Best, J.

1. The question for decision in this appeal is whether the appellant (2nd defendant) or the 2nd Respondent (1st defendant) is entitled to possession of the impartible Zemindari of Uthumalai in the Tinnevelly District. The 1st Respondent is the Collector of the District by whom the suit was instituted for the purpose of obtaining a decision as to which of of the rival claimants was entitled to the Zemindari of which possession had been taken by him as agent of the Court of Wards on behalf of a minor named Navaneetha Kristna Marudappa Thevar as adopted son of the Zemindar Iruthalaya Maruthappa Thevar who died on the 12th August 1891. The minor alse died on the 16th December 1891.

2. The fact and the validity of the adoption of the boy Navaneetha Krishna by the late Zemindar Iruthalaya, whose widows both appellant and 2nd Respondent claim to be, were denied by the appellant and formed the subject of several issues (5 to 8) settled for trial in the suit. These issues are considered by the judge in paras 60 to 71 of his judgment and the conclusions arrived at by him are stated in para 72, namely, that there was in fact an adoption and that no reason appears for holding it