Solaimali Kone vs Sokkammal and Others

This appeal arises out of a suit filed by the plaintiff as the adopted son of one Ayyanna Kone for the recovery of possession of the plaint-

mentioned properties. Ayyanna Kone died on January 7, 1920, without leaving any male issue. The lands owned by him at the time of his death

were about 34 acres in extent. Solai Achi, who was his first wife, predeceased him leaving a daughter Chokkammal who is the 1st defendant in this

suit. The second wife Seruvakkal had a daughter who died a few months after the death of Ayyanna Kone. While Seruvakkal was alive, Ayyanna

Kone married a third wife Vellammal who is the 2nd defendant in this suit and who has no issue. After the death of Ayyanna Kone, his co-widows,

viz., Seruvakkal and the 2nd defendant, fell out with the result that a suit for partition was filed by the 2nd defendant against Seruvakkal (O.S. No.

415 of 1920 in the District Munsifs Court, Melur). During the pendency of that suit a release deed was executed by the 2nd defendant in favour of

Seruvakkal on November 1, 1922, relinquishing her half share in her husband''s estate in favour of her co-widow in consideration of the receipt of

Ks. 10,000 (Ex. I). The aforesaid suit was allowed to be dismissed for default. The present plaintiff who is a minor is the son of Ezhumalai Kone,

one of the two brothers of Ayyanna Kone the other brother being one Veerabhadra Kone. According to the case set out in the plaint, the plaintiff,

while he was a young boy, was brought up in the house of Ayyana Kone with a view to adopt him in case he had no male issue. In conformity with

the intention of Ayyanna Kone shown by his conduct during his life-time and for the perpetuation of the lineage of Ayyanna Kone, the plaintiff was

adopted to him by the 2nd defendant who was his only surviving widow, with, the consent of the nearest agnate, Ezhumalai Kone, who is also the

natural father of the plaintiff and other relations. The other brother Veerabhadra Kone died in 1933 long before the adoption. It is alleged that the

adoption was made on December 9, 1928, with all the formalities required by law and is also evidenced by the registered deed of adoption (Ex.

C) executed by the 2nd defendant and Ezhumalai Kone. On the basis of his right as the adopted son of Ayyanna Kone, the plaintiff seeks to

recover possession of the suit properties. The 1st defendant is the main contesting defendant. The 3rd defendant as an alienee of some of the items

in question is opposing the plaintiff''s claim almost on the same grounds as those set up by the 1st defendant. One of the contentions is that by

reason of the relinquishment as per the release deed executed by the 2nd defendant she has surrendered her entire interest in the estate in favour of

the senior widow and the lineal descendants of Ayyanna Kone and therefore her power to adopt was at an end. Another contention is that even if

the alleged adoption is true, it is not valid in law as the alleged consent of the plaintiff''s father was influenced by no bona fide, desire to administer

to the spiritual needs of the deceased Ayyanna Kone or to perpetuate his line, but by the dishonest and correct idea of sharing amongst themselves

the properties of Ayyanna Kone that had descended to the 1st defendant and her own sons. As many as eleven issues have been framed in this

suit. The learned Subordinate Judge chose to give his findings on the questions relating to the truth and validity of the adoption and dismissed the

suit as a result of his findings on those points, without deciding the points involved in the other issues. He held the adoption to be true but found it to

be not valid. We are constrained to express dissatisfaction at the manner in which the learned Subordinate Judge has written his judgment, and

suffice it to say, that a major portion of it is a mere reproduction of the evidence given by each witness, in an ill-assorted, unanalytical and confused

manner, from which little help could be derived for understanding the nature of his reasoning and his mode of appreciation of the evidence.

There is ample proof in support of the fact of adoption. The circumstances in which this adoption came to be made are set out in the registered

deed (Ex. C) executed by the 2nd defendant as the adoptive mother, and the plaintiff''s natural father Ezhumalai Kone (P.W. No. 6), the giver of

the boy in adoption. Plaintiff''s Witnesses Nos. 1 and 2 are some of the numerous attestors in this deed, while P.W. No. 3 is the writer thereof. It is

proved to have been attested by Ramaswami Kone a brother of the 2nd defendant. It is also attested by Venkatachalapathi Kone, a relation of the

2nd defendant and the next friend of the plaintiff (P.W. No. 5). Plaintiff''s Witness No. 4 who is the photographer that took a group photo at the

time of the adoption (Ex. B) is also an attestor to the adoption deed. It is further proved that Thannan Kone, one of the two sons of Veerabhadra

Kone, is the first attestor in Ex. C. There is evidence to show that both the sons of Veerabhadra Kone were present at the ceremony of adoption,

but the other son declined to attest the adoption deed at the instigation of his mother. Two distant gnatis have also attested this deed. Not only is

the truth of the adoption proved beyond doubt, but the celebration of the ceremony with due publicity is also clearly made out. No serious attempt

has been made on the respondents'' side to impeach the correctness of the finding as regards the factum of adoption.

