1. Eight persons including Tilak Chand defendant-respondent (to whom I will hereinafter refer as the defendant) formed a partnership at Ludhiana under the style "P. K. Oswal Hosiery Mills." Some of the parties were minors and were merely admitted to the benefits of the partnership. The defendant retired from the partnership vide deed of dissolution Exhibit P. 119, on and with effect from June 24, 1954. According to the said deed of dissolution, he had separated himself from the firm "after the rendition and settlement of accounts" and thereafter he had been left with no concern with the aforesaid firm. He also stipulated in the deed that the remaining parties and partners of the firm would be entitled to and liable for all the outstandings of the firm would be entitled to carry on the hosiery business regarding contracts for supplying the goods to the Government and manufacturing and supplying of other hosiery goods and every sort of business relating to the hosiery in the name of P.K.Oswal Hosiery Mills and the defendant would have no objection thereto, as he had absolutely severed his connections from the firm in which he had become a partner on January 1, 1954. O