a form so sanctioned
knowing the same not to be so sanctioned for the time being, or not to have
been prepared and issued by the Registrar-General, shall for each such
offence incur a penalty not exceeding Ten Pounds.
9. The Registrar-General may exercise the following powers, that is to Powers of Registrar.

say —
(1.) He may require the proprietor or other person making application to To inspect documents.

have any land brought under the operation of this Act, or the
proprietor, or mortgagee, or other person interested in any land under
the operation of this Act, in respect of which any transfer, lease,
mortgage, or other encumbrance, or any release from any mortgage
or encumbrance, is about to be transacted, or in respect of which any
transmission is about to be registered, or a registration abstract
granted under this Act, to produce any land grant, certificate of title,
conveyance, bill of sale, mortgage deed, lease, will, or any other
instrument in his possession or within his control affecting such land
or the title thereto :
(2.) He may summon any such proprietor, mortgagee, or other person as He may summon and
examine witnesses.
aforesaid to appear, and give any explanation respecting such land, or
the instruments affecting the title thereto, and if, upon requisition
duly made by the Registrar-General, such proprietor, mortgagee, or
other person refuses or neglects
to
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to produce any such instrument, or to allow the same to be inspected,

or refuses or neglects to give any explanation which he is hereinbefore
required to give, or knowingly misleads or deceives any person
hereinbefore authorized to demand any such explanation, he shall for
each such offence incur a penalty not exceeding Twenty Pounds ; and
the Registrar-General, if the instrument or information so withheld
appears to him material, shall not be bound to proceed with the
bringing of such land under the operation of this Act, or with the
registration of such mortgage or sale, or with the issuing of such
powers of mortgage or sale as the case may be:
He may administer (3.) He may administer oaths, or, in lieu of administering an oath, may
oaths.
require any person examined by him to make and subscribe a
declaration of the truth of the statements made by him in his
examination.
Appointment of Lands 10. It shall be lawful for the Governor, with the advice of the
Titles Commissioners.
Executive Council, by warrant under his hand and the public seal of the
said Province, to appoint two persons, not being legal practitioners, who,
together with the Registrar-General, shall be Commissioners for
investigating and dealing with claims for the bringing of land under the
provisions of this Act, and from time to time with like advice and in like
manner to remove any of such Commissioners so appointed from office,
and to appoint another person in his place.
Style, remuneration, 11. The style of such Commissioners shall be the “Lands Titles
form of procedure.
Commissioners.” The Registrar-General shall receive a reasonable salary.
The other Commissioners shall be remunerated by fees on applications
referred to them for bringing lands under the operation of this Act as set
forth in the Schedule hereto marked T. At meetings of the said Lands
Titles Commissioners, two shall form a quorum, and the Registrar-General,
if present, shall preside as Chairman.
Solicitors to be ap- 12. It shall be lawful for the said Commissioners, subject to the
pointed.
approval of the Governor, to appoint two legal practitioners, at reasonable
salaries, to be their solicitors and permanent counsel, and also, subject to
the like approval, to dismiss and discharge such solicitors and to appoint
others in their stead.
Land alienated after 13. All land alienated from the Crown within the said Province, from
the first day of July,
1858, to be subject to and after the first day of July, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight,
provisions of this Act. shall be subject to the provisions of this Act.
Lands granted prior to 14. Land, in the said Province, the grants of which may have been
the day on which this
Act comes into signed prior to the day appointed for this Act to come into operation,
operation may be (whether such land shall constitute the entire or part only of the land
brought under the
operation of this Act. included in any grant), may, at the desire of the proprietor, be brought
under the operation of this Act in the following manner, that is to say —
The proprietor shall deliver to the Registrar-General an appli-
cation
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cation in form of the Schedule, hereto annexed, marked I, or in words

to the like effect, and shall at the same time deposit with the Registrar-
General all instruments in his possession or under his control constituting
or in any way affecting his title to such land, together with an abstract of
title in which he shall set forth and describe every instrument constituting
or in any way affecting his title to such land, with the names and, so far as
shall be within his knowledge, the addresses of all persons, if any, seised or
possessed of any estate or interest in such land at law or in equity, in
possession or in futurity, or expectancy, whether a life estate or of a greater
or less description than a life estate, and shall make and subscribe a
declaration to the truth of such abstract ; or if such applicant proprietor be
the sole and only person having estate or interest in such land, then he shall
make and subscribe a declaration to that effect.
15. If, upon receipt of such application, it shall appear to the When applicant pro-
prietor is orginal
satisfaction of the Registrar-General that the applicant proprietor is the grantee and no trans-
original grantee of the land in respect to which application is made, and actions have taken
place.
that such land has been granted on or subsequent to the nineteenth day of
October, one thousand eight hundred and forty two, and that no sale,
mortgage, or other encumbrance transaction in any way affecting the title
to such land has at any time been registered in the said Province, then, and
in such case, the Registrar-General shall, once in each of two successive
weeks, give public notice by advertisement in the South Australian
Government Gazette, and in, at the least, one newspaper published in the
City of Adelaide, in the said Province, that application has been made for
the bringing of such land under the operation of this Act, which notice
shall be in the form of the Schedule hereto annexed, marked J, or in words
to the like effect ; and the Registrar-General shall likewise cause copy of
such notice to be posted in a conspicuous place in his office, and in such
other public places as he may deem necessary ; and in any such case if the
Registrar-General shall not, within the space of two calendar months from
the date of the latest of such advertisements as hereinbefore directed to be
published, receive any caveat as hereinafter described, with respect to such
land, it shall be lawful for him, by notice to that effect published in the
South Australian Government Gazette, to bring such land under the
operation of this Act.
16. If it shall appear to the satisfaction of the Registrar-General that When applicant pro-
prietor is not original
the applicant proprietor is not the original grantee of the land included in grantee and mortgages
such application, or that the said land was granted prior to the nineteenth are satisfied or parties
thereto are also parties
day of October, one thousand eight hundred and forty two, or that any to application and no
transfer, transmission, mortgage, encumbrance, or beneficial interest, transmissions have
taken place.
affecting the title to such land has been made, or has been registered in the
said Province, or elsewhere, then and in such case the Registrar-General
shall refer such application to the Lands Titles Commissioners for their
consideration, and if it shall appear to the satisfaction of the said
Commissioners that the title to the land included in such application has
not been
derived
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derived by transmission, and that every mortgage, encumbrance, or

beneficial interest, affecting the title to the land so included has been
released and satisfied, or if any such mortgage, encumbrance, or interest,
remains unsatisfied, that the parties interested therein are also parties to
such application, then, and in either such case, the said Commissioners
shall make and subscribe a warrant addressed to the Registrar-General, in
form of the Schedule hereto annexed marked K, or in words to the like
effect, which warrant shall contain a direction to the Registrar-General to
cause notice of such application to be advertised three several times in the
South Australian Government Gazette, and in at least one newspaper
published in the City of Adelaide, and shall further limit and appoint a
time, not less than one month nor more than twelve months from the date
of the latest of such advertisements, upon or after the expiration of which,
it shall be lawful for the Registrar-General, unless he shall in the interval
have received a caveat as hereinafter described, to bring such land under
the operation of this Act ; but if it shall appear to the satisfaction of the said
Commissioners that the title to the land included in such application has
been derived by transmission, or that any parties interested in any
When evidence of unsatisfied mortgage or encumbrance affecting the title to such land, or any
title is not clear, or
transmissions have other party, beneficially interested therein, are not parties to such
taken place, or parties application, or that the evidence of title set forth by such applicant
interested in unsatis-
fied mortgages are proprietor is imperfect, it shall be lawful for such Commissioners to direct
not parties to the the Registrar-General to reject such application altogether or, at their
application.
discretion, by warrant under their hand, in form of the Schedule hereto
annexed marked K, or in words to the like effect, to direct the Registrar-
General to cause notice of such application to be published in the South
Australian Government Gazette, and in the London Gazette and in the
Official Gazettes of each of the Colonies of New South Wales, Victoria,
Tasmania, and New Zealand, or in any one or more of such Gazettes, and
the said Commissioners shall in such warrant specify the number of times,
and at what intervals, such advertisement shall be published in each or any
of such Gazettes, and shall also limit and appoint a time, not less than two
months nor more than three years from the date of the latest of such
advertisements, upon or after the expiration of which, it shall be lawful for
the Registrar-General, unless he shall in the interval have received a caveat
as hereinafter described, to bring such land under the operation of this Act.
Notice to parties 17. The Registrar-General, upon receipt of any such warrant as is
having any registered
interest or title. hereinbefore for either case respectively directed to be issued under the
hand of such Commissioners, shall cause notice to be published in such
manner as in such warrant may be directed, that application had been made
for bringing the land referred to in such warrant under the operation of this
Act, and shall also cause copy of such notice to be posted in a conspicuous
place in his office, and in such other public places as he may deem
necessary ; and the Registrar-General shall likewise forward through the
post office copy of such notice, addressed to each former proprietor,
mortgagee, or other person who may then, or at any previous time, have
had or
held
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held any legal or equitable title, claim, or encumbrance, to or upon such

land, as far as his knowledge of the facts of the case, and of the names and
addresses of such persons may enable him, and if the Registrar-General
shall not, within the time for that purpose limited and appointed in any
such warrant, receive any caveat as hereinafter described, it shall be lawful
for him, by notice published in the South Australian Government Gazette,
to bring the land referred to or described in such warrant under the
operation of this Act.
18. It shall be lawful for any person having or claiming an interest in Parties interested may
enter caveat.
any land so advertised as aforesaid, or for the attorney of any person
having or claiming interest therein, within the time hereinbefore limited
and appointed, or that may be warrant as aforesaid, under the hands of the
Lands Titles Commissioners, be for that purpose limited and appointed, to
lodge a caveat with the Registrar-General forbidding the bringing of such
land under the operation of this Act, which caveat shall be in the form of
the Schedule hereto annexed, marked L, or as near thereto as circumstances
permit, and shall particularize the estate, interest, lien, or charge, claimed
by the person lodging the same ; and if such claim is made under any
instruments other than those set forth in the abstract deposited by the
applicant proprietor, the person lodging such caveat shall deliver a full and
complete abstract of his title, which shall contain the same matters, and be
subject to the same regulations as are hereinbefore prescribed for the case
of an abstract deposited by the applicant proprietor.
19. The Registrar-General, upon receipt of any such caveat within If caveat be received
within time limited,
the time for either case limited as aforesaid, shall notify the same to such proceedings stayed.
applicant proprietor, and shall suspend further action in the matter, and the
lands in respect of which such caveat may have been lodged shall not be
brought under the operation of this Act until such caveat shall have been
withdrawn or shall have lapsed from any of the causes hereinafter
provided, or until a decision shall have been obtained from the Court
having jurisdiction in the matter.
20. After the expiration of three calendar months from the date Penalty for lodging
caveat without
thereof, every caveat shall be deemed to have lapsed unless the person by reasonable ground.
whom or on whose behalf the same was lodged shall, within that time,
have taken proceedings to establish his title to the estate, interest, lien, or
charge therein specified, and every person who shall fail to show probable
cause for lodging such caveat to the satisfaction of the Judge before whom
any prosecution may in such case be instituted, shall forfeit and pay a
penalty not exceeding One Hundred Pounds.
21. If, upon the application of any proprietor to have land, of which Applicant proprietor
may summons Regis-
he is seised, brought under the operation of this Act, the Registrar-General trar-General to show
shall refuse so to do, or if such applicant pro- cause, if dissatisfied.

