Venkatasubba Rao, J.

1. This is a somewhat unusual kind of case and arises out of a combination of some thirty persons, owners of saltpans, who associated for the purpose of devising means of easy transport facilities, in respect of their salt from Arasady salt factory to Tuticorin. In 1909 they convened a meeting and passed a resolution that they were to subscribe Rs. 6 per saltpan (there were about 3,000 saltpans) and with the sum of about Rs. 18,000 raised to construct a metalled road from Tuticorin to the salt factory. It was further resolved that in the first instance Re. 1 per saltpan was to be subscribed, that the defendants father Raman Chetty, one of the licensees, was to act as the treasurer and that the plaintiff and another were to look after and conduct the operations. It was further resolved that Raman Chetty was to be liable for interest, on the sums with him, at nine annas per cent, per mensem. It is unnecessary to follow the history of this venture, for, it is sufficient to say that after prolonged negotiations with various public or semi-official bodies, it was found that nothing could be achieved and the money raised remained more or less unspent. It may b