74

38  &  39  Vict.  Cap.  60,  s.  15.

branch]  in  preference  to  any  other  debts  or  claims  against
the  estate  of  such  officer.
Bankruptcy  or  insolvency  in  the  present  section  includes
liquidation  of  a  debtor’s  affairs  by  arrangement  in  England,
cessio  bonorum  of  a  debtor  in  Scotland,  and  a  petition  for
arrangement  with  creditors  in  Ireland;  and  a  trustee  in
bankruptcy  or  insolvency  includes  an  assignee  in  Ireland
and  a  judicial  factor  in  Scotland  (a).
(8.)  Membership  of  minors.—A  person  under  the  ago  of
twenty-one,  but  above  the  age  of  sixteen,  may  be  a  member ­
  of  a  society,  unless  provision  be  made  in  the  rules
thereof  to  the  contrary,  and  may,  subject  to  the  rules  of
the  society,  enjoy  all  the  rights  of  a  member  (except  as
herein  provided),  and  execute  all  instruments  and  give  all
acquittances  necessary  to  be  executed  or  given  under  the
rules,  but  shall  not  be  a  member  of  the  committee  of
management,  trustee,  manager  or  treasurer  of  the  society ­
  (b).
Provided  as  follows  :—
(a.)  Societies  and  branches,  consisting  wholly  of  members ­
  of  any  age  under  sixteen  years,  but  exceeding ­
  three  years,  may  be  allowed  to  register  under
this  Act,  subject  to  such  regulations  as  may  be
made  in  that  behalf;
(b.)  No  rule  or  practice  in  force  at  the  commencement
of  this  Act  for  the  admission  of  members  under
sixteen  years  of  age  shall  be  deemed  contrary  toany
  express  provision  of  this  Act  as  respects  any
society  already  registered  (c).

(а)  This  is  a  restoration  or  confirmation  of  the  priorities,
against  the  estates  of  officers,  given  by  18  &  19  Vict.  c.  63,  s.  23,
which,  in  the  case  of  bankruptcy,  had  been  considered  to  be
abolished  by  the  Bankruptcy  Act,  1869.  But  see  Re  Keyworth y
in  the  8th  edition  of  this  work,  pp.  23,  240.  See  also  Appendix.
(б)  This  is  founded  on  the  18  &  19  Vict.  c.  63,  s.  15,  but  the
minimum  of  sixteen  years  is  new.  See  Treasury  regulations
19,  20.
(e)  These  provisions  are  new.