prietor
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prietor shall be dissatisfied with the direction upon his application, given
by the Lands Titles Commissioners as hereinbefore provided it shall be
lawful for such applicant proprietor to require the Registrar-General to set
forth in writing, under his hand, his objections to the title of such applicant
proprietor or the grounds upon which such direction was given, and such
applicant proprietor may, if he think fit, at his own costs, summons such
Registrar-General to appear before the Supreme Court to substantiate and
uphold his objections to such title, such summons to be issued at the
request of such applicant proprietor, or his solicitor, under the hand of a
Judge of the said Court, and served upon such Registrar-General six clear
days, at least, before the day appointed for the hearing of such objections,
and such objections shall be heard by the said Court upon motion ; and
upon such hearing the said Court shall, if any such objections be a question
of fact, direct an issue to be tried to decide such fact ; and it shall thereupon
be lawful for the said Court to forbid the bringing of such land under the
operation of this Act, or to order that such land may be brought under the
same, after the expiration of such period of time, as the said Court shall
think fit, not exceeding the period limited by any law, for the time being in
force in the said Province, as the period within which actions of ejectment
may be brought, and the Registrar-General shall obey such order.
Case may be argued 22. Upon any such motion as aforesaid, it shall be lawful for any
by counsel ; expense
to be borne by appli- person interested in any land touching or concerning the title to which such
cant. motion shall be made, and for the said Registrar-General by himself or his
counsel, to argue the same before the said Court, in support of or objection
to, the bringing of such land under the operation of this Act, and the
Registrar-General, or his solicitor, shall have the right of reply ; and all
expenses attendant upon any of the matters or proceedings aforesaid, shall
be borne and paid by the person requiring such land to be brought under
the operation of this Act.
Form of notice for 23. Every notice for bringing land under the operation of this Act,
bringing land under
operation of this Act. hereinbefore directed to be published, shall be in the form of the Schedule
hereto annexed, marked M, or in words to the like effect, and shall take
effect and be valid to all intents from the date of the publication thereof.
Who entitled to bring 24. The person entitled to bring land under the operation of this Act,
land under Act, and
receive certificate of and to receive a certificate of title in respect of the same, shall be the
title. person in whom the fee simple is vested, or if there be no person in whom
the fee simple is vested, then the person so entitled shall be the person
holding the greatest estate and interest in such land, not being a mortgagee
thereof: Provided always, that no mortgagor shall be entitled to bring land
under the operation of this Act, or to receive a certificate of title for the
same, without the consent of his mortgagee, which consent may be
endorsed on the form of application in manner hereinafter prescribed.
25. It
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25. It shall be lawful for any proprietor, being an applicant to have Applicant proprietor
may withdraw his
land brought under the operation of this Act, to withdraw his application at application.
any time prior to the issuing of such notice ; and the Registrar-General
shall, in such case, upon request in writing, signed by such applicant
proprietor, return to him the abstract, and all instruments of title, deposited
by such proprietor for the purpose of supporting his application.
26. The Registrar-General shall not notice any caveat forbidding the Caveats in certain
cases not to bar the
bringing of land under the operation of this Act, if the party lodging the bringing of land under
same claims only an estate or interest to take effect after the determination, this Act.

or in defeasance of an estate tail, or forbids the bringing of such land under

the operation of this Act, on the plea only of the absence of legal evidence
that a former proprietor was in being and capable at the time when any
power of attorney executed by such proprietor was exercised by his
attorney in the selling or purchasing, or releasing of such land.
27. Every grant, certificate of title, memorandum of sale, bill of Grants and other in-
struments filed or
mortgage, power of attorney, registration abstract, revocation order, bill of bound up in register
encumbrance, bill of trust, lease, or other instrument transferring or in any book deemed “Regis-
tered by Deposit”.
way affecting any estate or interest in land under the operation of this Act
shall be in duplicate, and one original of every such instrument shall be
filed in the Registry Office, and the other delivered to the proprietor or
other person interested therein, or entitled thereto, and every instrument in
this Act directed to be filed or bound up in the register book, being so filed
or bound up shall be held to be “Registered by Deposit,” in terms of an Act
passed by the Governor and Legislative Council of the said Province on the
ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and fifty-three, and in the seventeenth year of Her Majesty Queen Victoria,
intituled “An Act to provide for the Deposit of Deeds, Agreements,
Writings, and Assurances, Maps and Plans, relating to Hereditaments in the
Province of South Australia, and for other purposes therein mentioned.”
28. The Registrar-General shall keep a book to be called the Registrar-General to
keep register book.
“Register Book of Real Property,” and shall bind up therein the duplicates
of all grants and of all certificates of title issued from and after the first day
of July, one thousand eight hundred and fifty eight, and shall open therein a
separate page for each grant and certificate of title, and shall record thereon
the particulars of all instruments affecting the land included under each
such grant or certificate of title, distinct and apart.
29. So soon as any land has been brought under the operation of this Certificate of title to
be issued when land is
Act, the Registrar-General shall make out and deliver to the proprietor a brought under the
certificate of title to the same in form hereinafter described, and every such operation of this Act.

certificate of title shall contain a reference to the original grant or other

instrument evidencing title, which may have been deposited by such
proprietor when making application
in
 154

in manner hereinbefore described, and the Registrar-General shall endorse

on every such grant or instrument so surrendered a memorandum setting
forth that the said grant or instrument had been surrendered by such
proprietor in exchange for a certificate of title to such land pursuant to the
provisions of this Act, with the date of such deposit ; and if any grant or
other instrument so deposited shall relate to or include any property,
whether personal or real, other than the land included in such certificate of
Instruments of title if
they include other
title, then the Registrar-General shall endorse on such grant or other
property to be re- instrument a memorandum setting forth that the said grant or instrument is
turned to applicant
proprietor.
cancelled in so far only as relates to the land included in such certificate of
title, and shall return such grant or other instrument to such proprietor,
otherwise he shall retain the same in his office.
Certificate of title to 30. Every certificate of title made out by the Registrar-General shall be
be in duplicate, and to
be bound up in re- in duplicate, and in the form marked A in the Schedule hereto, and the
gister. Registrar-General shall note by endorsement thereon, and in such manner
as to preserve their priority, the particulars of all unsatisfied mortgages or
other encumbrances, and of every lease, rent, charge, or term of years, or
outstanding estate whatsoever, affecting such land, which shall have been
registered, or of which he may have notice, and shall cause one of such
certificates of title to be bound up in the register book, and deliver the other
to the proprietor entitled to the land described in such certificate, and every
such certificate, duly authenticated under the hand and seal of the
Registrar-General shall be received in all Courts of Justice as evidence of
the particulars therein set forth and of their being entered in the register
book in the manner set forth in such certificate.
Instruments not effec- 31. No instrument shall be effectual to pass any estate or interest in any
tual until entry in
registry book, or on land under the operation of this Act, or to render such land liable as
registration abstract. security for the payment of money, but so soon as the Registrar-General
shall have entered the particulars thereof in the book of registry, and made
endorsement on such instrument as hereinafter directed to be made in each
such case respectively, the estate or interest shall pass or, as the case may
be, the land shall become liable to security in manner and subject to the
conditions and contingencies set forth and specified in such instrument ;
and should two or more instruments executed by the same proprietor, and
purporting to transfer or encumber the same estate or interest in any land,
be at the same time presented to the Registrar-General for registration and
endorsement, he shall register and endorse that instrument, under which the
person claims property, who shall present to him the grant or certificate of
title of such land for that purpose.
Instruments not to be 32. The Registrar-General shall not register any instrument purporting
registered unless in
accordance with pre- to transfer, or otherwise to deal with or affect any estate or interest in land
scribed forms. under the operation of this Act, unless such instrument be in accordance
with the provisions thereof.
33. Every
 155

33. Every certificate of title or entry in the register book shall be Entry in register book
conclusive.
conclusive, and vest the estate and interests in the land therein mentioned
in such manner and to such effect as shall be expressed in such certificate
or entry valid to all intents, save and except as is hereinafter provided in
the case of fraud or error.
34. Upon the first bringing of any land under the operation of this Per centage, Assur-
ance Fund.
Act, and also upon the registering of the title to any land transmitted by
will or intestacy, there shall be paid to the Registrar-General the sum of
one farthing in the pound sterling on the value of the land so brought under
the operation of this Act or so transmitted, and if such land be situated
within the limits of any Corporation or District Council, the declaration of
such applicant proprietor, or person entitled under such transmission,
accompanied by the certificate of the Major or of the Chairman of such
Corporation or District Council, setting forth the marketable value of such
land at the time then being, and the amounts at which such land had been
assessed at the assessment last before the bringing of such land under the
operation of this Act, or last before such transmission, as the case may be,
shall be received by the Registrar-General as sufficient evidence of the
value of such land; and if such land be not situated within the limits of any
Corporation or District Council, or being within such limits it shall not
have been assessed, the oath or solemn affirmation of the applicant
proprietor or of the party entitled under such transmission, made before the
Registrar-General, or any Justice of the Peace, shall be received by such
Registrar-General as evidence of the value of such land: Provided always
that if the Registrar-General shall not be satisfied as to the correctness of
the value so declared or sworn to, it shall be lawful for him to require such
proprietor or other person as aforesaid to produce a certificate of such
value under the hand of a sworn appraiser, which certificate shall be
received as conclusive evidence of such value for the purposes herein
specified.
35. All sums of money so received as aforesaid, shall be paid to the Assurance Fund to be
invested in Govern-
Treasurer of the said Province to constitute an Assurance Fund, out of ment Securities.
which shall be made good the full amount awarded by any verdict or
decree of Court to the rightful heir or proprietor of land under the operation
of this Act as hereinafter provided, failing the recovery of such amount
from the person who may by fraud, misrepresentation, or error, have
become registered as proprietor of the same ; and the said Treasurer may
from time to time invest such sums in the South Australian Government
Securities: Provided always that in case of deficiency in such Assurance Deficiency to be made
good out of General
Fund the full amount so awarded shall be made good to such rightful heir Revenues.
or proprietor out of the General Revenues of the said Province.
36. When land under the operation of this Act is intended to be Transfer by Sale.

disposed of by sale, the vendor shall execute a memorandum of sale, in

form of the Schedule hereto annexed marked B, or as near thereto as
circumstances permit, which memorandum shall contain such
description
 156

description of the land intended to be transferred as is contained in the

original grant, or in the certificate of title of such land, or such description
as may be sufficient to identify that particular portion of land which it is
intended to dispose of, and shall contain an accurate statement of the estate
or interest of such vendor intended to be transferred, and a memorandum of
all mortgages and other encumbrances affecting the same; and if such land
be leased, the name and description of the lessee with a memorandum of
the lease, and every such memorandum of sale shall be attested by a
witness.
Registration of 37. Every memorandum of sale for the transfer of land under the
transfer.
operation of this Act, when duly executed, shall be produced to the
Registrar-General, who shall thereupon enter in the register book, under
the original entry respecting such land, the name, residence, and
description of the vendor, or of each vendor if more than one; the name,
residence, and description of the purchaser, or of each purchaser if more
than one; the amount of the consideration money paid; the date of the
memorandum of sale, and of its production, and such other particulars as
the Registrar-General may deem necessary, and shall endorse on such
Memoranda of sale of memorandum of sale, and also on the grant or certificate of title, the fact of
be entered in the order
of their production. such entry having been made, with the date and hour thereof, and shall sign
each such endorsement and shall affix his seal to such memorandum of
sale, and the particulars of every such memorandum of sale shall be
entered in the register book in the order of the production thereof, and upon
such entry being made by the Registrar-General, the land, or the estate or
interest therein, as set forth and limited in such memorandum of sale as to
be transferred, shall pass to and vest in the purchaser.
Memorandum of sale 38. If the estate or interest in such land, so passed to and vested in
legal evidence.
such purchaser in manner aforesaid, shall be of a description less than a fee
simple, the memorandum of sale so endorsed and authenticated, under the
hand and seal of the Registrar-General, shall be received in any Court of
Justice as sufficient evidence of the title of such purchaser to the estate or
interest therein set forth and limited.
Vendor to deliver up 39. If the memorandum of sale purports to transfer a full estate in fee
land grant or certif-
icate of title. simple in any land, the vendor shall at the same time deliver up the grant or
certificate of title of such land, and the Registrar-General shall in such case
endorse on such grant or certificate of title, a memorandum cancelling such
Memorandum to be grant or certificate of title, setting forth the day and hour on which such
endorsed.
grant or certificate of title had been delivered up to him for that purpose,
with the name, residence, and description of the vendor by whom the same
was so given up, and the particulars of the transfer occasioning the
surrender and cancelling of such grant or certificate of title.
Certificate of title to 40. The Registrar-General shall thereupon make out a certificate of
be issued to purchaser
of estate in fee simple. title of such land to the purchaser, referring therein to the original
grant
 157

grant of such land, and to the memorandum of sale thereof, to such

purchaser; and in case the vendor shall, by such memorandum of sale as When part only is
aforesaid, have contracted to transfer the fee simple of part only of the land sold, new certificate
for unsold potion to
included under the grant or certificate of title so delivered up to be be issued to
cancelled, then the Registrar-General shall make out a certificate of title to proprietor.

such proprietor of the unsold balance of such land so included as aforesaid.

