7 DECEMBER 1878, Page 3

Vice-Chancellor MalMs' decision that a man may not take for

the name of his house a name already used by his neighbour has been reversed, on appeal, by the Master of the Rolls and Lord Justices James and Thesiger. The Master of the Rolls was very curt. No damage had been proved, but even if there had been damage, it must be shown that the damage was also an injury. It is often a great damage to a neighbour to build on your own ground a wall which you have a full right to build, but if it is not an " injury,"—the law did not forbid it. The Vice-Chancellor " had held, for the first time, that a man had an exclusive right to the use of any name which he chose to affix to any part of his landed property." There was no such right. In fact, if thirty people had been foolish enough to call their houses "Ashford Lodge," the judgment declares virtually that they might have done so. The Vice-Chancellor's ruling received no mercy in the Court of Appeal.