The real point of controversy upon which elaborate arguments have been addressed is the question of its validity. The lower Court is of opinion

that the 2nd defendant by executing the release deed (Ex. I) brought about her self-effacement, and therefore was not competent to take the

plaintiff in adoption. Its misconception of effect of the release deed is apparent. As already observed this deed was executed by the 2nd defendant

during the pendency of her suit for partition against her co-widow Seruvakkal. On a perusal of the terms of this deed, it is clear that she alienated

her half share in her husband''s estate to her co-widow in consideration of having received a sum of Rs. 10,000 for the purpose of discharging her

debts and for the purpose of purchasing some lands for her maintenance and providing herself with a house to live in. It is recited that the 2nd

defendant would not question any of the dispositions of property which Seruvakkal might choose to make, and that if she should predecease the

2nd defendant without making any arrangements with respect to her property, it should so to her senior co-widow''s daughter Chokkammal (1st

defendant) and her sons, who were then minors, according to Hindu Law and usage. The effect of these stipulations is nothing more than the giving

up by the 2nd defendant of her right to claim the properties of the co-widow, in case the latter should predecease the former. This is virtually a

case of partition between the two co-widows, one of them taking a money compensation for her half share and giving up her right to take the co-

widow''s property by survivorship. This is certainly not a case of what in law is deemed to be a surrender by a widow of the entire estate of her

husband in favour of the next presumptive reversioner, thereby accelerating the reversion and bringing about her civil death. As per the terms of Ex.

I, the relinquishment by the 2nd defendant of her half share was not given in favour of any reversioner but in favour of her co-widow. That co-

widow also did not surrender her estate during her life-time in favour of the 1st defendant, the next reversioner. It was only after the death of

Seruvakkal without making any disposition of the property that the 1st defendant got into possession. In the case of a valid surrender by the widow

to next reversioner according to Hindu Law, one who was subsequently adopted by the widow is not entitled to question the surrender and

recover possession of the property. Vide the decision of the Bombay High Court in Rama Nana Babar Vs. Dhondi Murari Tarade, . Even that

case proceeded on the footing that the adoption was valid, and no contention was raised that by reason of the surrender the widow''s power to

adopt came to an end. It may be that by reason of the 2nd defendant having given up her right of survivorship as per the terms of the release deed

(Ex-1), the estate of Seruvakkal devolved on her death upon the 1st defendant as her heir though her co-widow (2nd defendant) is still alive. It

may be argued that the subsequent adoption of the plaintiff by the 2nd defendant is not valid because it will have the effect of divesting the estate

which had already vested in a third party, viz., the 1st defendant. A similar question has been recently considered by their Lordships of the Privy

Council in a decision reported as AIR 1933 155 (Privy Council) . After a review of the authorities the opinion expressed by their Lordships is as

follows:

It necessarily follows, their Lordships think, from this decision that the vesting of the property on the death of the last holder in some one other than

the adopting widow, be it either another coparcener of the joint family or an outsider claiming by reverter, or their Lordships would add, by

inheritance, cannot be in itself the test of the continuance or extinction of the power of adoption. If in Sarabai Amibai Vs. Mahomed Cassum Haji

Jan Mahomed, the actual reverter of the property to the head of the family did not bring the power to an end it would be impossible to hold in the

present case that the passing by inheritance to a distant relation could have that effect any more than the passing by survivorship would be in a joint

family.

In the present case it cannot even be said that the estate of Ayyanna Kone has devolved on the 1st defendant in her right as the nearest heir to

him, for the simple reason that one of his widows, viz., the 2nd defendant is still alive. All that can be said is that the estate of Seruvakkal has been

inherited by the 1st defendant as the heir to her stridhanam property. In any view, the power of the 2nd defendant as the widow of Ayyanna Kone

to adopt a son to him has not come to an end. It cannot he contended with any decree of force, that a widow is incompetent to make an adoption

to her husband after alienating the entire properties appertaining to her husband''s estate. There is, in the present case, no self-effacement as stated

by the lower Court, and we are unable to uphold its finding that the 2nd defendant was not competent to take the plaintiff in adoption by reason of

the so-called self-effacement.

