Scottish Court of Session Decisions

In an application by a party named Key for admission to the poor's roll, the necessary certificate, under the Act of Sederunt of 21st December 1842, was produced from the kirk-session of the parish of St Andrew's, Edinburgh, in which the applicant had resided for about five weeks previously. It bore that the kirk-session were not personally aware of the truth of the facts stated, as they rested entirely on the applicant's own credit.

The petitioner's story was that he had been a veterinary surgeon in Nairn, but falling into a state of destitution he had come into Edinburgh, partly to try to obtain work, but also with a view of making arrangements for carrying on an action which he had depending in the Court of Session against a party named M'Intosh.

The application was opposed by M'Intosh, on two grounds—1st, That the certificate should have been from the kirk-session of Nairn, where the applicant's real domicile was; and 2d, that as the certificate depended entirely on the applicant's own statement, it was not sufficient.

Objector's authorities—Duncan's Parochial Law, 720; Paton, Nov. 30, 1832, 11 S. 146; Paterson v. Mackenzie, June 15, 1830, 8 S. 920.

Counsel for the applicant stated that he was willing to apply to the kirk-session at Nairn, but that by the 3d section of the Act of Sederunt of 21st December 1842 he would be obliged to attend personally before the kirk-session, and asked the Court to allow communication to be carried on by letter, as the expense of going to Nairn was more than the applicant could afford.

Petitioner's authorities— Gumming, Jan. 27, 1831, 9 S. 342; A. B., June 21, 1832, 10 S. 673; Dickson, Jan. 15, 1852, 24 Jur. 154.