Sir John Beaumont.-This is an appeal from a judgment and decree of the High Court at Madras, dated 13th November, 1944, modifying a decree of the Court of the Subordinate Judge of Tanjore, dated 18th July, 1941.

The suit out of which this appeal arises was brought by Receivers appointed by the Court to collect the dues upon a mortgage bond, dated 19th April, 1926. The mortgage was executed by appellant 1, who was defendant 1 in the suit, on behalf of himself and his minor sons appellants 3 and 4, who were defendants 3 and 4, and by defendant 2 and members of his joint family who were defendants 5, 6 and 7. The suit, which was to enforce the mortgage, was commenced on 6th April, 1937, and the plaintiffs who are respondents in this appeal, were the persons interested in the mortgage money. The defences originally raised are no longer relevant. On 22nd March, 1938, the Madras Agriculturists Relief Act, 1938 (Madras Act IV of 1938) (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”) was passed with the object of giving certain relief to agriculturists as defined in the Act. The defendants filed supplementary written statements claiming relief under the Act. It was conceded that defendants 2,