The Examination Chronicle

EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FOR HILARY TERM, 1861 :-
Common Law-Equity- Conveyancing-Bankruptcy-
Criminal Law ..

EXAMINATION ANSWERS FOR HILARY TERM, 1861:-
Common Law-Equity-Conveyancing- Bankruptcy-
Criminal Law

NOTICES TO SUBSCRIBERS

PAGE

21-40

LAW CHRONICLE OFFICE, 10, OFFORD-ROAD,

BARNSBURY, N.

(WHERE ALL ORDERS AND COMMUNICATIONS MUST BE SENT.)

Printed by TAYLOR and GREENING, Graystoke-place, Fetter-lane, London, E C.

NOTICES TO SUBSCRIBERS.

DELAY IN PUBLICATION.

As stated in the Circular, after some of the Examinations there may be a delay in the appearance of the ensuing number, and this has been the case with the present number. It is thought much better to inflict the inconvenience of such a delay, than to furnish speedy but faulty answers, of which some publications exhibit remarkable specimens, both in the last and preceding terms. Unfortunately and unexpectedly, we could not obtain the questions so soon as we anticipated, which has left less time for the preparation of the answers than could have been wished, and which must be accepted as an apology for any errors which may appear. In our next, it is proposed to commence the "Studies upon the Examinations," which will afford an opportunity for explaining any matters which may not have been sufficiently touched upon in the answers furnished in this number.

It will be seen that many of the answers have references to our own publications, such as the "First Book" (F. Bk.), "Common Law Principles" (Com. L. Princ.), "Common Law Practice" (Com. L. Pract.), "Law Dictionary" (Law Dict.), " Examination Questions" (Exam. Quest.)-these two latter being contained in vols. 1 and 2 of "Law Chronicle," New Series. We have made these references for the benefit of those who have the above works, and have mentioned the matter here by way of explanation to new subscribers.

LAW DICTIONARY.

In answer to several inquirers, we submit that we ought not to be pressed about this at present, seeing that we have enough to do just now to get the present publication on its legs. Our subscribers can have no conception of our difficulties. We are quite conscious of our shortcomings, and hope before long to be able to make some satisfactory announcement, which, however, must necessarily be dependent upon the payment of arrears for the "Law Chronicle," which, we are sorry to say, is not very promising.

RESULT OF EXAMINATIONS.

WE find this was worse than we have elsewhere stated, for the number of candidates was 105 only, and yet twenty-eight were rejected. This is a result which must necessarily attract attention, and we have heard from three of the rejected some curious details, which we shall be able to mention in our next. In the meantime we shall be glad to hear either from successful or unsuccessful candidates, with their experiences, as by this means future candidates might be warned, and provide against shipwreck on the same quicksands. Why should even successful clerks refuse to impart any information which may be useful? and certainly the unsuccessful ought to feel some sympathy with their brethren in law.

EXAMINATION ANSWERS.

WE find that we cannot find room for the whole of the answers, but the remainder will appear in next number, and will follow on the present, so as to bind up properly.

MOOT POINTS.

WE had hoped that our readers would have sent up some Moot Points for insertion in the present number. We fear it is not understood that we are quite willing to insert Moot Points (though not answers thereto), and that it is desirable that some should appear in each number, so as to form subjects for correspondence.

As to the system of correspondence, we find that many new subscribers do not understand it, and we shall, therefore, in an early number enter into fuller explanations. In the meantime we have to announce the following additions to the names inserted at pp. 19, 20, and we are afraid there are some others which may have been misplaced in consequence of the great number of communications we have received respecting other matters. Each reader should make a reference at p. 20, as to the following additional names, that is to say:-Mr. G. F. Foxwell, Much Hadden, Herts; Mr. J. F. Gascoine, No. 1, Full-street, Derby; Mr. J. W. Hanslow, Witney, Oxford; Mr. W. J. Heary, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire; Mr. C. H. Holden, at Messrs. Holden and Andrews, solicitors, Bolton; Mr. T. Mytton, at Messrs. Wallington and Wright, solicitors, Leamington; Mr. W. Purchas, jun., at W. T. Jefferson's, Esq., Northallerton; Mr. F. Tandy, No. 7, Cannon-street, Birmingham; Mr. F. Taylor, at Messrs. Rhodes and Sons, Market Rasen. Any omissions, alterations, and additions, will be supplied in the next number.

No. 8.-Will-Gift over on event which did not happen.-Testator, in 1829, gives all his real and personal estate to trustees, upon trust for the benefit of his wife and son. The will contains a proviso that if the wife and son should both die whilst the latter was under 21, then the trust property should go to X. The son afterwards attained 21, but both wife and son died in lifetime of testator, who has recently died, leaving X surviving. Is X entitled to the trust property? GEO. F. FOXWELL.

RESULT OF THE EXAMINATION.

HILARY TERM, 1861.

The past Hilary Term Examination will be a memorable one, not merely to those who have been victims, but to articled clerks who have the examination in prospectu. A very cursory view of the questions propounded by the Examiners, will prepare the reader to expect that some of the candidates failed to give satisfaction, and a more careful consideration of the questions in the two important divisions of Conveyancing and Equity, will by no means diminish this expectation. And the result has justified this apprehension, for out of about 120 candidates, no less than twenty-eight have been rejected. The exact number of candidates we do not guarantee, but we have undoubted information as to the number of the rejectedmaking about one in every four. At present it is impossible for us to enter minutely on the causes of failure, but next month we hope to be able to do so; but for the present we may allude to one cause, which is the neglect of the candidates to answer in the two nonindispensable branches-namely, Bankruptcy and Criminal Law. It would almost seem that the mention of the three other branches as indispensable was a trap to catch those who are more anxious to just get through the examination than to perfect themselves in their profession. The amount of attention given to Bankruptcy and Criminal Law by these parties (as shown by their answers to those divisions), indicates to the Examiners pretty clearly what has been the extent of the clerks' own studies, and by that indication they are judged And the reason is because it is well-known that the "Crammers" do not encourage the "Crammees" to study the non-indispensable branches, and this not merely to save themselves trouble, but because they are ignorant of the matters included therein. Nor is this inattention and ignorance confined to the "Crammers," but also extends to some who favour articled clerks with answers to the questions, and who simply omit the two divisions of Bankruptcy and Criminal Law; and not satisfied with doing that, mislead students by the untrue assertion that those branches may be safely disregarded. It must be confessed, however, that this is not much worse than, if indeed so bad as, the labours of some parties who profess to answer the questions, and sadly mislead the reader, as shown in some specimens in the circular we issued of this publication.

We find we have not room here for further remarks; but in the ensuing Number we shall resume a subject, at all times interesting, but especially so at this time, and under the peculiar circumstances to which allusion was made at the commencement.