Larceny Act 1916

46 Interpretation

(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

• The expression " chief officer of police " means—

  (a)

  In the city of London, the Commissioner of City Police;

  (b)

  In the Metropolitan Police District, the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis ;

  (c)

  In any other police district in England, the officer having the chief command of the police in such police district;

  (d)

  In the police district of Dublin Metropolis, either of the commissioners of police for the said district ;

  (e)

  In any other police district in Ireland, the sub-inspector of the Royal Irish Constabulary ;

  and shall include any person authorised by such said chief officer of police to act in his behalf:

• The expression " document of title to goods " includes any bill of lading, India warrant, dock warrant, warehouse-keeper's certificate, wan-ant or order for the delivery or transfer of any goods or valuable thing, bought or sold note, or any other document used in the ordinary course of business as proof of the possession or control of goods, or authorising or purporting to authorise, either by endorsement or by delivery, the possessor of such document to transfer or receive any goods thereby represented or therein mentioned or referred to :

• The expression " document of title to lands " includes any deed, map, roll, register, paper, or parchment, written or printed, or partly written and partly printed, being or containing evidence of the title, or any part of the title, to any real estate or to any interest in or out of any real estate :

• The expressions " mail, " " mail bag, '' " officer of the Post Office, " " postal packet, " " post office, " and " in course of transmission by post, " shall have the same meanings in this Act as in the Post Office Act, 1908:

• The expression " night '' means the interval between nine o'clock in the evening and six o'clock in the morning of the next succeeding day :

• The expression " property " includes any description of real and personal property, money, debts, and legacies, and all deeds and instruments relating to or evidencing the title or right to any property, or giving a right to recover or receive any money or goods, and also includes not only such property as has been originally in the possession or under the control of any person, but also any property into or for which the same has been converted or exchanged, and anything acquired by such conversion or exchange, whether immediately or otherwise :

• The expression " trustee " means a trustee on some express trust created by some deed, will, or instrument in writing, and includes the heir or personal representative of any such trustee, and any other person upon or to whom the duty of such trust shall have devolved or come, and also an executor and administrator, and an official receiver, assignee, liquidator, or other like officer acting under any present or future Act relating to joint stock companies or bankruptcy :

• The expression " valuable security " includes any writing entitling or evidencing the title of any person to any share or interest in any public stock, annuity, fund, or debt of any part of His Majesty's Dominions, or of any foreign state, or in any stock, annuity, fund, or debt of any body corporate, company, or society, whether within or without His Majesty's Dominions, or to any deposit in any bank, and also includes any scrip, debenture, bill, note, warrant, order, or other security for payment of money, or any accountable receipt, release, or discharge, or any receipt or other instrument evidencing the payment of money, or the delivery of any chattel personal, and any document of title to lands or goods as hereinbefore defined.

(2) The expression " dwelling-house" does not include a building although within the same curtilage with any dwellinghouse and occupied therewith unless there is a communication between such building and dwelling-house, either immediate or by means of a covered and enclosed passage leading from one to the other.

(3) References in this Act to any Act in force at the commencement of this Act shall be held to include a reference to that Act as amended, extended, or applied by any other Act.