The more important ground of objection which was strenuously pressed by Mr. K.V. Krishnaswami Ayyar for the 1st defendant has now to be

considered. A brief statement of the facts disclosed in the evidence is necessary. The evidence of P. Ws. Nos. 1, 2 and 6 clearly shows that the

late Ayyanna Kone was anxious to have a male child, and with that object, he married his second and third wives. However, he had no male issue.

The present plaintiff who is the son of his brother Ezhumalai Kone was brought up in his house with some affection. When the plaintiff was a young

boy of four or five ears of age, the first wife of Ayyanna Kone, viz., Solai Achi, met with death. Her obsequies were performed by the plaintiff as

desired by Ayyanna Kone. The plaintiff being very young, his father Ezhumalai Kone performed the rites after taking darbha from him as his proxy

(vide the evidence of P.W. No. 1). This fact is specifically alleged in the plaint. Although D.W. No. 1 (the husband of the 1st defendant) would say

in the evidence that his son performed those obsequies, that fact was not mentioned in the 1st defendant''s written statement. The truth of the facts

mentioned in the adoption deed (Ex. C) as to the intentions of Ayyanna Kone to adopt the plaintiff and to his having brought up the boy in his

house with some such object is borne out by the evidence of the plaintiff''s side. As no express authority to adopt was given by him to his widows,

the 2nd defendant as the sole surviving widow had to seek the consent of the nearest agnatic sapinda in order to make the adoption. Plaintiff''s

Witness No. 5 is plaintiff''s next friend and also a relation of the 2nd defendant. He speaks to the 2nd defendant having consulted him about the

advisability of taking the plaintiff in adoption about two or three months before the actual adoption. Thereupon he and the 2nd defendant''s brother

Narayana Konar asked Azhumalai Konar regarding the adoption. The latter said that he had no objection, Ezhumalai Kone (P.W. No. 6) swears

that he and the 2nd defendant consulted their relations regarding the advisability of the adoption and that he asked his brother''s sons and another

pangali and some others who all expressed themselves in favour of the adoption. He further says that the 2nd defendant wanted her family to be

perpetuated, and with that object he gave the boy in adoption. Though the plaintiff was his only son, he thought he might beget a son subsequently

as his wife was young. He speaks to the fact that his brother Veerabhadra''s sons were also in favour of the adoption. One of them has in fact

attested the adoption deed (Ex. C), having been also present at the ceremony of adoption. There is nothing to rebut the evidence adduced by the

plaintiff in these points. Defendant''s Witness No. 1 simply says that neither he nor his wife was consulted about the adoption and that they were

not even invited for the ceremony though the evidence on the plaintiff''s side is that they were also invited but did not attend. The only nearest

agnate sapinda at the time of the adoption was P.W. No. 5, the sole surviving brother of Ayyanna Kone, There is absolutely no doubt that his

consent was sought for by the 2nd defendant and given by him. It is true that he happens to be the natural father of the boy whom the 2nd

defendant proposed to take in adoption.

Is that consent valid and sufficient? In the absence of the authority of the husband the assent of the kinsmen is necessary to enable the widow to

make a valid adoption. This principle was laid down by their Lordships of the Privy Council after an elaborate discussion of the several aspects of

the question in the well-known case reported as Collector of Madura v. Moottoo Ramalinga Sethupatky 12 M.I.A. 297 : 1 B.L.R. 1 : 10 W.R. 17

: 2 Suther 135 : 2 Sar. 361 (P.C.). At p. 442 page of 12 M.I.A.--Ed., their Lordships observe as follows:

The assent of kinsmen seems to be required by reason of the presumed incapacity of women for independence rather than the necessity of

procuring the consent of all those whose possible and reversionary interest in the estate would be defeated by the adoption.

As to the nature of the consent the general principle laid down by their Lordships is m these terms:

All that can be said is that there should be such evidence of the assent of kinsmen as suffices to show that the act is done by the widow in the

proper and bona fide performance of a religious duty and neither capriciously nor from a corrupt motive.

