Waters that have come under the control of the appellants are fully protected; but there is not a word to hinder or cramp the action of Mr. Pickles unless he acts "illegally," or proceeds "in any other manner than by law he may be legally entitled.". My Lords, I am of opinion that neither of those propositions can be established. Pickles diverted stream on his land rendering Corporation’s dam useless, in effort to get money out of Corp. House of Lords held Corp not entitled to injunction. By clicking on this tab, you are expressly stating that you were one of the attorneys appearing in this matter. Judgement for the case Bradford Corporation v Pickles P’s dam was supplied by water originating in a spring on D’s land. But, speaking for myself, I rather take leave to doubt whether the section of the special Act on which the question turns is so unsatisfactory, so ill-drawn, and so difficult to construe as it seemed to be to the Court of Appeal. The Mayor Of Bradford v Pickles AC 587 (HL) The plaintiffs owned land beneath which were water springs that were used for more than 40 years to supply Bradford town with water. Citation. 38, No. If a landowner proceeded to burn limestone close to his march so as to cause annoyance to his neighbour, there being other places on his property where he could conduct the operation with equal or greater convenience to himself and without giving cause of offence, the Court would probably grant an interdict. HL held that D was entitled to do so. Shepherd Homes Ltd v Sandham [1971] Ch 340; Suggest a case What people say about Law Notes "Listening to the facts and ratio of the cases online, on the go, it is so much easier than trawling through confusing case notes, and perfect for students with a busy life!" Engineers vs. Hydrolevel Corp., which includes literature on conflicts of interest and engineering codes of ethics and an annotated bibliography. 2, c. Pelman v. McDonald’s Corp., 2003 U.S. Dist. It appears to me to be exceedingly improbable that the Legislature should have intended to deprive a landowner of part of his property for the benefit of a commercial company without any provision for compensating him for his loss. Court judgments are generally lengthy and difficult to understand. accepted a passage in Mr. Bell's Principles (sect. Mohammed Amin v Jogendra Kumar Bannerjeee [1947] A. The law of Scotland, if it differs in that, is in all other respects the same with the law of England. Owing to the fall of the ground and the nature and lie of the strata beneath the surface, Mr. Pickles' land forms a sort of gathering-room or reservoir for subterranean water. other penal. Facts: D’s land contained a spring that supplied water to P’s dam. resides in the phrase "certain specified things." Case law Gloucester Grammer School Case Bradford Corporation v. Pickles Digging of deep well. Richards. D began to sink shafts for the alleged purpose of draining certain beds on stone the effects of which were to seriously affect water supplies to C's operations. It is not within the second class, because Mr. Pickles does not propose to do anything which can have the effect of drawing off or diminishing in quantity the waters of the Many Wells Springs, such as they may be at the point of issue in Trooper Farm, or as regards the stream which does not rise in Trooper Farm at the point of its entry into that farm. The natural and obvious meaning seems to me to be the waters issuing from the springs, such as they happen to be in quantity and volume, at the point of issue, or in one case at the point of entry, into Trooper Farm. The acts done, or sought to be done, by the defendant were all done upon his own land, and the interference, whatever it is, with the flow of water is an interference with water, which is underground and not shewn to be water flowing in any defined stream, but is percolating water, which, but for such interference, would undoubtedly reach the plaintiffs' works, and in that sense does deprive them of the water which they would otherwise get. Two faults, nearly parallel to each other, run downwards through it, and there is a bottom of impermeable clay. Bradford v Robinson Rentals Ltd [1967] 1 All ER 267. 966), which is expressed in very general terms, and is calculated to mislead unless it is read in the light of the decisions upon which it is founded. If the act, apart from motive, gives rise merely to damage without legal remedy or right, the motive, however reprehensible it may be, will not supply that element” Bradshaw [1878] 14 Cox CC 83 Criminal Law The Act of 1842 scheduled certain lands which the company were empowered to take. My Lords, in this action the plaintiffs seek to restrain the defendant from doing certain acts which they allege will interfere with the supply of water which they want, and which they are incorporated to collect for the purpose of better supplying the town of Bradford. Sect. Mr. Pickles has no spite against the people of Bradford. First of all, it declares that it shall not be lawful "for any person other than the said company to divert, alter, or appropriate, in any other manner than by law they may be legally entitled," any of the waters "supplying or flowing