Kevin Wayne Williams <kww.nihongo@verizon.nut> wrote:

> Louise Bremner wrote:
> > Wasn't that the reason for "beating the bounds"? That's probably one of
> > those common-law thingies that are no longer valid now that Britain has
> > joined the EU. Like marriages, drat it.
> 
> Can you show me a reference to that? It would be a lttle strange 
> Australia and the USA had British common law, but Britain no longer has
> British common law.

As I understand it, it's remnants of English common law, not British. 

But I hadn't realised that common-law marriages were abolished in
1753--I thought it was all the fault of the EU:

<http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,3605,1088027,00.html
>

"Britain lags behind Canada, New Zealand and Australia, all of which
have given rights to unmarried partners."

________________________________________________________________________
                   Louise Bremner (log at gol dot com)
   If you want a reply by e-mail, don't write to my Yahoo address!