1. TWO joint life-policies dated April 21, 1959 and April 8, 1960 are the subject matters of this suit. They were issued by the defendant in favour of the plaintiff and her husband, who took his own life on December 25, 1961. The sums assured are respectively payable on December 28, 1978 and December 28, 1979 to them if they are then alive or to their survivor "at the first death of either of them, if earlier". The policies contain the following "suicide" clause : -

"in case either of the Lives Assured shall within one year from the date of this Policy commit suicide, whether insane or not at the time, the liability of the Corporation shall be limited to the extent of the beneficial interest which any person (other than the Lives assured) shall prove to the satisfaction of the Corporation to have been acquired in the Policy bona fide and for valuable consideration of which notice in writing shall at least one calendar month previous to death have been given to the within-mentioned divisional Office of the Corporation and save and except to that extent this Policy shall be void and all claims to any benefit, advantage or interest in the funds of the Corporation by virtue o