41. If any estate or interest in land under the operation of this Act, or Declaration, in case of
transmission by death,
any charge on such land, become transmitted in consequence of the death, bankruptcy, or mar-
or bankruptcy, or insolvency of any proprietor, or in consequence of the riage.

marriage settlement of any female proprietor, or by any lawful means other

than by a transfer according to the provisions of this Act, such transmission
shall be notified to the Registrar-General, by a declaration of the person to
whom such estate or interest has come by transmission, made in the form
marked N, in the Schedule hereto, and containing a statement describing
the manner in which and the party to whom such estate or interest has
come by transmission, and such declaration shall be made and subscribed
if the declarant resides at or within ten miles of the General Registry
Office, then in the presence of the Registrar-General; if beyond that
distance, then in the presence of the Registrar-General or any Justice of the
Peace; if the declarant resides in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, or in any British Possession, other than the said Province, or in any
foreign place, then in the presence of any of the persons hereinafter
appointed respectively as persons before whom the execution of
instruments executed beyond the limits of the said Province may be
proved.
42. If such transmission has taken place by virtue of the bankruptcy Proof of transmission
by bankruptcy, mar-
or insolvency of any proprietor, the said declaration shall be accompanied riage, will, or intes-
by such evidence as may, for the time being, be receivable in courts of tacy.

justice in the said Province as proof of the title of parties claiming under
any bankruptcy or insolvency; and if such transmission has taken place by
virtue of the marriage settlement of a female proprietor, the said
declaration shall be accompanied by such marriage settlement, or by a copy
thereof duly authenticated, and a copy of the register of such marriage, or
other legal evidence of the celebration thereof, and shall declare the
identity of the said female proprietor; and if such transmission has taken
place by virtue of any will or testamentary instrument, then if such will or
testamentary instrument shall have been made in the said Province, the said
declaration shall be accompanied by such will ; and if made in England,
Wales, or Ireland, the said declaration shall be accompanied by such will,
or by the probate thereof ; and if made in Scotland, or in any British
Possession, or in any foreign country, such declaration shall be
accompanied by such will, or by any copy thereof, that may be evidence by
the laws of Scotland, or of such possession or foreign country ; and if such
transmission shall have taken place in consequence of an intestacy, then, if
such intestacy shall have occurred in the said Province, or in England,
Wales, or Ire-
land
 158

land, the said declaration shall be accompanied by the letters of

administration or an official copy thereof; and if in Scotland, or in any
British Possession, or foreign country, then by letters of administration, or
any copy thereof, or by such other documents as by the laws of Scotland,
or of such possession, or foreign country, may be receivable in the Courts
of Judicature thereof as proof of intestacy, together with such documentary
or other evidence as may be sufficient to prove the title of such declarant to
the estate or interest in such land, according to the laws for the time being
in force in the said Province.
Registration of land 43. The Registrar-General, upon the receipt of such declaration, so
transmitted by mar-
riage or insolvency. accompanied as aforesaid, shall, in the case of insolvency, or marriage
settlement, enter the name of the person, entitled under such transmission,
in the register book as owner of the estate or interest so transmitted, and
shall file such declaration in his office, and shall also endorse on the grant
or certificate of title of the land in which the estate or interest is
transmitted, or as the case may be, on the bill of mortgage, bill of
encumbrance, lease, or other instrument evidencing title to the estate or
interest transmitted, a memorandum stating the day and hour on which
such transmission had been recorded in the register book as aforesaid.
Registration of trans- 44. In the case of transmission by will, or in consequence of an
mission by will or in-
testacy. intestacy, the Registrar-General, upon receipt of such declaration, so
accompanied as aforesaid, shall give notice by advertisement, published
once in each of two successive weeks in the South Australian Government
Gazette, and in at least one newspaper published in the City of Adelaide,
that he has received such declaration, which notice shall be in the form of
the Schedule hereto annexed, marked J, or in words to the like effect; and
the Registrar-General shall cause copy of such notice to be posted in a
conspicuous place in his office, and in such other public place as he may
Caveat may be lodged
deem necessary; and in any such case, if the Registrar-General shall not,
by parties interested. within the space of one calendar month from the date of the latest of such
advertisements, receive any caveat forbidding compliance with such
application, he shall enter the name of the person entitled under such
transmission, in the register book, as owner of the estate or interest so
transmitted ; and shall, in other respects, proceed as hereinbefore directed
for the case of a transmission by insolvency ; and the Registrar-General, if
he shall receive any such caveat within the time for such case above
Action to be suspended limited, shall, if the party lodging the same show reasonable grounds for so
if caveat lodged. doing, suspend action in the matter, until such caveat shall have been
withdrawn or until a decision shall have been obtained from the Court,
having jurisdiction in the matter ; and every person who shall fail to show
reasonable cause for lodging such caveat to the satisfaction of the Judge,
before whom any prosecution or suit may in such case be instituted, shall
forfeit and pay a penalty not exceeding One Hundred Pounds.
Transmission not valid 45. No transmission of land under the operation of this Act either by
against subsequent
purchase unless descent, will, appointment of assignees or trustees, vesting order,
registered.

letters
 159

letters of administration, order of the Supreme Court, or otherwise

howsoever, by any proceeding filed of record, shall be valid and effectual
against any subsequent purchaser, mortgagee, or lessee, unless legal
evidence of heirship, the probate or exemplification of probate of such will,
appointment of assignees or trustees, vesting order, letters of
administration, order of the Supreme Court, or other instrument
hereinbefore required to be in such case produced, has been so produced to
the Registrar-General, and the particulars of the transmission entered in the
register book.
46. It shall be lawful for the Supreme Court, without prejudice to the Power of Court to
prohibit transfer.
exercise of any other power such Court may possess, upon the summary
application of any person interested in transmitted land, made either by
petition or otherwise, and either ex parte, or upon service of notice on any
other person, as the Court may direct, to issue an order prohibiting for a
time to be named in such order any dealing with such land; and it shall be
in the discretion of such Court to make or refuse any such order, and to
annex thereto any terms or conditions it may think fit, and to discharge
such order when granted with or without costs, and generally to act in the
premises in such manner as the justice of the case may require; and the
Registrar-General, without being made a party to the proceedings, upon
being served with such order or an official copy thereof, shall obey the
same.
47. When any land under the operation of this Act is intended to be Land under operation
of this Act, how
leased or demised for a term of years, the proprietor shall execute a lease in leased.
form of the Schedule hereto annexed marked C, or as near thereto as
circumstances permit, and every such lease shall contain the same
description that is given in the grant or certificate of title or such other
description as may be sufficient to identify the land intended to be leased,
and shall be attested by a witness; and such lease when so executed,
together with the grant, certificate of title, or other instrument evidencing
the title of such proprietor to an estate in such land, shall be presented to
the Registrar-General, who shall record in the register book the date and
hour of such production to him, the date of the lease, the amount of rent or
consideration money, the dates on which it is appointed to be paid, and the
names and description of the proprietor and of the lessee, and shall record
the like particulars by memorandum on the grant, certificate of title, or
other instrument as aforesaid, and shall endorse on the lease a
memorandum of the day and hour on which the said particulars had been
entered in the register book, and shall authenticate such memorandum by Lease, if authenti-
signing his name and affixing his seal thereto; and every lease bearing such cated, to be evidence.
memorandum, so authenticated, shall be received as sufficient evidence of
the title of the lessee to the estate or interest therein demised, and of all
covenants, conditions, and restrictions therein expressly set forth, or by this
Act declared to be implied against the lessor and lessee respectively.
48. A right to purchase land under the operation of this Act may be Right of purchase
may be covenanted.
granted in any such lease by the words “ that the said
lessee
 160

lessee shall have the option of purchasing the said land subject to such
conditions, limitations, and restrictions as are herein specified;” which
form of words shall operate as an expressed covenant in such lease, and
shall apply as follows, that is to say —if the said lessee shall elect to
purchase the said land, and shall in all respects comply with such
conditions as may be expressed in such lease, or are by this Act declared to
be implied therein, and shall pay the purchase-money therein mentioned,
together with all rent, arrears of rent, and other moneys due and owing
under or by virtue of such lease, then and in such case the lessor will
execute a memorandum of sale of such land to such lessee, and will
perform all acts and execute all instruments by this Act prescribed to be
performed or executed by a vendor, in order to transfer to such lessee the
estate or interest in such land specified.
Lease when recorded 49. The entry of every such lease in the register book, shall be held to
to be valid.
transfer to the lessee an estate in such land as tenant, subject, nevertheless,
to all such conditions and covenants as may be expressly set forth in such
Covenants valid lease, if any, and to the conditions and covenants which are hereinafter
whether expressed or declared to be implied against a lessor and against a lessee, or to all or any
implied.
of such last-mentioned covenants as shall not be negatived or modified by
express declaration in such lease or endorsed thereon: Provided always,
Lease invalid if
that no lease of mortgaged land executed subsequent to the mortgage, shall
executed without be valid and binding against the mortgagee, unless such mortgagee shall
consent of mortgagee.
have consented to such lease, in form and manner hereinafter provided.
Surrender of lease. 50. Whenever any lease or demise for a term of years is intended to be
surrendered, there shall be endorsed upon such lease the word
“surrendered,” with the date of such surrender, and upon such lease bearing
such endorsement, signed by the lessee, and by the lessor accepting such
surrender, and duly attested in manner hereinafter prescribed, being
brought to the Register-General, he shall enter in the register book a
memorandum recording the date of such surrender, and shall likewise
endorse upon the lease a memorandum recording the fact of such entry
having been made in the register book, and upon such entry being so made
in the register book, the estate or interest of the lessee in such land shall
revest in the lessor, or in such other person as, having regard to other
intervening circumstances, if any, the same would be vested in had no such
lease ever been executed, and the production of such lease bearing such
endorsement authenticated by the hand and seal of the Registrar-General
shall be sufficient evidence that such lease had been so surrendered.
Land may be pledged 51. When any estate or interest in land, under the operation of this
as security for a loan
by bill of mortgage. Act, is intended to be made security for a loan or other valuable
consideration, the borrower shall execute a bill of mortgage, in form of the
Schedule hereto annexed, marked D, or as near thereto as circumstances
permit, and every such bill of mortgage shall contain an accurate statement
of the estate or interest intended to be mortgaged, and such description as
is given in the grant or certificate
of
 161

of title of the land in which such estate or interest is held, or such other
description as may be necessary to identify such land, and shall be attested
by a witness ; and every bill of mortgage so executed, together with the
grant or certificate of title of such land, or as the case may be, the lease or
other instrument, proving the title of the mortgagor to such estate or
interest in such land, shall be produced to the Registrar-General, who shall
enter in the register book the date and hour of such production to him; the
date of mortgage ; the name, residence, and description of the mortgagor
and of the mortgagee ; the amount of consideration money ; the rate of
interest, and the date, if any, appointed for the redemption of such
mortgage ; and the dates on which interest is appointed to be paid ; and
shall record the like particulars by a memorandum endorsed upon such
grant or certificate of title, lease, or other instrument of title, and shall also
endorse upon such grant or certificate of title, lease, or other instrument, a
memorandum stating the day and hour of the day in which the particulars
of such mortgage had been recorded in the register book, and, upon such
entry being made, as aforesaid, in the register book, the estate or interest in
the land referred to, and described in such bill of mortgage, shall be held
by such mortgagor, subject to and liable for the payment of the principal
sum and interest therein set forth, at the times and under the conditions and
covenants therein prescribed, or hereafter declared to be implied in bills of
mortgage.
52. The repayment of any sum of money by weekly instalments, or Payments by instal-
ments, and extension
other periodical payments, may be secured on any land or on any estate or of time.
interest therein, by bill of mortgage, in the form or to the effect of the said
Schedule D to this Act annexed, by varying such form so as to express
fully the terms and modes and plan of payment of such sum of money :
Provided also, that the period of time hereinafter limited as the period after
expiration of which it shall be lawful for a mortgagee to sell an estate
pledged as security, in the event of default made in payment of interest or
principal, or in the non-fulfilment of any covenant, may, by condition
expressed in any such bill of mortgage, be extended or shortened, and,
notwithstanding such variations in such form, the like covenants, rights,
powers, and obligations, shall be implied thereunder and thereby, both
against the mortgagor and the mortgagee as would be implied if no such
variation had been made in the form of such Schedule.
53. In case default shall be made for the space of two calendar Mortgagee empow-
ered to sell, if default
months in payment of the principal money or interest, or any part thereof, be made in payment
secured by any such bill of mortgage, so recorded as aforesaid, or if default of interest, or prin-
cipal, or in observance
shall be made in observance of any covenant that may be expressed in such of covenants.
bill of mortgage, or that is therein as against the mortgagor hereinafter
declared to be implied, and the mortgagee shall have caused a written
demand of payment of such principal sum or interest, or as the case may
be, for the fulfilment of any such expressed or implied covenant, in respect
to which such default may have been made, to be served on the mortgagor,
or left at his last or usual place of abode, or if the mortgage be made by a
corporate body, with the clerk thereof; and if default be made in
either
 162

