762

Time for
acceptance.

Inchoate in-
struments.

Ch. 31. No. 5.] Bills of Exchange.

18. A bill may be accepted—

(a) before it has been signed by the drawer, or while
otherwise incomplete ;

(6) when it is overdue, or after it has been dis-
honoured by a previous refusal to accept, or by
non-payment ;

(c) when a bill payable after sight is dishonoured by
hon-acceptance, and the drawee subsequently accepts
i, the holder, in the absence of any different agreement,
is entitled to have the bill accepted as of the date of
first presentment to the drawee for acceptance.

19. (1) An acceptance is either (a) general or (8) qualified.
(2) A general acceptance assents without qualification
to the order of the drawer. A qualified acceptance in
‘xpress terms varies the effect of the bill as drawn,
In particular an acceptance is qualified which is—
(a) conditional, that is to say, which makes payment
by the acceptor dependent on the fulfilment of a
condition therein stated;
(6) partial, that is to sav, an acceptance to pay part
only of the amount for which the bill is drawn ;
(c) local, that is to say, an acceptance to pay only at
a particular specified place; an acceptance to pay at a
particular place is a general acceptance, unless it
expressly states that the bill is to be paid there only
and not elsewhere ;
(d) qualified as to time;
(ec) the acceptance of some one or more of the
drawee. but not of all.

20. (1) Where a simple signature ona blank paper defining
an amount not to be exceeded is delivered by the signer in
order that it may be converted into a bill, it operates as a
prima facte authority to fill it up as a complete bill for any
amount not exceeding the defined limit, using the signature
for that of the drawer, or the acceptor, or an indorser;
and, in like manner, when a bill is wanting in any material
particular, the person in possession of it has a prima facie
authority to fill up the omission in any way he thinks fit.