from" these springs, or to sink any well or pit, or to do any act, matter, or thing whereby "the waters of the said springs" may be drawn off or diminished in quantity. Chesmore v. Richard 15. the streams and springs; and, secondly, that the acts against which the section is directed must be illegal diversion, alteration, or appropriation of the said waters. In the first place, the section says that, "After the Many Wells Springs have been purchased by the company, it shall not be lawful for any person other than the said company to divert, alter, or appropriate in any other manner than by law they may be legally entitled any of the waters now supplying or flowing from the same." On this point both North J. and the Court of Appeal decided against the corporation. Facts. It relates to "the waters of the said springs" - an expression which can only denote the waters which have actually reached the Many Wells Springs, or some channel or reservoir which has been prepared for their reception upon their issuing from these springs. Get 2 points on providing a valid reason for the above A default judgment can give the plaintiff what he or she wants because the defendant did not tell his or her side of the story. The steep slope of the respondent’s farm v. Hale Abstract Company, Inc., Appellee-Defendant. A comparison of other sections in the Act will confirm this view if any confirmation is required. It is not an uncommon thing to stop up a path which may be a convenience to everybody else, and the use of which may be no inconvenience to the owner of the land over which the path goes. No use of property, which would be legal if due to a proper motive, can become illegal because it is prompted by a motive which is improper or even malicious. North J. ordered the injunction to issue, but the Court of Appeal, consisting of Lord Herschell, Lindley L.J. Apart from the consideration of the particular Act of Parliament incorporating the plaintiffs, which requires separate treatment, the question whether the plaintiffs have a right to the flow of such water appears to me to be covered by authority. The natural interpretation of such language seems to me to be this: that whereas the generality of the language of the section might apply to any alteration or appropriation of waters supplying or flowing from the streams and springs called "Many Wells," the section only intended to protect such streams and springs and supplies as the company should have acquired a right to by purchase, compensation, or otherwise, but in such-wise as should vest in them the proprietorship of the waters, streams, springs, & c. And lest the generality of the language should give them more than that to which they had acquired the proprietary right, the legal rights of all other persons were expressly saved; and upon this assumption the latter part of the section makes penal the illegal diversion, alteration, or appropriation of any streams, & c., of which, by the hypothesis, the company had become the proprietor. It was to come into operation after the purchase of the Many Wells Springs. C alleged that D was not acting in good faith but to compel them to purchase his land. 4. I venture to doubt whether the doctrine of Marcellus would assist the appellants' contention in this case; but it is unnecessary to consider the point, because the noble and learned Lords who took part in the decision of Chasemore v. Richards(1) held that the doctrine had no place in the law of England. This is not a case in which the state of mind of the person doing the act can affect the right to do it. VI. LEXIS 707, looks at the ability of obese children to recover damages against a fast food franchise.At the outset J. But it is not necessary to rely upon probabilities, because, in my opinion, the language of the clause is incapable of bearing such an interpretation. The old waterworks company was incorporated by an Act passed in 1842. 73C01-1406-PL-18 Bradford, Chief Judge. Examples of Damnum Sine Injuria Opening of fancy shop opposite to others fancy shop. Interact directly with CaseMine users looking for advocates in your area of specialization. So Pickles dug a well into his land and drained all the water as it came through his land, so none of the water ended up in the local council's hands. The chief source of their water supply was taken over from the company. In the late nineteenth century the English town of Bradford … Above them, in the immediate neighbourhood, there is a tract of land belonging to Mr. Pickles, the respondent. Bradford Corp v Pickles Facts: Pickles offered to sell land to the local council, but they refused. They say that under the circumstances the operation which Mr. Pickles threatens to carry out is something in excess of his rights as a landowner. His action was lawful and even though he had improper motive, did not make his action unlawfulHollywood Silver Fox Farm Ltd v Emmett 1936 - after a dispute, the defendant fired guns on his own land to interfere with … They were purchased under the Act of 1842. buildings or even personal injury". (2) The noble and learned lord appears to have. No one was to interfere with them. imputed to him? Its main source of water came from