This principle has been the subject of comment and interpretation in very many cases which have subsequently been decided during the course

of more than half a century. The real difficulty is in the application of this principle to the particular circumstances of each case, and in the drawing

of a proper and reasonable inference from the facts disclosed. That there must be a conscious exercise of discretion by the assenting sapinda is

well recognised. It is argued by K.V. Krishnaswami Ayyar for the 1st respondent that the evidence adduced by the plaintiff as regards the nature

of the consent falls short of the requisites laid down by the Privy Council. It is urged that the mere request of the 2nd defendant to give the boy (the

plaintiff) in adoption to her, even if acceded to by the natural father (P.W. No. 6), is not enough in the absence of specific evidence that there was

a deliberation between them and other kinsmen as to the desirability of the adoption in the spiritual interests of Ayyanna Kone. In this connection

the following observations in Subramanyam v. Venkamrna 26, 627 : 13 M.L.J. 238 may be usefully quoted:

The presumptive reversionary heir or heirs are the nearest of kin to the deceased husband and as such the natural advisers of the widow and if his

or their assent be obtained and the same be given bona fide and not from any corrupt motive that would be sufficient authority on which he could

act and it would not be necessary that she should seek the assent of remoter reversionary heirs.

In the present case not Only did the nearest reversioner give his consent to the adoption when sought for by the widow but the opinion of the

near relations including some of Dayadis also was taken. It is very difficult for us, to hold that in giving the assent there was no conscious exercise

of discretion by P.W. No. 6.

The next question is, was that assent given with any corrupt or mala fide motive; When assent is given by a person who is competent to give it,

the presumption is that it was given bona fide. As observed by Venkata Krishnamma v. Annapurnamma 23 M. 486 : 10 M.L.J. 73 adoption being

a proper act it will be presumed that when the majority of the sapindas have given their assent, such assent was given on bona fide grounds. That

learned Judge further says, that it would be for the objector to establish that the assent of the sapindas who consented to the adoption was not

given bona fide. Their Lordships of the Privy Council have observed in what is known as the Gunturs case reported in Veltanki Venkata Krishna

Rao v. Venkata Rama Lakshmi 1 M. 174 : 4 I.A. 1 : 26 W.R. 21 : 3 Sar. 669 (P.C.)hat it would be very dangerous to introduce into the

consideration of these cases of adoption nice questions as to the particular motives operating on the mind of the widow. The presumption is that

the widow acted from the proper motives which ought to actuate a Hindu female, and such presumption should be made until the contrary is

shown. Is there any basis in the present case for inferring that P.W. No. 6 was actuated by any corrupt or improper motives in giving his assent. If

his assent was procured by payment of any money consideration to him, it would certainly be tainted with corruption. No such suggestion has been

made. On the other hand, a frail attempt was made to show that the 2nd defendant was given some money by P.W. No. 6 for making the

adoption. Though, a sum of Rs. 2,000 was borrowed under Exhibit II some days before the adoption, there is nothing to show that that money

was utilised in payment of the 2nd defendant to induce her to adopt the boy. The lower Court has rejected this suggestion as untenable and we

agree that it is a baseless suggestion. The mere fact that in giving the assent to this adoption his son would be benefited, cannot be twisted for the

purpose of showing that the motive for giving the consent is an improper one. There is no personal gain to P.W. No. 6 by the adoption of his son

by the 2nd defendant. In every case of adoption some one or other in the line of heirs will be disappointed. That is no reason for attacking the

validity of the adoption on the ground that the consent was given with an improper motive. In this connection, ''we have to refer to one

circumstance and see how the bearing of it is on the question we are considering. Subsequent to the death of Ayyana Kone, his two brothers, viz.,

P.W. No. 6 and Veerabhardra Kone set up a claim to his properties though they were divided brothers, alleging that by reason of the custom

prevailing in their community the property of one who dies without male issue will go to his divided brothers in '' preference to his widows. That

litigation was started in the Munsif''s Court and went up to the High Court. Veerabhadra Kone died during the course of that litigation. In the first

two Courts the alleged custom was negatived. Plaintiff''s Witness No. 6 preferred a second appeal to the High Court. It was during the pendency

