Directory_and_Chronicle_1891 — Page 167

CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE-HONGKONG.

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defend the suit; and the case shall thereupon proceed in the same manner as if such representative had originally been made a defendant, and had been a party to the former proceedings in the suit.

Marriage of Parties.

XXII. The marriage of a female plaintiff, or defendant, shall not when not to cause the suit. to abate, but the suit may notwithstanding be proceeded abate the Suit. with to judgment, and the decree thereupon may be executed upon the wife alone; and if the case is one in which the husband is by law liable for the debts of his wife, the decree may, by leave of the Court, be executed against the husband also; and in case of judgment for the wife, execution of the decree may, by leave of the Court, be issued upon the application of the husband, where the husband is by law entitled to the money or thing which may be the subject of the decree.

Bankruptcy of Parties.

abate the Smil

XXIII.The bankruptcy of the plaintiff in any suit which the whan not to assignee might maintain for the benefit of the creditors, shall not be a valid objection to the continuance of such suit, unless the assignee shall decline to continue the suit and to give security for the costs thereof within such reasonable time as the Court may order; if the assignee neglect or refuse to continue the suit, and to give such security within the time limited by the order, the defendant may, within eight days after such neglect or refusal, plead the bankruptcy of the plaintiff as a reason for abating the suit.

CHAPTER IV. THE PETITION. Form and Contents.

with Writ of

XXIV. After the appearance of the defendant to the suit, or in case To correspons) of non-appearance, then, by leave of the Court, the plaintiff may file in the summons. Supreme Court a petition which shall contain the names, description, and place of abode of the plaintiff and of the defendant, so far as they can be ascertained, and shall correspond in those particulars with the writ of

gummons.

and dividedî nte

2. The petition shall then set out by way of narrative the material To be in nar- facts, matters, and circumstances on which the plaintiff relies, such narrative rative Form being divided into paragraphs numbered consecutively, and each paragraph Paragraphs. containing, as nearly as inay be, a separate and distinct statement or allegation. The petition shall pray specially for the relief to which the plaintiff may conceive himself entitled, and also for general relief

3.-The petition must be as brief as may be consistent with a clear Nature of statement of the facts on which the prayer is sought to be supported, and Claim set up. with information to the defendant of the nature of the claim set up.

out.

4.-Documents must not be unnecessarily set out in the petition in Document hæc verba, but so much only of them as is pertinent and material may be bow to be r set out, or the effect and substance of so much only of them as is pertinent and material may be given, without needless prolixity.

Dates and Sums.

5.-Dates and sums shall be expressed in figures and not in words. 6. The petition may not contain any statement of the mere evidence Not to contaie. by which the facts alleged are intended to be proved, and may not contain Evidence or any argument of law.

Argument.

to be briefly

7. The facts material to the establishment of the plaintiff's right to Material Facts recover shall be alleged positively, briefly, and as clearly as may be, so as and clearly to enable the defendant by his answer either to admit or deny any one or set out, more of the material allegations, or else to admit the truth of any or all of the allegations, but set forth some other substantive matter in his answer, by reason of which he intends to contend that the right of the plaintiff to recover, or to any relief capable of being granted on the petition, has not yet accrued, or is released or barred or otherwise gone.