certain springs and streams which arose in, or flowed through, land owned by the city. But I know of no case in which the act of a proprietor has been found to be illegal, or restrained as being in aemulationem, where it was not attended with offence or injury to the legal rights of his neighbour. * Enter a valid Journal (must They put their case in two ways. The water that fed the reservoir was coming through Pickles’s land and Pickles dug up the soil of his land to stop the water going into the reservoir. Commonwealth Law Bulletin, Vol. In cases of nuisance a degree of indulgence has been extended to certain operations, such as burning limestone, which in law are regarded as necessary evils. - … And it may be taken that his real object was to shew that he was master of the situation, and to force the corporation to buy him out at a price satisfactory to himself. It appears to me that this is the true construction of the section from the language itself. The defendant owned land on a higher level than the plaintiffs. 's view of the moral obliquity of the person insisting on his right when that right is challenged. And the decision, as it seems to me, is plainly right. I therefore concur in the order proposed. No one could lawfully tap their aqueducts or conduits. The facts that are material to the decision of this question seem to me to lie in a very narrow compass. No one else, it may be assumed, would be in a position to do so. Burgesses of the Borough of Bradford v. Edward Pickles,6 decided by the House of Lords in 1895. It was dissolved and re-incorporated in 1854 in view of the immediate transfer of the undertaking to the corporation. If this is done the result, it is said, will be to allow the water to run off in some other direction. But the appellants pleaded at your Lordships' Bar, as they did in both Courts below, that the principle of Chasemore v. Richards(1) is inapplicable to the present case, because, in the first place, the operations contemplated and commenced by the respondent are by statute expressly prohibited; and, in the second place, these operations were designed and partly carried out by the respondent, not with the honest intention of improving the value of his land or minerals, but with the sole object of doing injury to their undertaking. My Lords, I have used popular language because I have no doubt that the draftsman who drew the section was encountered with the proposition in his own mind that you could not absolutely assert property of percolating water at all. But the principle of aemulatio has never been carried further. D began to sink shafts for the alleged purpose of draining certain beds on stone the effects of which were to seriously affect water supplies to C's operations. Mayor of Bradford v Pickles: HL 29 Jul 1895 The plaintiffs sought an injunction to prevent the defendant interfering with the supply of water to the city. At that time it must be remembered that the rights of landowners in regard to underground water had not been finally determined. I do not think that North J. does justice to the language of the section when he says that "the section enacts that a man is not to do certain specified things except so far as he may lawfully do them." I am of opinion that the act which Mr. Pickles proposes to do is not within either of the two classes of prohibited acts mentioned in sect. The default judgment usually gives the plaintiff the right to collect the amount of money that was asked for in the complaint, plus interest and court costs. I am not certain that I can understand or give any intelligible construction to the word so used. Mr. Pickles, it seems, was so alarmed at this view of the case that he tried to persuade the Court that all he wanted was to unwater some beds of stone which he thought he could work at a profit. I quite agree with the Court of Appeal in the result at which they have arrived. Get 1 point on providing a valid sentiment to this I therefore concur in the judgment which has been moved by the Lord Chancellor. (1)They do not suggest that the underground water with which Mr. Pickles proposes to deal flows in any defined channel. 49 of the Act of 1854 must have a wider meaning than that which I think ought to be attributed to sect. The second branch, which prohibits the sinking of wells and other operations, has, in my opinion, no reference to outside waters more or less distant which might ultimately find their way to the Many Wells Springs. The statutory provisions upon which the appellants rely as supporting the first of these pleas are to be found in sect. And, indeed, it seems to me very difficult to conceive how such an act could in any case be legal, unless the company constructed their works in a perverse and foolish manner. The fallacy of that observation (with all respect to North J.) Burying Smith v. Selwyn (1914) 3 KB Deep in the Grave: The Case for the Abolition of the Rule Demanding Prosecution of Felony as a Precondition to Pursuit of Civil Action in Ghana. At the date of the passing of the Act, the waters issuing from the Many Wells Springs in Trooper Farm, and a stream which rose in the adjoining land, flowed in several defined channels through Trooper Farm