''of the second appeal the adoption in question was made. Reference was made to it in Ex. O itself. It is argued on behalf of the 1st respondent,

that as P.W. No. 6 was not very hopeful of success in the second appeal, the idea of giving his son in adoption to the 2nd defendant in order to

secure that estate at least to the plaintiff must have sprung up. The motive of the giver may not be very material. There is no evidence in support of

the existence of such a motive. The above argument is based more or less on a conjecture. However, this act of adoption resorted to by the 2nd

defendant is certainly in conformity with the intentions of her husband himself, as shown by his conduct in bringing up the plaintiff and in getting him

perform the obsequies of the deceased Solai Achi. That Ayyanna Kone had a desire to perpetuate his line is not open to doubt. What the 2nd

defendant did had the effect of carrying out those intentions. She derived no personal gain to herself by this adoption, and even if P.W. No. 6

thought that his son would be benefited, though he himself might lose in his own litigation, it cannot be deemed that by giving his assent he was

actuated by improper and corrupt motives or that the widow acted capriciously.''

The next point is whether the consent given by P.W. No. 6 as the nearest reversioner is sufficient in the eye of law. The consent of the nearest

sapinda even if he be one has been held to be sufficient, vide Subramanya v. Venkamma 26 M. 267 : 13 M.L.J. 238 and Veerabasavaraju v.

Balasurya Prasada Rao 48 Ind. Cas. 706 : 41 M. 998 : AIR 1918 P.C. 97 : 45 I.A. 265 : 25 M.L.T. 1 : 17 A.L.J. 34 : 36 M.L.J. 40 : 23

C.W.N. 251 : 29 C.L.J. 184 : 9 L.W. 243 : 21 Bom. L.R. 238 : 1 U.P.L.R. (P.C.) 18 (P.C.). These two decisions have been followed in a recent

Full Bench decision of this High Court reported in Kalaga Annapurnamma v. Kalaga Appayya Sastri 119 Ind. Cas. 389 : 52 M. 620 : AIR 1929

Mad. 577 : 29 L.W. 858 : 56 M.L.J. 760 : Ind. Rul. (1929) Mad. 933 M.--[Ed.], the Full Bench has observed as follows:

It is also settled that the condition regarding the consent of the hasband''s kindred is sufficiently satisfied if the consent of the nearest sapindas even

if there be only one such--be obtained, they being by virtue of the relationship the most competent advisers of the widow and the proper judges of

the propriety of her act in making the adoption.

In other case reported in Sri Raja Ravu Sri Krishnayya Rao and Another Vs. Rajah, Sir Kumaraswami Sastri, J. has remarked thus:

So far as I am aware, the validity of the consent of a sapinda whose son is adopted has never been doubted.

I a similar case, such consent was held to be valid by Madhavan Nair and Jackson, JJ., after a review of the authorities, in a very, recent

decision: (Popuri) Murahari Brahma Sastri and Another Vs. Chilikuri Sumitramma and Others, .

A further point raised by Mr. Krishnaswami Ayyar for the 1st respondent is one upon which there is conflict of judicial opinion. His contention

is that even a daughter''s son is a sapinda whose consent also should be sought for by the widow. A daughter''s son is doubtless a cognate, but he

is a nearer heir than an agnatic sapinda, such as the brother of the deceased. In the case reported in Viswasundara Row v. Somasundara Rao 59

Ind. Cas. 609 : AIR 1920 Mad. 451 : 43 M. 846, decided by Oldfield and Phillips, JJ., it was held that a daughter''s son is not entitled to be

consulted regarding an adoption by a widow who has obtained the consent of the nearest sapindas as he is not a gnati and bhinnagothra sapindas

are not included under the term ''sapindas'' in the texts which require their consent to an adoption. Even in the Privy Council decision in

Veerabasararaju v. Balasurya Prasada Rao 48 Ind. Cas. 706 : 41 M. 998 : AIR 1918 P.C. 97 : 45 I.A. 265 : 25 M.L.T. 1 : 17 A.L.J. 34 : 36

M.L.J. 40 : 23 C.W.N. 251 : 29 C.L.J. 184 : 9 L.W. 243 : 21 Bom. L.R. 238 : 1 U.P.L.R. (P.C.) 18 it is stated that under the Dravidian branch

of the Mitakshara law, in the absence of authority from her deceased husband, a widow may adopt a son with the assent of his male agnates in the

Dravida country, where such law is in force. This proposition is stated to be. established in the Kalaga Annapurnamma by father and next friend