either such respect for the further space of two calendar months from the
service of such demand, then, in such case, it shall be lawful for the
mortgagee to sell the estate or interest pledged to him as security by such
bill of mortgage, or any part thereof, and either altogether or in lots, and
either by public auction or private contract, or by both of such means, and
subject to such conditions as he may think fit, and with power to buy in
and resell the same, without being liable for any loss occasioned thereby,
and to make and execute all such instruments, and to perform all such acts
as in accordance with the provisions of this Act may be necessary for
carrying into effect the powers hereby given, including the act of entering
upon, and taking and giving possession to the purchaser of the land so
pledged as security ; all which sales, contracts, matters, and things hereby
authorized, shall be as valid and effectual, as if the mortgagor had made,
done, or executed the same ; and the receipt or receipts in writing of the
mortgagee shall be a sufficient discharge to any purchaser of any part of
such mortgaged property, for so much of his purchase-money as may be
thereby expressed to be received ; no such purchaser shall be answerable
for the loss, misapplication or nonapplication, or be obliged to see to the
application of the purchase-money by him paid, nor shall he be concerned
to inquire as to the fact of any such default or demand, as aforesaid, having
been made ; the moneys to arise from such sale, as aforesaid, shall be
applied: First —In payment of the expenses attending any such sale, or
otherwise incurred in the execution of the power of sale hereby given:
Secondly —In repayment of the principal money and interest remaining
due, together with any costs and expenses occasioned by the non-payment
thereof, or the non-observance of any such expressed or implied covenant ;
the surplus (if any) shall be paid to the mortgagor.
Estate or interest sold 54. The Registrar-General, in any such case as aforesaid, upon receipt
under bill of mortgage
how passed. of a memorandum of sale of such estate or interest, so pledged as aforesaid,
signed by such mortgagee, together with proof to his satisfaction that all
the requirements for such case by this Act provided have been duly
executed and fulfilled, shall enter the particulars of such memorandum of
sale in the register book, and record the fact of such entry by endorsement
on such memorandum of sale, and shall in all other respects proceed in
manner herein prescribed for the case of the transfer of a like estate or
interest by the proprietor thereof, and every such transfer, when so
If an estate in fee
recorded by the Registrar-General, shall be as valid and effectual to pass
simple. such estate or interest, as if the memorandum of sale had been executed by
the mortgagor prior to the date of the execution of the bill of mortgage ;
and if such memorandum of sale shall purport to pass an estate in fee
simple, and the existing grant or certificate of title be for that purpose
surrendered to him, the Registrar-General shall make out and deliver to the
purchaser a certificate of title to such land, having first endorsed thereon
memoranda setting forth the particulars of all unsatisfied mortgages or
other encumbrances, and of all leases, transfers, or other transactions
affecting such land if any, which shall appear to have been registered and
recorded upon such grant or certificate of
title
 163

title so surrendered, and shall in all other respects proceed as hereinbefore

is directed in the case of the sale of an estate in fee simple in land under the
operation of this Act.
55. The Registrar-General, on the production of any bill of Discharges of mort-
gage.
mortgage, executed under the provisions of this Act, and having thereon a
receipt for the mortgage money duly signed and attested, shall make an
entry in the register book to the effect that such mortgage has been
discharged ; and upon such entry being made, the estate or interest, which
by such bill of mortgage had been pledged as security for such loan, shall
cease to be subject to or liable for the same, or any charges incident
thereon, and the Registrar-General shall likewise endorse upon the grant or
certificate of title, lease, or other instrument constituting or evidencing the
title of the mortgagor to the estate or interest in such land, a memorandum
of the discharge of such mortgage, and of the date of such discharge, and
shall cancel such bill of mortgage : Provided always, that if at or after the
date appointed for the redemption of any such mortgage, the mortgagee
shall be absent from this Colony, or shall not be in attendance to receive
the mortgage money either personally, or by his attorney duly authorised in
that respect, it shall be lawful for the Registrar-General to receive such
mortgage money, with all arrears of interest then due thereon, in trust for
such mortgagee, and the Registrar-General shall, thereupon, make entry in
the register book discharging such mortgage, stating the day and hour in
which such entry is made, and such entry shall be a discharge for such
mortgage, valid to all intents, and shall have the same force and effect as is
hereinbefore given to a like entry when made upon the production to the
Registrar-General of the bill of mortgage, with the receipt of the
mortgagee, and the Registrar-General shall, if demanded, give to the
mortgagor a receipt for the money so paid to him in trust, and shall endorse
on the grant, certificate of title, or other instrument, as aforesaid, and also
on the bill of mortgage, whenever those instruments shall be brought to
him for that purpose, the several particulars hereinbefore directed to be
endorsed on each of such instruments respectively.
56. Whenever it is intended to render an estate or interest in land, Land may be encum-
bered for benefit of
under the operation of this Act, available for securing any dower, annuity, heirs, or otherwise.
or sum of money, or to invest such estate or interest in trust, the proprietor
shall execute a bill of encumbrance, in form of the Schedule hereto
annexed marked E, or as near thereto as circumstances will permit ; or, as
the case may require, a bill of trust, in form of the Schedule hereto annexed
marked F, or as near thereto as circumstances will permit, which bill of
encumbrance or bill of trust shall be attested by a witness, and shall set
forth the nature of the estate or interest intended to be encumbered or
invested in trust ; the amount of dower, or annuity, or sum of money for
securing which such estate or interest is intended to be encumbered or
invested in trust ; the date on which, the manner in which, and the
conditions or contingencies under which such dower, annuity, or sum of
money is to become payable; and the uses, contingencies,
restrictions,
 164

restrictions, reversions, and remainders to which it is intended such dower,

annuity, or sum of money should be subject or liable, if any, together with
such description as may be sufficient to identify the land in which the
estate or interest intended to be encumbered or vested in trust is held; and
such bill of encumbrance, or bill of trust, together with the grant, certificate
of title, lease, or other instrument, evidencing the title of the encumbrancee
to the estate or interest in such land intended to be encumbered or vested in
trust shall be produced to the Registrar-General, who shall enter the
particulars of such bill of encumbrance or bill of trust in the register book,
and shall endorse upon the grant, certificate of title, lease, or other
instrument, as aforesaid, a memorandum stating the date and hour of such
production to him, for the purpose of such record being made, the date of
the bill of encumbrance or bill of trust, the amount of the encumbrance, the
contingencies, restrictions, reversions, and remainders, to which it is
intended to be subject, if any, and the names and descriptions of the parties
for whose benefit the same is created, or for whose uses such land is vested
in trust, together with the names and descriptions of the trustees, if any,
appointed, and upon such entry being made in the register book the estate
or interest set forth in such bill of encumbrance or bill of trust shall become
subject to and liable for the payment of such sums of money, dower,
annuity, or other encumbrance in accordance with the conditions and
limitations and subject to the covenants set forth in such bill of
encumbrance or of trust, or which are hereinafter declared to be implied in
any such instrument or as the case may be, such estate or interest shall
become vested in the trustees named in such bill of trust, subject to such
conditions and trusts as aforesaid.
Entry of discharge of 57. The Registrar-General, on the production of any bill of
encumbrance.
encumbrance, or of any bill of trust executed under the provisions of this
Act, with a receipt for the amount of the encumbrance money, or trust
money, endorsed thereon, duly signed and attested, or upon the receipt of
proof to his satisfaction that the occurrence of the circumstances under
which the amount of such encumbrance or trust could become chargeable
against such land, in accordance with the conditions, limitations, and
restrictions prescribed in such bill of encumbrance or bill of trust has
ceased to be possible, shall make an entry in the register book to the effect
that such encumbrance or trust has been discharged, or has lapsed, stating
the day and hour in which such entry is made, and upon such entry being
made, the interest, if any, which passed to the encumbrancee, or to the
trustees under such bill of trust, shall vest in the same person or persons in
whom the same would, having regard to intervening acts and
circumstances, if any, have vested, if no such bill of encumbrance or bill of
trust had ever been executed or made, and the Registrar-General shall
thereupon cancel such bill of encumbrance or bill of trust, and shall also
endorse on the grant, certificate of title, lease, or other instrument,
constituting or evidencing the title of the encumbrancer to the estate or
interest in the land referred to in such bill of
encumbrance,
 165

encumbrance, a memorandum stating that such encumbrance had been

discharged, and the date on which such entry of discharge had been made
in the register book.
58 Every bill of mortgage, or bill of encumbrance, or of trust, shall Bills of mortgage,
of encumbrance,
be entered by the Registrar-General in the register book in the order of time and of trust to be
in which the same is produced to him for that purpose ; and the Registrar- recorded in order of
time in which they
General shall record by memorandum on such bill of mortgage, or bill of are produced to
encumbrance, or of trust, that the same has been so entered by him, stating Registrar-General,
and endorsed.
the day and hour of such entry, and shall certify such memorandum by
signing the same and affixing his seal thereto, and every such bill of
mortgage, bill of encumbrance, or of trust, so certified, shall be received in
all Courts of Justice as sufficient evidence that the estate and interest
therein described had been so mortgaged, encumbered, or vested in trust as
the case may be, and of all other particulars therein contained.
59. If more than one mortgage, bill of encumbrance or of trust, be Priority of Mortgages.

registered in respect to or affecting the same estate or interest in any land

under the operation of this Act, the mortgagees, encumbrancees, and
trustees, shall, notwithstanding any express, implied, or constructive
notice, be entitled in priority one over the other according to the date at
which each instrument is recorded in the register books, and not according
to the date of each instrument itself.
60. When any estate or interest in land under the operation of this Legal estate shall
vest in body corpo-
Act shall by bill of encumbrance, or bill of trust, be transferred to any rate, or trustees under
person or body corporate, to the use of, or in trust for any other person, the bill of trust.

whole legal ownership of such estate or interest shall vest in the person or
body corporate to whom the same shall be so immediately and directly
transferred ; subject, however, to a trust for the benefit of such other
person. Every limitation which before the passing of this Act might have
been made by way of shifting, springing, or executory use, shall hereafter
be made by transfer, in manner hereinbefore provided, without the
intervention of uses, but not otherwise.
61. No registered mortgage or encumbrance of any land under this Rights of mortgagee
or encumbrancee
Act shall be affected by any act of bankruptcy or insolvency committed by not affected by any
the mortgagor or encumbrancer, after the date of the entry in the register act of bankruptcy
of mortgagor.
book of the bill of mortgage, bill of encumbrance, or bill of trust, creating
such mortgage or encumbrance, notwithstanding such mortgagor, or
encumbrancer, at the time of his becoming bankrupt may have in his
possession and disposition and be the registered owner of such land ; and
such mortgage or encumbrance shall be preferred to any right, claim, or
interest in such land, which may belong to the assignees of such bankrupt
or insolvent.
62. A registered mortgage, a registered lease, or the interest of a Transfer of mortgage,
and of encumbrance,
and of lease.

registered
 166

registered encumbrancee of any land under this Act may be transferred to

any person, by endorsement on the bill of mortgage, lease, bill of
encumbrance, or bill of trust, which endorsement, shall be in the form of
the Schedule hereto annexed marked O, or in words to the like effect; and
on the production of such bill of mortgage, lease, or bill of encumbrance,
so endorsed, to the Registrar-General, he shall enter in the register book the
name of the transferree as mortgagee, lessee, or encumbrancee, of the land
therein mentioned, and shall, by memorandum under his hand, record on
such bill of mortgage, or bill of encumbrance, or lease, and, if the same be
presented to him for that purpose, on the grant, certificate of title, or other
instrument evidencing title to the estate or interest mortgaged or
encumbered, that such transfer had been recorded by him, stating the date
and hour of such record ; and, upon such entry being so made, the estate or
interest of the transferror, as set forth in such instrument, with all rights,
powers, and privileges thereto belonging or appertaining, shall pass to the
transferree ; and such transferree shall thereupon become subject to and
liable for all and every the same requirements and liabilities to which he
would have been subject and liable if named in such instrument originally
as mortgagee, encumbrancee, or lessee, of such land, estate, or interest, and
the Registrar-General shall certify such endorsement by signing the same,
and affixing his seal thereto, and every transfer, so certified, shall be
received in evidence by any Court of Justice as sufficient evidence of its
having been so entered in the register book.
General covenants to 63. In every memorandum of sale, bill of mortgage, bill of
be implied in all in-
struments of transfer. encumbrance, bill of trust, lease, or other instrument of transfer, for
valuable consideration, under provisions of this Act, there shall be implied
the following covenants by each transferring party, severally for himself, to
the extent of the interest departed with by him, that is to say —
(1.) That such transferring party hath good right and full power to transfer
and assure the estate and interest purported to be transferred, and that
free and clear from all encumbrances, other than such as are therein
mentioned : That it shall be lawful for the party to whom such estate
or interest is transferred quietly to enjoy the same, without any
disturbance, by any act whatsoever, of such conveying party, or any
person claiming under him, or by any rightful act of any other person :
(2.) That such transferring party will, at the cost of the party requiring the
same, do all such acts and execute all such instruments as in accordance
with the provisions of this Act may be necessary to give effect to all
covenants, conditions, and purposes expressly set forth in such
memorandum of sale, bill of mortgage, bill of encumbrance or trust, lease,
or other instrument of transfer as aforesaid, or by this Act declared to be
implied against the transferring party in any such instrument.
64. In
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64. In every bill of mortgage, there shall be implied the following Covenants to be im-
plied in every bill of
covenants against the mortgagor, that is to say — mortgage.

