Page:History of India Vol 1.djvu/275

Rh "Near new-built houses and other things of the same description, there shall be a passage three feet broad.

"In a dispute about a house or a field, reliance must be placed on the depositions of neighbours.

"If the statements of the neighbours disagree, documents may be taken as proof.

"If conflicting documents are produced, reliance must be placed on the statements of aged inhabitants of the village or town, and on those of guilds and corporations of artisans or traders."

This brings us to the law of property. Property is divided into eight classes, thus:—

"Property inherited from a father, a thing bought, a pledge, property given to a wife after marriage by her husband's family, a gift, property obtained for performing a sacrifice, the property of re-united copartners, and wages as the eighth.

"Whatever belonging to these eight kinds of property has been enjoyed by another person for ten years continuously is lost to the owner.

"A pledge, a boundary, the property of minors, an open deposit, a sealed deposit, women, the property of a king, and the wealth of a Srotriya, are not lost by being enjoyed by others.

"Property entirely given up by its owner goes to the king."

Women and females here mean female slaves. With regard to minors and widows, there are provisions to the effect that the king shall administer their property