Bhamidipati Ramalingaswami Garu Vs. Kalaga Appayya Sastri and Another, The same view has been adopted by Jackson, J, in the case reported

in A. Brahmayya and Others Vs. C. Rattayya and Others, . But this view has been dissented from by the other learned Judge (Ramesam, J.) in the

same case, after an exhaustive review of the authorities. The question whether a daughter''s son comes within the category of sapin das who would

be consulted arose in another case reported in Kesar Singh v. Secretary of State for India 95 Ind. Cas. 651 : 49 M. 652 : AIR 1926 Mad. 881 :

52 M.L.J. 16 : (1926) M.W.N. 540 : AIR 1926 Mad. 881 : 24 L.W. 878. The learned Judges after an exhaustive survey of the authorities held,

that in the absence of agnate reversioners, a Hindu widow can, in Southern India, adopt with the consent of the nearest cognate reversioner. Such

a question does not arise in the present case, because besides the daughter''s sons who are cognate reversioners there are also agnate

reversioners. The question whether the consent of a daughter''s son though cognate, should be obtained in spite of the consent given by the nearest

male agnate did not directly arise for decision in Kesar Singh''s case 95 Ind. Cas. 651 : 49 M. 652 : AIR 1926 Mad. 881 : 1926 52 M.L.J. 16 :

(1926) M.W.N. 540 : AIR 1926 Mad. 881 : 24 L.W. 878 In the present case, the daughter''s sons (the defendant''s sons) who were in existence

at the time of the adoption were all minors. There is uniformity of judicial opinion that a minor is incapable of forming a judgment in a matter of this

kind, and therefore his consent need not be sought for, though he is a sapinda whose assent would be requisite, if he were a major. That being so,

it is unnecessary for us to deal with this question raised in the course of the arguments.

Mr. Krishnaswami Ayyar, the learned Advocate for the 1st respondent, put forward a rather ingenious contention on the basis of some general

observations made by the Privy Council in the Ramnad case in Collector of Madura v. Moottoo Ramalinga Sethupathy 12 M.I.A. 297 : 1 B.L.R.

1 : 10 W.R. 17 : 2 Suther 135 : 2 Sar. 361 as to the possibility of an inference of an implied prohibition by the husband against an adoption from

certain circumstances. One of them is the existence of a direct line competent to the full performance of religious duties. The real point that was

actually decided in the Ramnad case was, that the assent of the majority of the sapindas was sufficient. We are not referred to any authority

showing that an implied prohibition against adoption was inferred from the fact of the existence of daughter''s son on the basis of the said passage.

The mere existence of a daughter''s son has not been urged as a circumstance indicating an implied prohibition by the husband against an adoption,

in the long series of cases which have come up for decision subsequent to the Ramnad case. If the interpretation now sought to be put upon that

passage is either clear or correct such a contention could have been very easily raised in those cases. We are not prepared to put any such

construction on the observations of the Privy Council in Collector of Madura v. Moottoo Ramal inga Sethupathy 12 M.I.A. 297 : 1 B.L.R. 1 : 10

W.R. 17 : 2 Suther 135 : 2 Sar. 361 and we, therefore, hold this objection to be a futile one.

In the result, we hold that the alleged adoption of the plaintiff by the 2nd defendant to her husband Ayyanna Kone is true and also valid in law.

Before closing, we may refer to another contention put forward by Mr. Krishnaswami Ayyar for the 1st respondent, and that is, that the

plaintiff as the adopted son of the 2nd defendant cannot during her life-time sue to set aside the alienation made by her and recover possession. But

this view which was held in Sreeramulu v. Krishnamma 26 M. 143 : 12 M.L.J. 197 has been overruled in a Full Bench decision reported in

Vaidyanatha Sastri v. Savithri Ammal 42 Ind. Cas. 245 : 41 M. 75 : AIR 1918 Mad. 469 : 33 M.L.J. 387 : (1917) M.W.N. 653 : 22 M.L.T. 275

: 6 L.W. 542 (F.B.). The adopted son could sue even during the life-time of the widow to set aside the alienation and need not wait till the death of

the widow as a reversioner has to do. The plaintiff, therefore, cannot be non suited on the ground that his cause of action has not yet arisen.

We are unable to agree with the lower Court that the adoption of the plaintiff is invalid and set aside its decree based on that finding. As the

other issues have not been determined by the lower Court, the suit is remanded to that Court for a rehearing and disposal according to law. The

appellant will get his costs of this appeal from the 1st respondent, and the costs of the suit will abide the result.