In a list, general words that follow
specific words that are limited to the
same type as the specific ones. For
example, if an act uses 'Cats, Dogs &
other animals' the other animals would
include domesticated animals not wild
animals.
In Re Stockport Ragged, Industrial &
Reformatory Schools 1898 the courts
considered the phrase 'cathedral, collegiate,
chapter & other schools.' It was decided the
'Other schools' has to be limited to schools of
the same kind as those in the list which where
all religious school.
In Powell V
Kempton Park
Racecourse 1899
the court concluded
that 'house, office,
room or other places
for betting' could not
include open-air
betting on the race
course itself as all
the places involved
in the list were all
indoors.
EXPRESSIO UNIUS EST EXCLUSIO ALTERIUS
Express mention of one
thing implies the exclusion
of another. If an act
specifically refers to
labrador dogs it would not
include other breeds.
In Tempest V Kilner 1864
where a section of an act
included the words 'goods,
wares & merchandise' it was
held that this section could not
apply to stocks & shares.
In R V
Inhabitants
of Sedgely
1831, when
the act
referred to
'coal mines'
it could only
mean coal
mines.
NOSCITUR A SOCIIS
A word that draws meaning from the
words around it.
In Inland Revenue
Commissioners V Frere 1965, a
section of an Act referred to
'interest, annuities or other
annual interest, the court decided
that the first use of 'interest' must
be restricted to annual interest
and not monthly or daily interest.
In Bromley V GLC the Act stated that the meaning of
'economic' meant that London transport system has to be
run on business lines & not subsided by local tax payers.