(1.) That he will pay the principal money, and interest thereby
secured, after the rate, and at the times therein mentioned,
without any deduction whatsoever:
(2.) That the mortgagor will repair and keep in repair all buildings or
other improvements erected and made upon such land ; and that
the mortgagee may, at all convenient times, until such mortgage
be redeemed, be at liberty, with or without surveyors or others,
to enter into and upon such land, to view and inspect the state of
repair of such buildings or improvements.
65. In every lease there shall be implied the following covenants Covenants to be im-
plied in every lease
against the lessee, that is to say — against the lessee.

(1.) That he will pay the rent thereby reserved at the times therein
mentioned, and all rates and taxes which may be payable in
respect of the demised property, during the continuance of the
lease:
(2.) That he will keep and yield up the demised property in good and
tenantable repair:
66. In every lease there shall also be implied the following powers in Powers to be implied
in lessor.
the lessor, that is to say —
(1.) That he may, by himself or his agents, at all reasonable times,
enter upon the demised property, and view the state of repair
thereof, and may serve upon the lessee, or leave at his last, or
usual place of abode, a notice, in writing, of any defect,
requiring him, within a reasonable time to be therein prescribed,
to repair the same :
(2.) That whenever the rent reserved shall be in arrear for twenty-one
days, he may levy the same by distress:
(3.) That in case the rent, or any part thereof, shall be in arrear for the
space of six calendar months; or in case insurance as aforesaid
shall not have been effected, or in case default in the fulfilment
of any covenant expressly set forth in such lease as against the
lessee shall not have been repaired, or in case the repairs
required by such notice as aforesaid shall not have been
completed within three calendar months after the service or
leaving thereof, it shall be lawful for him to re-enter upon the
demised property, and, upon proof of such re-entry, under any
such circumstances, being made to the satisfaction of the
Registrar-General, he shall note the same by entry in the register
book, and the estate in the lessee in such land shall thereupon
determine, but without releasing him from his liability in respect
of the breach of any covenant in such lease expressed or implied.
67. Such of the covenants hereinafter set forth as shall be expressed in Abbreviated forms of
words for expressing
any lease or mortgage, as to be implied against the lessee or mortgagor, covenants to be as
shall, if expressed in the form of words hereinafter appointed effectual as if

and
 168

such covenants were and prescribed for the case of each such covenant respectively, be so
set forth in words at
length.. implied against such lessee or mortgagor as fully and effectually as if such
covenants were set forth fully and in words at length in such lease or
mortgage ; that is to say, the words “that he will insure,” shall imply as
follows —that he will insure and so long as the term expressed in the said
mortgage or lease shall not have expired, will keep insured, in some public
insurance office, to be approved by such mortgagee or lessor, against loss
or damage by fire, to the full amount specified in such lease or bill of
mortgage, or if no amount be specified, then to their full value all
buildings, tenements, or premises erected on such land, which shall be of a
nature or kind capable of being insured against loss or damage by fire, and
that he will, at the request of the mortgagee or lessor, hand over to, and
deposit with him, the policy of every such insurance, and produce to him
the receipt or receipts for the annual or other premiums payable on account
thereof : Provided always, that all moneys to be received under or by
virtue of any such insurance shall, in the event of loss or damage by fire, be
laid out and expended in making good such loss or damage: Provided also,
that if default shall be made in the observance or performance of the
covenant last above-mentioned, it shall be lawful for the mortgagee or
lessor, without prejudice nevertheless, to and concurrently with the powers
granted him by his bill of mortgage or lease, in manner in and by this Act
provided, to insure such building, and the costs and charges of such
insurance shall, until such mortgage be redeemed, or such lease shall have
expired, be a charge upon the said land; the words “and paint outside every
alternate year” shall apply as follows, viz. —and also will, in every
alternate year, during the currency of such lease, paint all the outside
woodwork and iron work belonging to the hereditaments and premises
mentioned in such lease, with two coats of proper oil-colors, in a
workmanlike manner ; the words “and paint and paper inside every third
year” shall imply as follows, viz. —and will, in every third year, during the
currency of such lease, paint the inside wood, iron, and other works now or
usually painted with two coats of proper oil-color, in a workmanlike
manner ; and also repaper, with paper of a quality as at present, and such
parts of the said premises as are now papered ; and also wash, stop, whiten,
or color such parts of the said premises as are now whitened or colored
respectively ; the words “and will fence” shall apply as follows, viz. —and
also will, during the continuance of the said lease, erect and put up on the
boundaries of the land therein mentioned, or upon such boundaries upon
which no substantial fence now exists, a good and substantial fence
capable of resisting the trespass of horses, oxen, bulls, and cows; the words
“and cultivate” shall apply as follows, viz. —and will at all times during
the said lease cultivate, use, and manage all such parts of the land therein
mentioned as are or shall be broken up or converted into tillage in a proper
and husbandlike manner, and will not impoverish or waste the same ; the
words “that the said lessee will not use the said premises as a shop” shall
apply as follows, viz. —and also that the said lessee will not convert, use,
or occupy the said hereditaments and premises mentioned in such lease, or
any part thereof,
into
 169

into or as a shop, warehouse, or other place for carrying on any trade or

business whatsoever, or permit or suffer the said hereditaments and
premises, or any part thereof, to be used for any such purpose or otherwise
than as a private dwelling-house, without the consent in writing of the said
lessor ; the words “and will not carry on offensive trades” shall apply as
follows: —and also that no noxious, noisome, or offensive art, trade,
business, occupation, or calling shall at any time during the said term be
used, exercised, carried on, permitted, or suffered in or upon the said
hereditaments and premises above mentioned, and that no act, matter, or
thing whatsoever shall at any time during the said term be done in or upon
the said hereditaments and premises, or any part thereof, which shall or
may be or grow to the annoyance, nuisance, grievance, damage, or
disturbance of the occupiers or owners of the adjoining lands and
hereditaments ; the words “and will not, without leave, assign, or sublet”
shall apply as follow, viz. —and also that the said lessee shall not nor will
during the term of such lease assign, transfer, demise, sublet, or set over, or
otherwise by any act or deed procure the lands or premises therein
mentioned, or any of them, or any part thereof, to be assigned, transferred,
demised, sublet, or set over unto any person whomsoever without the
consent in writing of the said lessor first had and obtained ; the words “and
will not cut timber” shall apply as follows —and also that the said lessee
shall not nor will cut down, fell, injure, or destroy and growing or living
timber, or timber-like trees, standing and being upon the said
hereditaments and premises above mentioned, without the consent in
writing of the said lessor ; the words “and will carry on the business of a
publican, and conduct the same in an orderly manner,” shall apply as
follows, viz. —and also that the said lessee will, at all times during the
currency of such lease, use, exercise, and carry on, in, and upon the
premises therein mentioned, the trade or business of a licensed victualler or
publican and retailer of spirits, wines, ale, beer, and porter, and keep open
and use the messuage, tenement, or inn, and buildings standing and being
upon the said land as and for an inn or public-house for the reception,
accommodation, and entertainment of travellers, guests, and other persons
resorting thereto or frequenting the same, and manage and conduct such
trade or business in a quiet and orderly manner, and will not do, commit, or
permit, or suffer to be done or committed, any act, matter, or thing
whatsoever, whereby or by means whereof any licence shall or may be
forfeited or become void or liable to be taken away, suppressed, or
suspended in any manner howsoever; the words “and will apply for
renewal of licence” shall apply as follows, viz —and also shall and will
from time to time during the continuance of the said term, at the proper
times for that purpose, apply for and endeavour to obtain, at his own
expense, all such licences as are or may be necessary for carrying on the
said trade or business of a licensed victualler or publican, in and upon the
said hereditaments and premises, and keeping the said messuage, tenement,
or inn open as and for an inn or public-house as aforesaid ; the words “and
will facilitate the transfer of licence” shall apply as follows, viz. —and also
shall and
will,
 170

will, at the expiration or other sooner determination of the said lease, sign
and give such notice or notices, and allow such notice or notices of a
renewal or transfer of any licence as may be required by law to be affixed
to the said messuage, tenement, or inn, to be thereto affixed, and remain so
affixed during such time or times as shall be necessary or expedient in that
behalf, and generally to do and perform all such further acts, matters, and
things, as shall be necessary to enable the said lessor, or any other person
authorized by him, to obtain the renewal of any licence, or any new
licence, or the transfer of any licence then existing and in force.
Powers implied in 68. In every transfer of land under a bill of encumbrance, or of trust,
every bill of encum-
brance or trust by way by way of marriage settlement, there shall be implied the following powers
of marriage settlement in every tenant for life, in possession of the property or of any undivided
to be vested in tenant
for life, his guardian, share thereof, or in his guardian, or in the committee of his estate, or in
or in committee, or case there shall be no tenant for life in possession, then in the trustees of
trustees of settlement.
the settlement, that is to say —that he or they may demise or lease, or
concur in respect of such share in demising or leasing the property, estate
or interest in settlement, for any term not exceeding twenty-one years, to
take effect in possession at a reasonable yearly rent, without taking any
fine or premium for the making such lease, and so that the lessee or lessees
do execute a counterpart thereof.
Powers implied in 69. There shall also be implied in the trustees of the settlement, at the
trustees of settlement.
request in writing of any tenant for life in possession, or his guardian, or
Committee; or if there be no such tenant for life, then at their own
discretion, the following powers, that is to say —that they may dispose of
the property in settlement, or any part thereof, either by way of sale, or in
They may dispose of
or exchange property exchange for other property of the like nature and tenure, situated within
in settlement, or may the said Province ; or where such property shall consist of an undivided
agree to partition of
undivided share. share, may concur in the partition of the entirety of such property ; and
may give or take any money by way of equality of exchange or partition :
Provided that the moneys to arise from any such sale, or be received for
Moneys realized by equality of exchange or partition, shall, with all convenient speed, be laid
sale, or for equality of
exchange, to be re-
out in the purchase of other property, of like nature and tenure, situate
invested in real estate. within the said Province ; and, moreover, any property so purchased or
taken in exchange, shall be settled in the same manner and subject to the
same trusts, powers, and provisoes, as the property so sold or given in
Moneys ad interim to exchange : Provided also, that until the moneys received in consequence of
be vested in real
security, or Govern- such sale, or exchange, or partition, shall be laid out as aforesaid, the same
ment securities. shall be invested on real security in the said Province, or in Government
securities, and the interest thereof shall be paid to the persons entitled to
the rents and profits of the property in settlement.
Covenants implied on 70. In every memorandum of sale or other instrument executed by a
the part of trustees.
trustee, as trustee only, and not as the person beneficially interested in the
land thereby contracted to be transferred or otherwise dealt with, there
shall be implied a covenant only that such trustee hath
not
 171

not at any time before the execution of such memorandum of sale or other
instrument done, or knowingly suffered to be done, any act, matter, or
thing, whereby or by means whereof the land therein referred to can or
may be impeached, charged, encumbered, or in any manner prejudically
affected in title, estate, or otherwise howsoever.
71. Where any memorandum of sale or other instrument in Such covenants may
be set forth in decla-
accordance with the provisions of this Act, is executed by more parties ration, in actions for
than one, such implied covenants shall be construed to be several and not breach.

to bind the parties jointly, and in any declaration in an action for a

supposed breach of any such covenants, the covenant alleged to be broken
may be set forth, and it shall be lawful to allege that the party against
whom such action is brought did so covenant precisely in the same manner
as if such covenant had been expressed in words in such memorandum of
sale or other instrument, and law or practice to the contrary
notwithstanding.
72. That when the deceased owner shall by any instrument or Construction of
covenants binding
covenant bind or have bound his heirs, the term “heirs” shall be construed heirs.
to mean the person or several persons who by law shall be chargeable with
the debts of such deceased owner.
73. In every case where any of the covenants or powers aforesaid Covenants implied
against a wife held to
would be implied by or in any woman if unmarried, the same shall be be implied against her
implied by or in her husband if she shall be married. husband.

