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vested with like powers and authority as guardians are in England and this Island or as if they had been appointed by the chancel- lor of this Island”.

THE DIVORCE COURT.

In the year 1835 the lieutenant governor, council and assembly, after thus reciting “whereas, it is necessary in order to the keep— ing up of a decent and regular society, that matrimonial union be protected" pro- ceeded to establish a court of divorce and alimony, consisting of the lieutenant gov- ernor or other administrator of the govern- ment and his council—the lieutenant govern- or or his substitute to be president of the court. But in case the arduous affairs of government may render it impossible for the lieutenant governor at all times to preside in person in the said court" he may by war- rant under his hand and seal of the Island appoint the chief justice of the supreme court to preside in his place. Some working machinery was added to this act by the amending acts of 29 Vic. c. II and 32 Vic. c. I I and thus it stands today.

The court was duly constituted and some cases were tried, the most notable one being Capell v. Capell. The divorce court decreed that the husband should contribute to the support of his wife. He refused and was in consequence imprisoned. Though possessed of sufficient means to enable him to obey the court’s decree, he preferred imprisonment for life. In this effort the court appears to have exhausted its energies. It has been practi- cally out of business for over forty years and its future holds out little promise of useful- ness in “protecting the matrimonial union”.

PAST AND PRESENT OF

COUNTY COURTS.

Under and by virtue of an act to establish county courts of judicature in this Island passed on the 14th of June, 1873, the lieu- tenant governor in council appointed one judge for each of the counties of Kings, Queens and Prince.

These judges were selected from barris- ters of at least seven years’standing and were commissioned to hold office during good be- havior. The Honorable Edward Palmer was appointed judge of the county court of Queens county, the Honorable \Villiam H. Pope for Prince county and Honorable Dennis O. M. Reddin for Kings.

Under the terms of the union with Cana- da, which took place on July first after their appointment their salaries were assumed by the Dominion Government.

On the 18th of July, 1874, Judge Palmer resigned to accept the chief justiceship of this province and George Alley was ap- pointed in his stead. Judge Pope died in 1879 and on the 24th of October of that year Thomas Kelly was appointed to succeed him.

On the death of Judge Kelly, Neil Mc- Leod, K. C., was appointed to the oflice 9th March, 1893.

Judge Reddin died 14th June, 1898, and in the following July A. B. Warburton, D. C. L. succeeded him. Judge Alley died 6th May, 1898, and on the 4th of August follow- ing Hector C. McDonald was appointed judge of the county court of Queens County. Judge Warburton resigned October, 1904, and on the 23d of December, 1904, Stanis- laus Blanchard was appointed in his stead.

Each of the present judges, McLeod, McDonald and Blanchard is the third to