The facts in this case are in a comparatively small compass so far as they are relevant to what we have to decide in this appeal, and they are these: On 25 August 1964, the Accra-Tema Development Corporation formally granted the plaintiff licence to enter plot No. D/129 C, situated at Ashaeman, within the corporation's area of administration, and to erect thereon a temporary dwelling-house. One of the conditions of the licence was that the plaintiff would pay to the corporation a monthly fee of ten shillings in advance on the first day of every month. Another important clause in the licence reads as follows:
“This licence may be either expressly revoked by the Corporation by one month's notice in writing expiring at any time, delivered to you the licensee or posted on the said land, or impliedly terminated by you the licensee, whenever your fee is one month or more in arrears, or may be expressly terminated by you, the licensee, giving to the corporation one month's notice in writing of your intention so to do.”
At the trial the plaintiff produced official receipts (exhibits Al-A5) for rents he had paid for the following periods: August 1964, September-December 1964, January-May 1965, June 1965-May 1966, June-May [p.4] 1967. These receipts are dated 28 August 1964, 23 October 1964, 6 May 1965, 5 April 1966 and 16 May 1967 respectively. It follows that, except for the month of August 1964, the plaintiff's rent had always been in arrears for more than one month. It also seems clear that since June 1967, the plaintiff's rent had been in arrears.
Subsequent to the granting of the licence to the plaintiff to enter plot No. D/129 C, Ashaeman, the Tema Development Corporation decided that Ashaeman should be further developed, and in order to ascertain who the previous plot holders were, the Managing Director of the Tema Development Corporation, Mr. F. K. A. Jiagge, gave notice to all holders of plots in Ashaeman to the effect that:
“2. It has come to the notice of the Tema Development Corporation that many plot holders resident in and outside Ashaeman have not registered their plots. In view of the development programme envisaged to commence as soon as possible, all plot holders are requested to register or re-register their plots, whether developed or undeveloped IMMEDIATELY, giving: [Particulars are stated].
3. In the event of failure to submit the above particulars by the end of February 1967, the Tema Development Corporation will assume that the plo