74. Every covenant which shall be implied by virtue of this Act shall Covenants declared to
be implied to have
have the same force and effect, and be enforced in the same manner as if it the same force as if
had been set out at length in the instrument wherein the same shall be the same had been
expressed.
implied.
75. Every covenant and power to be implied in any instrument by Covenants declared to
be implied may be
virtue of this Act may be negatived or modified by express declaration on negatived or modified.
the instrument, or endorsed thereon.
76. No vendor of any land under the operation of this Act shall have Vendor to have no
equitable lien by
any equitable lien thereon by reason of the non-payment of the purchase- reason of balance of
money, or any part of the purchase-money, for the same. purchase-money
unpaid.

77. Except as hereinbefore provided in the case of right of purchase No contract for sale or
dealing with land in
covenanted in a lease, no agreement for the sale, lease, or other dealing futuro to be registered.
with any estate or interest in land under the operation of this Act to be
performed in futuro, shall be entered in the register book ; but any person
claiming an interest in any such land under any such contract or agreement,
or having any claim or interest adverse to any will may, by caveat in the
form of the Schedule hereto marked P, or as near thereto as circumstances
will permit, forbid the registration of any will or other instrument affecting
such land, estate, or interest.
78. The proprietor of land under the operation of this Act, or any Power of Attorney.

person registered as having estate or interest therein, may authorize

and
 172

and appoint any person to act for him, or on his behalf, in respect to the
leasing of such land, or the sale or mortgage of his estate or interest
therein, or otherwise lawfully to deal with such land, in accordance with
the provisions of this Act, by executing a power in form of the Schedule
hereto marked G, or as near thereto as circumstances will permit, which
power shall contain the same description of such land as is contained in the
grant, or existing certificate of title thereof, or such other description as
may be sufficient to identify the said land, and shall set forth accurately the
estate or interest of such proprietor in the said land, and shall specify the
nature of the power intended to be conferred, the name and description of
the person by whom, the places where, and the time within which it is to be
exercised ; and upon such power being brought to the Registrar-General,
he shall enter the particulars of the same in the register book, and shall
record upon such power a memorandum of the day and hour on which the
said particulars were so entered, and shall authenticate such record by
signing the same and affixing thereto his seal ; and from and after the date
of such entry in the register book, all acts lawfully done or performed by
the person so appointed under authority of and within the limits prescribed
in such power, shall have the same force and effect, and be equally binding
on such proprietor, as if the said acts had been done or performed by such
proprietor ; and every such power bearing such endorsement, authenticated
as aforesaid, shall be received in evidence as sufficient proof that the
person to whom such power has been granted is duly authorized to make
all contracts, to sign all instruments, and to perform all other lawful acts in
accordance with the powers therein limited and appointed for the
attainment of the objects therein specified, or any of them : Provided
Saving powers exe- always, that nothing herein contained shall be interpreted to invalidate any
cuted prior to this Act, power of attorney executed without the limits of the said Province, or prior
or without the limits
of the Province. to the passing of this Act, although such power may not be in accordance
with the provisions of this Act.
Registration abstract 79. The Registrar-General, upon the application of any registered
for registering dealings
without the limits of proprietors of land under the operation of this Act, shall grant to such
the Province. proprietor a registration abstract enabling him to sell, mortgage, or
otherwise deal with his estate or interest in such land at any place without
the limits of the said Province, which registration abstract shall be in the
form in the Schedule hereto marked H, or as near to such form as
circumstances will permit, and the Registrar-General shall at the same time
enter in the register book a memorandum recording the issue of such
registration abstract, and shall endorse on the grant, certificate of title, or
other instrument evidencing or constituting the title of such applicant
proprietor to such estate or interest a like memorandum recording the issue
of such registration abstract, and from and after the issuing of any such
registration abstract, no sale, mortgage, lease, or other transaction
transferring, encumbering, or in any way affecting the estate or interest in
respect of which such registration abstract is issued shall be entered in the
register book until such abstract shall have been surrendered to the
Registrar-
 173

Registrar-General to be cancelled, or the loss or destruction of such

abstract proven to his satisfaction, or until the same shall have been
revoked in manner hereinafter provided.
80. Whenever any sale, mortgage, or lease is intended to be Mode of procedure
under registration ab-
transacted under any of such registration abstract, a memorandum of sale, stract.
bill of mortgage, or lease as the case may require, shall be prepared in
duplicate in the forms for such case hereinbefore appointed and prescribed,
or as near to such form as circumstances will permit, and shall be produced
to some one of the persons hereinafter appointed as persons before whom
the execution of instruments without the limits of the said Province may be
proven, and record shall be made upon such registration abstract of the
several particulars hereinbefore required to be entered in the register book
by the Registrar-General in the case of a transfer, mortgage, or lease, as the
case may be, made within the limits of the said Province, and upon such
record being authenticated by the signature of such authorized person as
aforesaid, such transfer, mortgage, or lease shall be as valid and binding to
all intents as if the same had been made within the limits of the said
Province, and recorded in the register book by the Registrar-General, and
subject to the rules hereinafter for each such case prescribed, every person
whose name shall have been so recorded as purchaser, mortgagee, or lessee
of such land upon such registration abstract, shall be held and taken to be
registered as such, and shall have the same rights and powers, and be
subject to the same liabilities as he would have had and been subject to if
his name had been registered in the register book instead of on such
abstract as proprietor, mortgagee, or lessee of such land or of such estate or
interest therein.
81. The following rules shall be observed as to powers of attorney General rules applica-
ble to powers of attor-
and registration abstracts :— ney and registration
abstracts.

(1.) The power shall be exercised in conformity with the directions

contained therein:
(2.) No sale, mortgage, or lease bona fide made thereunder shall be
impeached by reason of the person by whom the power was given
dying before the making of such sale, mortgage, or lease:
(3.) Whenever the power contains a specification of the place or places at
which, and a limit of time within which, the sale is to be exercised,
no sale, mortgage, or lease bona fide made to a purchaser,
mortgagee, or lessee without notice shall be impeached by reason of
the bankruptcy or insolvency of the person by whom the power was
given :
(4.) If sale be effected, there shall be delivered up to the Registrar-
General the memorandum of sale by which the land or any estate or
interest therein is contracted to be transferred, the registration
abstract, and the grant, certificate of title, lease, or other instrument
of title; the Registrar-General shall enter in the register book a
memorandum of the particulars of such sale, and of the cancelling of
such abstract, and shall endorse on such memorandum, and also on
the grant, certificate of title,
lease,
 174

lease, or other instrument of title a memorandum of the date and

hour on which such entry was made, and if a full estate in fee simple,
in such land, or in any part thereof, shall have been passed by such
memorandum of sale, he shall cancel the grant or certificate of title
delivered up, and shall issue a certificate of title of such land, or of
the sold portion thereof to the purchaser, and if part only be sold, he
shall also issue a certificate of title of the unsold portion to the
proprietor ; and shall, before issuing the same, endorse on each of
such certificates of title, a memorandum of the particulars of all
unsatisfied mortgages or encumbrances appearing in the registry
book, or on the registration abstract affecting the land included under
each such certificate of title respectively:
(5.) Every mortgage which is so endorsed as aforesaid on the registration
abstract shall have priority over all bills of mortgages of the same
estate executed subsequently to the date of the entry of the issuing of
such abstract in the register book ; and if there be more mortgages
than one so endorsed, the respective mortgagees claiming thereunder
shall, notwithstanding any express, implied, or constructive notice,
be entitled one before the other according to the date at which a
record of each instrument is endorsed on such abstract, and not
according to the date of the bill of mortgage:
(6.) The discharge and also the transfer of any mortgage, so endorsed on
such abstract may be endorsed on such abstract by any person
hereinbefore authorized to record a mortgage thereon upon the
production of such evidence and the execution of such instruments as
are hereinbefore required to be executed and produced to the
Registrar on the entry of the discharge or transfer of a mortgage in
the register book ; and such endorsement, so made on such abstract,
shall have the same effect and be as valid, to all intents, as if such
transfer or discharge had been entered in the register book by the
Registrar-General in manner hereinbefore provided.
(7.) Upon proof, at any time, to the satisfaction of the Registrar-General
that any power or registration abstract is lost, or so obliterated as to
be useless, and that the powers thereby given have never been
exercised, or if they have been exercised then upon proof of the
several matters and things that have been done thereunder, it shall be
lawful for the Registrar-General, with the sanction of the Lands
Titles Commissioners, as circumstances may require, either to issue a
new power or registration abstract, as the case may be, or to direct
such entries to be made in the register book, or such other matter or
thing to be done as might have been made or done if no such loss or
obliteration had taken place.
(8.) Upon the delivery of any abstract to the Registrar-General, he shall,
after recording in the register book in such manner as to preserve its
priority, the particulars of every unsatisfied mortgage registered
thereon, cancel such abstract, and enter the fact of such cancellation
in the register book; and shall also, by
endorsement
 175

endorsement on the grant, or certificate of title, lease, or other

instrument, evidencing the title of such proprietor to such land,
note the particulars of every such unsatisfied mortgage, and of
every such lease, and the cancellation of such certificate of
mortgage, and every certificate so cancelled shall be void to all
intents, and shall file in his office the duplicates of every
memorandum of sale, bill of mortgage, lease, or other instrument
executed thereunder, which may for that purpose be delivered to
him.
Revocation of power of
82. The registered owner for the time being of any land in respect of attorney.
which a power of attorney has been issued may, by an instrument, under
his hand, in the form Q in the Schedule hereto, or as near thereto as
circumstances will permit, revoke such power; and if the holder of such
power shall neglect or refuse to surrender the same to such owner, or his
agent exhibiting such revocation order, duly certified by the Registrar-
General, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, and on conviction thereof
shall forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding One Hundred Pounds, unless it
shall be made to appear to the satisfaction of the Court before whom the
case may be tried, that the powers given therein had been exercised prior to
the presentation of such revocation order.
83. After the presentation of such revocation order to the holder of Power of attorney
rendered null by re-
such power, the said power shall, so far as concerns any mortgage or sale vocation order.
to be thereafter made, be deemed to be revoked and of no effect.
84. Whenever it is intended that partition should be made by Partition of copart-
nerships, or joint
copartners, joint tenants, or tenants in common, of any land under the tenancy, or tenancy
operation of this Act, or of any estate or interest in such land, such in common.

copartners, joint tenants, or tenants in common, may execute a

memorandum of sale, lease, or other such instrument of transfer as in
accordance with the provisions of this Act the nature of the estate or
interest may require, purporting to sell, lease, or otherwise transfer, to each
or any of such copartners, joint tenants, or tenants in common respectively,
such part of the said land, or their estate or interest in such part of the said
land as shall be expressed and described in such memorandum of sale,
lease, or instrument of transfer; and upon such memorandum of sale, lease,
or other instrument being presented to the Registrar-General, he shall enter
the particulars of the same in the register book, and proceed in other
respects as is hereinbefore directed for the case of the transfer of a like
estate or interest in land under the operation of this Act, and upon such
entry being made in the register book, the estate or interest of such
copartners, joint tenants, or tenants in common, in the particular piece of
land described in such memorandum of sale, lease or other instrument,
shall pass from such copartners, joint tenants, or tenants in common, and
shall vest in the individual named and described as purchaser, lessee, or
transferee, of the estate or interest of such copartners, joint tenants, or
tenants in common, as set forth, limited,
and
 176

