with the advice of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows, viz. : 1. The Ordinance No. 14, 1845, entituled, "An Ordinance for erecting a District Court in and for the District of Natal," shall be, and the same is hereby, repealed. 2. [Former sentences, rules, etc. not affected.] 3. [Actions, etc. pending may be proceeded with.] 4. There shall be within this Colony a Court which shall be called " the Supreme Court of the Colony of Natal." 5. The said Supreme Court shall be a Court of Record. 6. The said Supreme Court shall consist of one Chief Justice and two Puisne Judges. 7. The said Supreme Court shall at all times be holden at Pietermaritzburg, in the Colony of Natal. 8. The said Chief Justice and Puisne Judges shall be respectively barristers in England or Ireland, or advocates of the Court of Session in Scotland, or of the Supreme Court of the Cape Colony, or advocates of the District Court heretofore existing, or of the Supreme Court hereby created. 9. [Provisional appointment of Judges by Governor.] 10. The said Chief Justice and Puisne Judges shall respectively hold office during good behaviour. II-12. [Salaries of Judges.] 13-14. [Court to have a seal to be kept by Chief Justice.] 15. [Officers of the Court: Registrar and Master.] 16-19. [Who to be admitted as advocates and attorneys.] CIRCUIT COURTS. 20. To facilitate the holding of courts the Governor may, by proclamation, divide the Colony into as many districts as to him may seem fit; and further may, from time to time, as occasion may require, alter or amend such division. 21. Courts, to be called Circuit Courts, shall be held in each of the districts into which the said Colony may be so divided. 22. Each of the said Circuit Courts shall be held by and before one of the Judges of the said Supreme Court, at such times, and at such places, within each of the said districts, as the Governor shall, from time to time, direct and appoint. 23. Each of the said Circuit Courts shall be a Court of Record. 24. [Clerk of Resident Magistrate to act as Registrar of visiting Circuit Court.] JURISDICTION. 25. The Supreme Court of the Colony of Natal shall have cognizance of all pleas, and jurisdiction in all causes, whether civil, criminal, or mixed, arising within the said Colony, with jurisdiction over all Her Majesty's subjects, and all other persons whomsoever, residing and being within the said Colony, in as full and ample a manner, and to all intents and purposes, as the District Court of Natal, at present existing within the Colony, now hath. 26. Each Circuit Court shall, within the District in which it may be holden, have and exercise all such and the same jurisdiction, powers, and authorities, as is hereinbefore vested in the said Supreme Court. 27. The said Supreme Court and every Circuit Court within the district in which such latter Court may be holden, shall have full power, authority, and jurisdiction, to review the proceedings of all inferior Courts of Justice, and to exercise full supervision and control over all Magistrates, and, if necessary, to set aside or correct their proceedings. LAWS. 28. The Supreme Court of the Colony of Natal and every Circuit Court shall apply, judge, and determine upon, and according to, the laws which now are, or shall hereafter be, in force within this Colony. 29. [Proceedings to be in open Court and in English.] 30. [Two Judges to form a quorum in civil cases tried without a jury.] 31. [If two Judges differ, the case shall be brought before three Judges.] 32. [Civil cases tried by a jury, to be held before one Judge.] 33. All civil suits depending in any of the said Circuit Courts, shall be tried and decided by the Judge of such Court alone, except when the plaintiff or defendant has, under the said Ordinance No. 7, 1852, applied to have such trial by a jury. 34. [Criminal cases to be tried before one Judge and a jury of nine.] 35. [A Court in which a case is pending may remove it to any other Court.] 36. [Manner of removing cases.] 37. [Civil suits shall be deemed to be pending when summons shall have been served.] 38. [Criminal suits shall be pending when the indictment has been lodged.] APPEAL. 39. [Appeals to the Privy Council to be according to laws which allow appeals from any other Colonial Court.] 40. [Appeal from Circuit to Supreme Court in civil cases exceeding £20 tried without a jury.] 41. [Supreme Court to hear such appeal without receiving fresh evidence.] 42. [Notice of appeal to be given.] 43. [Execution to be stayed when notice of appeal is given.] 44. [Case considered abandoned if appeal is not prosecuted within six weeks.] 45. [Appeal in cases under the value of £20 may be allowed in certain cases.] 46. [In civil cases exceeding £20, evidence to be taken down by Registrar.] 47. [Copies of documents produced in such case shall be sent to Supreme Court.] 48. The said Supreme Court of Natal shall, in all cases of appeal from its judgment or decree in civil cases, heard and determined without a jury, conform to and execute such judgment or order in the premises as shall be made or given by Her Majesty in Her Privy Council. 49. It shall not be competent for either party to any civil suit tried and determined by a jury before the said Supreme Court or any Circuit Court, to appeal from the verdict given by such jury, which verdict shall be conclusive, unless set aside as hereinafter provided. NEW TRIAL. 