1. The appellant is the owner of a godown, and the respondent a co-operative society registered under the Madras Co-operative Societies Act, 1932 was his tenant. The lease was denied by the respondent. It has been found to be true and binding by both the courts below.

2. The controversy at present relates only to the respondent's liability for rent from 30 61955 to 2612 1956, the date on which the appellant got possession of the premises in pursuance of an interim decree. The answer to the dispute depends on whether there was a valid termination of the lease when the respondent surrendered the key to the appellant by the end of June 1955. The respondent's case is that the key was first sent to the appellant through a peon on 28 61955, that the appellant refused to accept it, that it was thereupon sent to the appellant by registered post, that the appellant still refused it, that it was thereafter produced in court on 23 111955 along with the written statement, that the appellant continued his refusal to to accept the key, and that the respondent then took it back from the court in pursuance of a direction therefrom. The appellant's contention is that he was not bound to