and described in such memorandum of sale, lease, or other instrument of

transfer.
Consent may be given 85. If the consent or direction of any person shall be requisite or
by endorsement.
necessary upon a sale or other disposition of land under the operation of
this Act, or any estate or interest therein, such consent or direction may be
endorsed upon the memorandum of sale, or other instrument executed for
the purpose of transferring, or otherwise dealing with such land, or estate
or interest therein, in the words following, that is to say —“I consent
hereto,” which consent or direction, when signed by such consenting or
directing party, and attested in manner hereinafter prescribed, shall have
full validity and effect.
Validity given to acts 86. Every instrument signed by any married woman, as a vendor,
of married women.
mortgagor, or lessor, or otherwise, for the purpose of disposing of,
releasing, surrendering, or extinguishing any estate, right, title, or interest
in any land under the operation of this Act, if produced and acknowledged
by her in manner provided by the Ordinance of the Governor in Council of
the said Province, No.15 of 1845, intituled “An Ordinance to render
effectual Conveyances by Married Women, and to declare the effect of
certain Deeds relating to Dower,” shall have the same effect and validity as
is by this given to instruments of the like nature when signed by male
persons of full age and sound mind, attested in manner hereinbefore
prescribed.
Provision for cases of 87. If any person interested in any land under the operation of this Act
infancy or other inca-
pacity. is, by reason of infancy, lunacy, or other inability, incapable of making any
declaration or doing anything required or permitted by this Act to be made
or done by a proprietor in respect of registry, transfer, or transmission,
mortgage, or encumbrance of such land, or the release of the same from
any mortgage or encumbrance, or the leasing, assigning, or in any other
manner dealing with such land, then the guardian or committee, if any, of
such incapable person, or, if there be none, any person appointed by any
Court or Judge possessing jurisdiction in respect of the property of
incapable persons, upon the petition of any person on behalf of such
incapable person, or of any other person interested in the making such
declaration, or doing such thing, may make such declaration, or a
declaration as nearly corresponding thereto as circumstances permit, and
do such thing in the name and on behalf of such incapable person; and all
acts done by such substitute shall be as effectual as if done by the person
for whom he is substituted.
Execution of instru- 88. The execution of any instrument made in accordance with the
ments, before whom to
be proved. provisions of this Act, or the discharge of any mortgage or encumbrance,
or the transfer or surrender of any lease, may be proved, if the parties
executing the same be resident within ten miles of the Registry Office, then
before the Registrar-General; if the parties executing the same be resident
at a distance from the Registry Office greater than ten miles, then before
the Registrar-General or a Justice of the Peace; if the said parties be
resident in Great Britain, then by the Mayor
or
 177

or other Chief Officer of any Corporation, or before a Notary Public; if the

said parties be resident in any British Possession, then before the Chief
Justice, Judge of any Superior Court having jurisdiction in such
Possession, or before the Governor, Government Resident, or Chief
Secretary thereof; if the said parties be resident at any foreign place, then
before the British Consular Officer resident at such place; and a certificate
of such proof, under the hand and seal of the Registrar-General, or of any
such Justice of the Peace, Notary Public, Mayor, or other Chief Officer,
Chief Justice, Judge, Governor, Resident, Chief Secretary, or Consular
Officer, as the case may be, shall be sufficient evidence that the execution
of such instrument, had been duly proved.
89. The execution of any such instrument, release, transfer, or Mode of proving in-
struments.
surrender, may be proved before any such person as aforesaid, by the oath
or solemn affirmation of the parties executing the same, or of a witness
attesting the signing thereof; and if such witness shall answer in the
affirmative, each of the questions following, that is to say —
Are you the witness who attested the signing of this instrument, and is the
name or mark purporting to be your name or mark as such attesting
witness your own handwriting?
Do you personally know , the person signing this
instrument, and whose signature you attested?
Is the name purporting to be his signature his own handwriting —is he of
sound mind —and did he freely and voluntarily sign the same?
Then the Registrar-General, Justice, or other person before whom such
witness shall prove such signature as aforesaid, shall endorse upon such
instrument a certificate in form of the Schedule hereto annexed marked R,
or as near thereto as circumstances will permit; Provided also, that, if any
person signing any such instrument, transfer, release, or surrender, as
aforesaid, as the maker thereof, shall be personally known to the Registrar-
General, Justice, or other person as aforesaid, it shall be lawful for such
person to attend and appear before such Registrar-General, Justice, or other
person to whom he is personally known, and then and there acknowledge
that he did freely and voluntarily sign such instrument, transfer, release, or
surrender; and upon such acknowledgment, the Registrar-General, Justice,
or other person, as the case may be, shall endorse on such instrument a
certificate, in the form or to the effect of the Schedule hereto marked S, or
as near thereto as circumstances will permit, and it shall not be necessary
for such instrument to be proved by the attesting witness in manner
aforesaid: Provided also that such questions as aforesaid may be varied as
circumstances shall or may require, in case any person shall sign such
instrument by his mark: Provided also, that, on the signing of any such
instrument by any married woman, and the acknowledgment thereof by her
in manner mentioned or referred to in this Act, no further or other proof or
acknowledgment shall be requisite or necessary.
90. Every such Justice as aforesaid, sitting in open Court, shall be, Justices required to
administer oath.
and he is hereby required to administer the oath, or take the solemn
affirmation,
 178

affirmation, or the acknowledgment, of any person attending before him

for the purpose of proving or acknowledging any such instrument as
aforesaid.
No action of ejectment 91. It shall not be lawful for any person to institute or prosecute any
to be instituted against
person registered as action of ejectment for the recovery of land under the operation of this Act,
proprietor. against the registered proprietor, save and except only in the case of a
mortgagee against his mortgagor, an encumbrancee against his
encumbrancer, or a lessor against his lessee, in default, under the terms,
conditions, or covenants of a bill of mortgage, bill of encumbrance, bill of
trust, or lease, as the case may be, executed and registered in accordance
with the provisions of this Act, or in the case of any person duly authorised
by any Court having jurisdiction in cases of bankruptcy or insolvency,
against a bankrupt or insolvent, or in case the registered proprietor has
obtained such land by fraud or misrepresentation.
Compensation in case 92. Any person who shall, by the decree of any Court having
of error or fraud.
jurisdiction in such case, be declared to be the lawful heir to any land under
the operation of this Act, or any person who shall by any such decree be
declared to have been deprived of an estate or interest in such land, through
the entry in the register book of any memorandum of sale or other
instrument affecting such land, made, or procured to be made by fraud,
error, misrepresentation, oversight, or deceit, may bring and prosecute an
action at law in the Supreme Court for the recovery of damages against the
person who may, by fraud or other means as aforesaid, have become
registered as proprietor of such land; and the Court or Jury before whom
such action is tried shall, if such person obtains a verdict in his favour, find
damages against the person so registered as proprietor through fraud, or
error, or other means aforesaid, for such sum of money as the Court or Jury
may think fit, not exceeding the value of such land at the time when such
person did so wrongfully, or in error become registered as proprietor of the
same, together with interest on the amount of such value, computed at Six
Pounds in the One Hundred Pounds per annum, from the date when such
person so became wrongfully, or in error, registered as proprietor.
Person registered in 93. In case the person against whom damages shall in any such case
error may retransfer
land, in lieu of paying be awarded, shall have been so registered as proprietor, through error or
damages. misconception, and not through fraud, misrepresentation, or deception, it
shall be lawful for such last-named person, in lieu of paying such sums of
money so awarded as damages (if he shall so elect and is in a position so to
do), to transfer such land to the person who shall have obtained such
verdict, clear of any mortgage, encumbrance, or any lien or liability of such
nature or amount as to reduce the value of the said land, estate, or interest
below the amount so awarded as damages; and the memorandum of sale, or
other instrument evidencing transfer of such land, estate, or interest to the
person who shall have obtained such verdict, duly executed and registered
in accordance with the provisions of this Act, shall be received in any
Court
 179

Court of Law or Equity as a sufficient discharge for the liability on account

of the sum of money so awarded as damages.
94. If it shall be made to appear, to the satisfaction of the Court Entry in register
book may be can-
before whom such action shall be tried, that any person, at the time then celled in case of fraud.
being registered as proprietor in respect of such estate or interest, has been
so registered through fraud or misrepresentation, or in any manner
otherwise than as purchaser, or mortgagee for bona fide valuable
consideration, or by transfer, or transmission from or through a purchaser
or mortgagee for bona fide valuable consideration, it shall be lawful for
such Court to direct the Registrar-General to cancel the entry in the register
book recording the proprietorship of the person who shall by such fraud or But without prejudice
misrepresentation have been so registered, together with all subsequent to purchaser for bona
fide valuable consi-
entries therein relating to the same estate or interest, and the Registrar- deration.
General shall obey such order, and the estate or interest referred to in such
order shall thereupon revert to and vest in the persons in whom (having
regard to intervening circumstances, if any) the same would have vested
had no such entries been so made in the register book.
95. If, at the date of making such decree as aforesaid, the person Decree of Court to
act as destringas.
who shall, by fraud, misrepresentation, or error, have been registered as
proprietor of the estate or interest therein referred to, shall still be
registered as proprietor of the same estate, or of any portion thereof, notice
of such decree, signed by the Master of the Supreme Court, or by the Judge
by whom such decree was made, served upon the Registrar-General, shall
operate as a destringas, and the Registrar-General, upon the receipt of such
notice, and until the damages awarded shall be paid or satisfied, shall
abstain from recording on the register book any transfer, mortgage, or other
transaction, affecting the same estate or interest, except for the purpose of
satisfying such award in manner hereinbefore provided.
96. In case the person against whom such verdict shall have been Damages may be re-
covered by distress,
obtained shall fail to pay, within reasonable time, the amount of damages or person may be
so awarded, or to convey the estate or interest to the person who shall have attached.

obtained such verdict, the amount of such award may be levied by distress
upon the goods of such person, or he may be attached, and lodged in the
common gaol in Adelaide until such amount be paid or satisfied in manner
aforesaid: and, in case of a return of nulla bona, or if the amount recovered
by such distress shall not suffice to cover the amount of damages so Failing recovery,
amount to be made
awarded, together with all costs of suit, the Registrar-General shall address good out of assurance
to the Treasurer of the said Province, a requisition for the payment of the fund.
amount so awarded, or of the balance thereof, and the said Treasurer upon
receipt of such requisition, and of a warrant under the hand of the
Governor, countersigned by the Chief Secretary of the said Province, shall
pay such amount, and shall charge the same to the account of the assurance
fund hereinbefore described.
97. No action of ejectment, or for recovery of damages, shall be in Period within which
actions may be
any case instituted against any registered proprietor after the brought.

expiration
 180

Recovery of certificate
issued in error, or in
expiration of the time within which it shall be lawful, by any law for the
consequence of fraudu-
lent representation.
time being in force in the said Province, to bring or commence an action
for ejectment for the recovery of any land.
98. If any certificate of title, or other instrument affecting land, under
the operation of this Act, or any entry, memorandum, or endorsement, in or
upon any such instrument, shall be obtained from or issued by the
Registrar-General through or by means of fraud, error, misrepresentation,
oversight, or deceit, it shall be lawful for the said Registrar-General, by
summons under the hand of a Judge of the Supreme Court, to be issued to
such Registrar-General upon verbal application made by him, to summon
the person to whom such certificate, or other instrument, shall have been
issued, to surrender and yield up such certificate, or other instrument to
such Registrar General ; and if such person shall neglect or refuse to
surrender and yield up such certificate, or other instrument, it shall be
lawful for the said Court, or any Judge thereof, upon proof that such
summons had been duly served, and upon the like application of the
Registrar-General, to issue an attachment against such person, and commit
him to the common gaol at Adelaide, until such certificate, or other
instrument, be surrendered and yielded up; and the Registrar-General shall
give public notice, by advertisement, published once in each of three
successive weeks in the South Australian Government Gazette, and at least
one newspaper published in the City of Adelaide, that such certificate, or
other instrument, or such entry, memorandum, or endorsement, had been
obtained or issued in manner as aforesaid, and shall declare such
certificate, or other instrument, or such entry, memorandum, or
endorsement, to be void and of no effect: Provided always, that nothing
herein contained shall be held to operate in any such manner as to subject
to impeachment or to defeat the title of any person who, before the issue of
such summons as aforesaid, shall, upon payment of bona fide valuable
consideration, have become registered as proprietor in respect to the estate
or interest referred to in such certificate, entry, memorandum, or
endorsement.
Provision in case of 99. In the event of the grant or certificate of title of any land registered
lost grant.
under this Act being lost, mislaid, or destroyed, the proprietor of such land,
together with other persons, if any, having knowledge of the
circumstances, may make a declaration before the Registrar-General,
stating the facts of the case, the names and descriptions of the registered
owners, and the particulars of all mortgages, encumbrances, or other
matters affecting such land and the title thereto, to the best of declarant’s
knowledge and belief; and the Registrar-General, if satisfied as to the truth
of such declaration, and the bona fides of the transaction, may, with the
consent of the Lands Titles Commissioners, issue to such applicant a
provisional certificate of title of such land, which provisional certificate
shall contain an exact copy of the original grant, or certificate of title,
bound up in the register book, and of every memorandum and endorsement
thereon at the time appearing, and shall also contain a state-
ment
 181

ment of the circumstances under which such provisional certificate is

issued; and the Registrar-General shall, at the same time, enter in the
register book notice of the issuing of such provisional certificate, and the
date thereof, and the circumstances under which it was issued; and such
provisional certificate shall be available for all purposes and uses for which
the grant, or certificate of title, so lost or mislaid would have been
available, and as valid to all intents as such lost grant or certificate.
100. The Registrar-General, upon receipt of any caveat in Receipt of caveat to
be published.
accordance with the provisions of this Act, shall cause the same to be
published in the Government Gazette of the said Province, and also in at
least one newspaper published in the City of Adelaide, three several times
in each of three successive weeks, at the expense of the person serving
such caveat, and in case such person shall refuse to pay the expense
thereof, the Registrar-General shall not be bound or obliged to receive such
caveat.
101. The Registrar-General shall give notice of the receipt of such Notice of caveat to
parties.
caveat to every person registered as proprietor in respect to the estate or
interest referred to in such caveat, and to every person presenting for
purpose of registration any instrument relating to such estate or interest,
and such registered proprietor, or other person claiming estate or interest in
the same land, may, if he think fit, summon the person signing such caveat
to attend before the Judges of the Supreme Court of the said Province, or
Person lodging caveat
one of them, to show cause why such caveat should not be withdrawn; and may be summoned to
it shall be lawful for the said Court, or a Judge thereof, upon proof that show cause.
such last-mentioned person has been summoned, to make such order in the
premises, either ex parte or otherwise, as to the said Court or Judge shall
seem fit.
102. Within three calendar months from the entering of such caveat, Person entering caveat
to establish his claim.
the person entering the same shall take proceedings to establish his claim, Proceedings to be had
and such proceedings shall be by way of petition to the Supreme Court, thereon.