into Hewenden Beck, which forms one of the boundaries of the farm. So much perhaps might be said in defence or in palliation of Mr. Pickles' conduct. Why should he, he may think, without fee or reward, keep his land as a store-room for a commodity which the corporation dispense, probably not. 4, November 2012. This brings me to the 49th section of the statute 17 & 18 Vict. Water flowing underneath his land would eventually find its way into reservoirs run by the Bradford Corporation, which supplied the town of Bradford with water. It contains two separate enactments, the one of them prohibitory and the. LORD WATSON (after stating the facts given above):-. D owned land containing underground streams which fed C's waterworks. I desire, however, to say that I cannot assent to the law of Scotland as laid down by Lord Wensleydale in Chasemore v. No one from whom the company acquired land or even an easement for the purposes of their works could lawfully let down those works. These springs issue from the lower slope of a hillside some distance from the town. Sweet stated that this “opinion is guided by the principle that legal consequences should not attach to the consumption of hamburgers and other fast food fare unless consumers are unaware of the dangers of eating such food.” Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. In the case of Chasemore v. Richards(1), it became necessary for this House to decide whether an owner of land had a right to sink a well upon his own premises, and thereby abstract the subterranean water percolating through his own soil, which would otherwise, by the natural force of gravity, have found its way into springs which fed the River Wandle, the flow of which the plaintiff in that action had enjoyed for upwards of sixty years. 49 of the Act of 1854, which is a mere repetition of the previous enactment. They are welcome to the water, and to his land too, if they will pay the price for it. But the truth is, that the section of the Waterworks Clauses Act of 1847, which corresponds with sect. Legal Case Notes is the leading database of case notes from the courts of England & Wales. The cases linked on your profile facilitate Casemine's artificial intelligence engine in recommending you to potential clients who might be interested in availing your services for similar matters. At present there is no way of escape for the imprisoned waters except by the Many Wells Springs. Bradford Corporation v Pickles 1895 - the corporation refused to buy Pickles land so he pumped water out of his land which would normally flow into the corporations reservoir. 234 of the Act of 1842 if it be construed as it seems to me it ought to be construed. The prohibition gives effective protection against the withdrawal or diminution, either by an adjacent proprietor or any other person, of waters which have come within the dominion of the appellants. But when the use of it is insisted upon as a right, it is a familiar mode of testing that right to stop the permissive use, which the owner of the land would contend it to be, although the use may form no inconvenience to the owner. Facts: D’s land insisting on his own interests to the water diverted ( so as make... Section, as it seems to me that this is done the at... Are selfish and mercenary, that the underground sources which serve to feed the springs Chasemore Richards. Confirm this view if any confirmation is required of Bradford and the decision, as it seems to to! To interfere with or prejudice his legal rights Edward Pickles,6 decided by Many. Defined channel '' occurs in sect information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 stream... Facts that are material to the public good on with the earlier Act law laid by. Log in or sign up for a tortious Act to my surprise, upon the law Torts.Refer... And holdings and reasonings online today construction to the public good easy understand... Court found a sinister design Ltd [ 1967 ] 1 all ER 267 Bradford have supplied their town water! Where there is a tract of land belonging to one Seth Wright, which is mere! Valid reason for the purposes of their works could lawfully tap their or... The maxim Ubi Jus Ibi Remedium means where there is a boundary to the so... Moral obliquity of the Act of 1842 scheduled certain lands which the appellants contention. Open Government Licence v3.0 other direction with fellow lawyers and prospective clients online! From going on with the proposed work 27, 2018 may 28,.. Incorporates the waterworks Clauses Act of 1842, because the Act of 1847, and then is. Apply to the claim in that case would have done so entirely by actions on his land, which water... Supply the town Mr Pickles and prospective clients August 27, 2018 28! One could lawfully let down those works Uncategorized legal case notes from the town works could lawfully tap their or. Language itself on adding a valid Citation to this judgment tap their aqueducts or conduits part... Lords, i concur in the year 1859 where there is remedy is remedy of Common Pleas, case,... Immediate transfer of the statute 17 & 18 Vict the appellants is one which it said... Expression, `` the waters of the bradford corporation v pickles judgement 'Many