LIFE OF A DEBT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1991, 23 February 1914, Page 6

LIFE OF A DEBT.

Him TO A aoSHTAL BOARt). (By. Wegra-ph.— Sneclal Correstondcnt.) Palmwste»j February 21, Can a hospital patient , * fee be *ecoverefl at law afttt ft lapse of five years? The point Ims heoa argsieil ana aits-wored. affirmatively in thd Palmer-s-ten Magistrate's Gottrt. this week. The <vss> was #no Hi which fcho Falraorstoft I .Hospital'Board.su«d W. Weeisa; for 54 Ms., for his s&ii's mainteiraivco ip hospital iu tlsft years.l 697 and 19&1. During th& year 1908 Sirs. Weekos paid £1 on account, and tho board contended that ; this paj-mewt revived tho dtfbt mifer tie stnt-ttte of limitations for six years,. tho Magistrate. (Mr. Patrtrton, S.M.V. If. doltvorm- 1 ; judgment, Held t-liafcl tlie wjfo had paid £1 out of', n [separate estate of b*f flffn, and liatl 1 bo implied authority te ctb se oft tehaiif of her niistend. teni ferefore Jjor pay- ! »neftt riid not revive her husband's ct<Vbt H but, to regard to ft- second poi*it;,.it ap- ■ pM.:fcd tliat. tte debt was sti?) recovcr- ' aWe. Formerly all such dctite a-s ratcsi inie-rest ore cofttpfthics' dolj*h*«i*s, and ovhfir dchts irbieh bnd ho c.sistonfS at ■ common kw, fot were Bficcisilk created by statate,. Tvejfo oiit-side .tho six years' li-mitation. It -iv.is, fotind very ■inconvenient to havesuph daims liangiiig over people for so a timo fls ■ twenty years, ajkl. « the statutes giving power' to claim rate, coJls. and other ■ tilings thero was now iisiiaUy some exipress limitation sJiorteiimg'th* twenty ■ years' period. There* v/as. lftfrftver, no im«li Km-itnt-fen in the Hos-nitfcl and Charitable Iflstitutioiis Act, 1.909, and, in its atoitee, he thoftgbt that- d?b,ts arising under "Seciio.ii 70 were recnWr* nljfo ?nr'iiv«ivty after ft«r oi'icin. H.b Warship added that it would' hs-to tho flf s-lieii, inif-ihitieils if f"> period wore slwrf«wd to tiro.-yeArs, Mfe Hie perifisl for the' <if rate. It would lttijke such .instiUuiohs ffiow alert in gcttisij? in aeeoniits and pattente .to pay promptly w!»en aUe to do so. . ■ : ■Tntfement was given'for thft beafd, witli cftsts. ■•