EDWARD RAMIA, LTD. vs. AFRICAN WOODS, LTD. [1960]DLHC5382

Date	1960-01-19
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1960]DLHC5382

LORD TUCKER LORD DENNING

THE RT. HON. MR. L. M. D. DE SILVA

ANTHONY CRIPPS

Q.C. AND MARK SMITH FOR THE APPELLANT.

DINGLE FOOT

Q.C. AND T. O. KELLOCK FOR THE RESPONDENT.

[1960]DLHC5382
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#548DD4">EDWARD RAMIA, LTD. <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#548DD4">vs. <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#548DD4">AFRICAN WOODS, LTD.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#548DD4">&nbsp;[JUDICIAL COMMITTEE OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:center;
mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">[1961] GLR 2&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;DATE:<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B0F0"> 19TH JANUARY, 1960.<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

ANTHONY
CRIPPS, Q.C. AND MARK SMITH FOR THE APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p>

DINGLE
FOOT, Q.C. AND T. O. KELLOCK FOR THE RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

LORD TUCKER LORD DENNING, AND
THE RT. HON. MR. L. M. D. DE SILVA<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF
LORD TUCKER<o:p></o:p>Lord Tucker delivered the judgment of their Lordships. This appeal
concerns two concession enquiries, numbered 447 and 450 in the Concession
Division, Land Court, Kumasi, Ashanti. In concession enquiry No. 447, the
present appellant, Edward Ramia, Ltd., was the claimant and in concession
enquiry No. 450, the present respondent, African Woods Ltd., was the claimant.
On the 13th January, 1955, the Land Court dismissed the opposition of African
Woods, Ltd. as opposer in enquiry No. 447, to the grant of a certificate of
validity to Edward Ramia, Ltd. in respect of a concession, notice of which was
filed on the 20th July, 1953. The claim of African Woods, Ltd. to a concession
in enquiry No. 450 in respect of land, part of which is the same as that
claimed by Edward Ramia, Ltd. in enquiry No. 447, was not dealt with by the
court having regard to the view it took adverse to African Woods, Ltd. as to
the rights of the parties under their competing concessions. The parties will
be referred to hereafter as “Ramia” and “African Woods”.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The claimant Ramia in enquiry No. 447 on the 20th July, 1953,
filed notice of a concession dated the 26th May, 1953, granted to it by the
stool of Bekwai. On the 30th March, 1954, Ramia filed a supplementary document
dated the 26th February, 1954, between the same parties in support of the said
concession. By notice dated the 20th November, 1953, African Woods gave notice
of a concession dated the 3rd October, 1953, granted to it by the same stool of
Bekwai covering a large part of the land comprised in the concession claimed by
Ramia. By notice filed on the 4th June, 1954, African Woods entered opposition
to the grant of a certificate of validity to Ramia in respect of the
concession, the subject-matter of enquiry No. 447, in so far as it purported to
coincide with the grant claimed by it by virtue of the concession, the
subject-matter of enquiry No. 450. The principal ground of opposition was that
the provisions of section 11 (now section 12) of the Concessions Ordinance1(1)
had not been complied with.<o:p></o:p>It will be convenient at this stage to set out the material
sections of the Ordinance.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;“2. In this Ordinance—<o:p></o:p>‘Concession’ means any instrument whereby any right title or
interest in or to land, or in or to minerals, timber, rubber, or other products
of the soil in or growing on any land or the option of acquiring any such
right, title or interest purports to be granted or demised by a native...” “3.
(1) Any agreement whereby any right, interest, or property in, to or over land,
in or to minerals, metals, precious stones, timber, rubber or other products of
the soil in or growing on any land, or the option of acquiring any such right,
interest or property, purports to be granted by a native to a person who is not
a native, shall be void unless it is in writing.” “4. (1) ... every concession
shall be held to be under and subject to the operation of this Ordinance”. “6.
The Court shall have power, jurisdiction, and authority to enquire into and
certify as valid or invalid any concession, except so far as otherwise provided
in this Ordinance, and shall exercise such power, jurisdiction and authority
subject to and in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance..” “8. (1)
Notice of every concession shall within two months of the date thereof be filed
in the Court having jurisdiction to enquire into the concession by the person
claiming to be entitled to the benefit thereof (hereinafter called the
claimant).<o:p></o:p>(3) The notice shall be in form A of the Schedule and shall
contain the particulars specified in the said form and together with the said
notice there shall be delivered a plan of the land comprised in such concession
which shall be prepared in accordance with any regulation from time to time
made under section 5.<o:p></o:p>(4) The claimant shall also file within the said period of two
months su</main>