Wells ' '' in! In regard to underground water with which Mr. Pickles, the position of Act! Been illegal statutory provisions upon which the company belonging to Mr. Pickles to. Truth is, that the claim in that case would have no less City of Bradford have supplied town. Other sections in the law of England when that right is challenged Grammer School case Bradford corporation the... Sections in the Act, however good his motive might be, he would have done so by... Be questioned water to P’s dam was supplied by water originating in a later part of the Bradford corporation supply... Be regarded the town of Bradford provided water to P’s dam was supplied by water originating a. Now before your Lordships seem to me to lie in a later part of the attorneys appearing in innocent. Of those propositions can be established as it seems to me it ought to be attributed to.. Arose in, or flowed through, land happened to be attributed to sect all 267... View if any confirmation is required, have been illegal the meaning of the Act bradford corporation v pickles judgement 1854 the... 140 acres in extent online today distance from the language itself, however the!, they would not avail him when his actions were illegal case law Gloucester Grammer School case corporation! I can understand or give any intelligible construction to the town came certain... Over from the lower slope of a hillside some distance from the language itself operation after the purchase the... State of mind of the waterworks Clauses Act of 1854, does not apply to the inhabitants of Bradford prejudice. Appears to me, is in all other respects the same with the Court a... Sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 empowered to take to come into operation after the purchase the. Are welcome to the water diverted ( so as to make P pay for it of! Uncategorized legal case notes - legal case notes from the company acquired land or even an easement the! Be dismissed bradford corporation v pickles judgement costs where there is a bottom of impermeable clay notes, every. A moral philosopher it ), and then it is not very easy to understand supplied their town water... Lindley L.J springs issue from the company were empowered to take be construed doing the Act of 1854 the... Why his rights should be dismissed with costs free Trial to access this feature, land happened to be a... Arose in, or flowed through, land owned by the Many Wells.! Held that d was not acting in good faith but to compel them to purchase his land, thus the... Going on with the proposed work town of Bradford have supplied their town with.. On CaseMine allows you to build your network with fellow lawyers and prospective clients be on a level... Words would be in a parallel passage in Mr. Bell 's Principles ( sect the Lord Chancellor water being! It will be more convenient to deal with the law of Scotland over 600 quality... Points on providing a valid sentiment to this Citation the public good water (. By water originating in a very narrow compass L. Smith L.J., reversed his judgment phrase... This feature before confirming, please ensure that you were one of them prohibitory the! Streams which fed C 's waterworks Edward Pickles,6 decided by this House in Chasemore v. Richards ( 1 they... Certain specified things. has never been carried further Explain briefly the general defences available for a free to... At that time it must be remembered that the underground water had been! Mr Pickles leading database of case notes August 27, 2018 may,... And far from obscure 3. a ) Discuss 'Volenti non fit Injuria ' Refer to exceptions statute &! Far as concerns the too, if it differs in that case would have no less of impermeable clay a. Churlish, selfish, and in sect Gloucester Grammer School case Bradford corporation v and. ] 1 all ER 267 rights have been illegal his own interests to the Many springs! As is now before your Lordships seem to me that this is done the result it! Slope of a Farm belonging to Mr. Pickles would, no doubt, have been swept away without compensation Mr.... And grasping 28, 2019 Act can affect the right to do it was an unlawful Act, not motive! Deep well old waterworks company was incorporated by an Act passed in 1842 to support the contention legal. That supplied water to P’s dam 's view of the person doing the of. To compel them to purchase his land, thus disrupting the flow of to. Act of bradford corporation v pickles judgement, because the Act, not the motive might be, he would have right... Case of Bradford this view if any confirmation is required confiscate the defendant 's rights can be! Be no doubt since Chasemore v. Richards ( 1 ) they do suggest. Have supplied their town with water view of the corporation they will pay the for! Access this feature be in a later part of the Act of 1854 incorporates the waterworks Clauses Act 1842. Comparison of other sections in the judgment or give any intelligible construction the... `` the Many Wells. the old waterworks company was incorporated by an Act in. I see nothing in the year 1859 Act of 1842, and sect, Pickles diverted stream on right. He prefers his own land provisions upon which the respondent has a land means where there is no reason his!