which shall be filed on oath, and shall contain as concisely as may be, a
statement of the material facts on which the petitioner relies, such
statement to be divided into paragraphs, numbered consecutively, and each
paragraph shall contain, as nearly as may be, a separate and distinct
allegation, and shall state specifically what estate, lien, or charge the
petitioner claims, and the said Court, upon receipt of such petition, shall
issue an order appointing a time for hearing the same.
103. The petitioner shall cause a copy of such petition and of the Copy of petition to be
served upon claimant.
order for hearing to be served upon the registered proprietor of the estate or
interest in respect to which such caveat is lodged, or upon the person
applying to have land brought under the operation of this Act as the case
may be, fourteen days at least before the day appointed for the hearing of
the said petition.
104. On the day of hearing, the claimant is personally, or by counsel, Showing cause on
petition.
to show cause in Court if he can, and if necessary by affidavit, why the
matters claimed by such petitioner should not be ordered.
105. If
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Hearing of petition on 105. If the claimant shall not appear on the day appointed for the
non-attendance of
claimant. hearing, the Court may, upon due proof of the service of such petition and
order, make such order, in the absence of the claimant, either for the
establishment of the rights of the petitioner, or as the nature and
circumstances of the case may require, as to such court may seem meet.
Hearing of petition. 106. On the day appointed for the hearing of the petition, and on
hearing the same, and the affidavits, if any, filed in support thereof, and
hearing what may be alleged on behalf of the claimant, the Court may, if it
shall think fit, make an order establishing the right of the petitioner, or
directing any inquiries to be made, or other proceedings taken, for the
purpose of ascertaining the rights of the parties, or may dismiss the
petition.
Question of fact may 107. The Supreme Court may, if it shall think fit, direct any question
be referred to a jury.
of fact brought before it to be decided before a Judge thereof; and for that
purpose may direct an issue to be tried, wherein the petitioner shall be
Parties to produce plaintiff, and the claimant shall be defendant; and the said Court shall
deeds, &c.
direct when and where the trial of such issue shall take place, and shall also
require the claimant and petitioner severally to name an attorney to act on
Form of issue. his behalf; and the Court may also direct the parties to produce all deeds,
books, papers, and writings, in their custody or power, on a day to be
named by the Court, and each party shall have liberty to inspect the same,
and take copies thereof, at their own expense; and such of them as either
party shall give notice to have produced at the trial, shall be produced
accordingly; and, in case the parties differ upon the question or questions
to be tried, the Court may either settle the same, or otherwise refer it to the
Land Titles Commissioners.
Proceedings where 108. If the Court shall find that the petitioner is entitled to all or some
petitioner establishes
his claim. of the matters claimed by him, the order of the Court shall declare what is
the estate, interest, lien, or claim to which the petitioner is entitled, and
shall direct such order to be served upon the Registrar-General, who shall
obey the same or act in accordance therewith.
Effect of order. 109. Every order of the Court shall have such and the like effect as a
decree or decretal order of the Court made in a suit commenced by bill, and
duly prosecuted to a hearing, according to the present practice of the
Equitable Jurisdiction of the Court.
Court may require 110. If, at the hearing of such petition, it shall appear to the Court that,
bill to be filed.
for the purposes of justice, it is necessary or expedient that a bill should be
filed, the Court may order or authorize such bill to be filed subject to such
terms as to costs or otherwise as may be thought proper.
As to costs. 111. The Court shall have power in all cases to order the payment of
the costs occasioned by entering the caveat or incidental thereto,
to
 183

to be paid by or to the petitioner, as the case may require and as the Court
may think fit.
112. The procedure and practice in the matter of a petition presented Procedure to be regu-
lated by Act No. 14,
under this Act shall, unless otherwise provided, be regulated by the 1853.
procedure and practice of the Equitable Jurisdiction of the said Supreme
Court in a claim filed under an Act passed in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, and being numbered 14 of that
year, intituled “An Act to amend the practice and proceeding in the
Equitable Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of South Australia.”
113. From and after the passing of this Act all public maps Duplicates of future
public maps to be
delineating the Waste Lands of the Crown in the said Province for the deposited.
purpose of sale, shall be made in duplicate, and the Surveyor-General shall
sign each duplicate, and shall certify the accuracy of the same, and such
duplicates of such maps shall be deposited in the Registry Office, and
whenever, in any instrument relating to land brought under the operation of
this Act, and executed subsequent to the passing thereof, reference is made
to the public maps of the said Province deposited in the office of the
Surveyor-General, such reference shall be interpreted and taken to apply
equally, and with the same force and effect, and for the same purposes, to
either of such duplicates.
114. It shall be lawful for any proprietor, subdividing any land under Proprietor may
deposit map.
the operation of this Act, for the purpose of selling the same in allotments
as a township, to deposit with the Registrar-General a map of such
township, provided that such map shall be on a scale of not less than one
inch to the chain, and shall exhibit, distinctly delineated, all roads, streets,
passages, thoroughfares, squares, or reserves, appropriated or set apart for
public use, and also all allotments into which the said land may be divided,
marked with distinct numbers or symbols, and the person depositing such
map shall sign the same, and shall certify the accuracy thereof by
declaration before the Registrar-General, or a Justice of the Peace.
115. It shall be lawful for the Registrar-General, if he shall think fit, Registrar-General
may require map to
to require the proprietor applying to have any land brought under the be deposited.
operation of this Act, or desiring to transfer or lease the same, or any
portion thereof, to deposit, at the Registry Office, a map or plan of such
land, and if the said land, or the portion thereof proposed to be transferred
or leased, shall be of less area than one statute acre, then such map or plan
shall be on a scale not less than one inch to the chain; and if such land, or
the portion thereof, about to be sold or leased, shall be of greater area than
one statute acre, then such map or plan shall be upon a scale not less than
one inch to six chains, and such proprietor shall sign such map and shall
declare to the accuracy of the same before the Registrar-General, or a
Justice of the Peace; and is such proprietor shall neglect or refuse to
comply with such requirement, it shall not
be
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be incumbent on the Registrar-General to proceed with the bringing of

such land under the operation of this Act, or with the registration of such
transfer or lease: Provided always, that subsequent subdivisions of the
same land may be delineated on the map or plan of the same, so deposited,
if such map be upon a sufficient scale, in accordance with the provisions
herein contained, and such proprietor shall certify the correctness of the
delineation of each such subdivision, by declaration in manner prescribed
for the case of the deposit of an original map.
Search allowed. 116. Any person may, upon payment of a fee specified in Schedule T
hereto, have access to the register book for the purpose of inspection at any
reasonable time during the hours and upon the days appointed for search.
Certified copies signed 117. The Registrar-General, upon payment of such reasonable sum as
and sealed to be fur-
nished by Registrar- may be appointed by any regulation made by him for such case, with
General and to be sanction of the Governor, shall furnish to any person applying at a
received in evidence.
reasonable time for the same, a certified copy of any instrument affecting
or relating to land registered under the provisions of this Act, and every
such certified copy signed by him and sealed with his seal, shall be
received in evidence in any Court of Justice, or before any person having
by law, or by consent of parties, authority to receive evidence as prima
facie proof of all the matters contained or recited in or endorsed on the
original instrument, and the production of any such certified copy, so
signed and sealed, shall be as effectual in evidence to all intents as the
production of the original.
Indemnity to Regis- 118. The Registrar-General shall not be liable to damages or
trar.
otherwise for any loss accruing to any person by reason of any act done or
default made by him in his character of Registrar-General, unless the same
has happened through his neglect or wilful act.
Registrar-General to 119. The Registrar-General shall keep a correct account of all such
pay moneys into
Treasury, and to sums of money as shall be received by him in accordance with the
render accounts. provisions of this Act, and shall pay the same into the Public Treasury of
the said Province at such times, and shall render accounts of the same to
such persons, and in such manner as may be directed in any regulations
that may for that purpose be prescribed by the Governor-in-Chief of the
Parties entitled to be
paid by Treasurer, said Province, by and with the advice of the Executive Council thereof; and
upon warrant signed the Registrar-General shall address to the said Treasurer requisitions to pay
by Registrar-General.
moneys received by him, in trust or otherwise, on account of absent
mortgagees or other persons entitled in accordance with the provisions of
this Act; which requisitions, when proved and audited in manner directed,
by any such regulations framed as aforesaid at the time being in force in
the said Province, and accompanied by warrant for payment of the same
under the hand of the Governor, countersigned by the Chief Secretary
thereof, the said Treasurer shall be bound to obey, and all fines and fees
received under the provisions of this Act, except fees payable to
the
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the Lands Titles Commissioners for the bringing of land under the
operation of this Act, shall be carried to account by the said Treasurer as
General Revenue.
120. Any persons who shall wilfully or knowingly, by fraud or Penalty for falsifying
register book, or pro-
misrepresentation, make, or cause, or obtain to be made in the register curing entries or in-
book, any entry which might in any way affect the right, title, estate, or struments by fraud or
misrepresentation.
interest of himself, or of any other person, in any land under the operation
of this Act, or who shall wilfully or knowingly, by fraud or
misrepresentation, procure from the Registrar-General any certificate of
title, registration abstract, or other instrument evidencing or relating to title
to, or estate or interest in land under the operation of this Act, or shall
cause or procure to be made any entry, certificate, memorandum, or
endorsement by this Act prescribed to be made in or upon any such
certificate, abstract, or other instrument by the Registrar-General, or other
authorized person, or who shall use or utter any such certificate, abstract,
or other instrument, knowing the same to be counterfeited, forged, or
altered, or to have been obtained by fraud or misrepresentation, or to
contain or bear any entry, memorandum, certificate, or endorsement as
aforesaid, forged, counterfeited, or altered, or obtained by fraud or
misrepresentation, and who shall be thereof lawfully convicted, shall be
deemed guilty of felony, and be sentenced to be imprisoned for any period Person making false
oath or affirmation
not exceeding four years, and to be kept to hard labor or solitary guilty of perjury, and
confinement for any part of the period aforesaid; and if any person shall liable to be imprisoned,
in addition to damages
wilfully or knowingly make a false oath or affirmation touching or recoverable by the
concerning any matter or procedure made or done in pursuance of this Act, party damnified.

and be thereof lawfully convicted, such person shall be deemed guilty of

perjury, and be imprisoned for the period, and in the manner aforesaid,
and, in addition to such punishment, any person damnified or suffering loss
by any such fraud, misrepresentation, forgery, counterfeit, alteration, use,
or utterance, of any such certificate, abstract, or other instrument, as
aforesaid, or by the making of any such false oath or affirmation, shall
have a right of action against, and be entitled to recover damages from, the
person guilty of such fraud, misrepresentation, forgery, counterfeit,
alteration, use, or utterance, or making such false oath or affirmation, the
amount of all damages he may have sustained thereby, with full costs of
suit, as hereinbefore provided.
121. Unless in any case herein otherwise expressly provided, all Jurisdiction.

offences against the provisions of this Act may be prosecuted, and all
penalties or sums of money imposed or declared to be due or owing by or
under the provisions of the same, may be sued for and recovered in the
name of the Attorney-General, or of the Registrar-General, before any
Court in the said Province, having jurisdiction for punishment of offences
of the like nature, or for the recovery of penalties or sums of money of the
like amount.
122. It shall be lawful for the Registrar to charge and receive Fees.

such
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such fees as shall be appointed by the Governor of the said Province, by

and with the consent of the Executive Council, not in any case exceeding
the several fees specified in the Schedule hereto marked T.
Commencement of 123. This Act shall commence and take effect from and after the first
Act.
day of July, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.