50. In all civil cases tried in the said Supreme Court, or any Circuit Court, by a jury, under the provisions of the said Ordinance No. 7, 1852, either party wishing to set aside the verdict of such jury, may apply for a new trial to the Supreme Court, under and subject to the provisions of the said Ordinance. 51. The said Supreme Court shall, in granting or refusing such new trial, conform to the provisions of the said Ordinance No. 7, 1852. RECORDS OF CIRCUIT COURTS. 52-55. [Records to be removed to Supreme Court and filed.] 56. [Supreme Court to carry out sentences of the late District Court.] 57. [Records of District Court to be handed over to Supreme Court.] 58. [Sheriff of Natal to be appointed by Governor.] 59. [Duties of Sheriff.] 60. [Supreme Court to make rules.] 61. [Definition of terms.] 62. [Pietermaritzburg may be included in a circuit district.] 63. [Persons admitted to practise in Supreme Court may also practise in Circuit Courts.] 64. [Who may conduct cases in Circuit Courts.] 65. [As to process sued out against the Sheriff.] 66. This Law shall take effect at such date as shall by the Governor be fixed by Proclamation. [Schedule of Judges' Salaries.] P.R.O., C.O. 180/1. PETTY DEBTS RECOVERY LAW, 1867. [4 Oct. 1867.] No. 14, 1867. No. 145. Law. To facilitate the recovery of small Debts and Demands within the Colony of Natal. WHEREAS it is expedient to facilitate the recovery of small debts and other demands within the Colony of Natal, and for such purpose to empower the Resident Magistrates thereof to order and decree the incarceration of defaulting debtors in certain cases, and to make special provisions in relation to the same : Be It Therefore Enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor of Natal, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows: 1. [Resident magistrates may order payment of civil debts by instalments. Security for payment to be given, unless waived by plaintiff.] 2. [Execution may be ordered for part or whole of unpaid sum only on default in payment of any instalment.] 3. [Defendant may be summoned and examined respecting his estate and effects, the circumstances under which the debt was contracted, etc.; and as to disposals he may make of property.] 4. If the party so summoned shall not attend as required by such summons, or shall not prove sufficient cause for not attending, or shall, if attending, refuse to be sworn or to disclose any of the things aforesaid, or if he shall not make answer touching the same to the satisfaction of such Resident Magistrate, or it shall appear to such Resident Magistrate, either by examination of the party, or by any other evidence, that such party, if a defendant, in incurring the debt or liability which is the subject of the action in which judgment has been obtained, has obtained credit from the plaintiff under false pretences, or by means of fraud or breach of trust, or has wilfully contracted such debt or liability without having had at the same time a reasonable expectation of being able to pay or discharge the same, or if he shall have made, or caused to be made, any gift, delivery, or transfer of any property, or shall have charged, removed, or concealed the same with intent to defraud such creditor, or any of his creditors, it shall be lawful for such Resident Magistrate, if he shall think fit, to order that any such party may be committed to the common gaol of the county, district, or place in which the party so summoned is resident, for any period not exceeding forty days. 5. [Imprisonment not to operate as a satisfaction of the debt, or prevent execution against property.] 6. [Messenger of Court may attach all movable property, excepting the wearing apparel and bedding of such person or his family, and the tools and implements of his trade, to the value of five pounds," money, securities for money, etc., except goods bona fide sold by, or to, or hired to, defendant.] 7. [Magistrate may authorize seizure of movable property and securities for money transferred to debtor's wife, children, etc.] 8. [Messenger to hold securities for money. Plaintiff may sue on them.] 9. [Judgments obtained in any Resident Magistrate's Court and not at once executed shall remain effectual for five years.] 10. [Process of execution, and warrants of commitment, may be carried into effect in any county, if endorsed by the clerk of the magistrate's court there.] II. [Lieutenant-Governor to make regulations for purposes of this law, as to persons who may act as agents, and their fees.] 12. [Persons punishable under this law may be punished under other laws if liable thereto, but no person shall be punished twice for the same offence.] 13. [Law to take effect after promulgation.] P.R.O., C.O. 180/4. NATIVE ADMINISTRATION LAW, 1875. [17 Dec. 1875.] No. 26, 1875. No. 146. Law. To make better provision for the Administration of Justice among the Native Population of Natal, and for the gradual assimilation of Native Law to the Laws of the Colony. [Preamble.] Be It... Enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows: 1. The Ordinance No. 3, 1849, entituled, "Ordinance for |