ALLOTMENT. In England, the term denotes a portion of land assigned on partition or under an inclosure award (see COMMONS) ; also a division of land into small portions for culti vation by a labourer or artisan at a small rent (see ALLOTMENTS and SMALL HOLDINGS). In company law, "allotment" is the appropriation to an applicant by a resolution of the directors of a certain number of shares in response to an application. The document sent to such an applicant, which announces the number of shares assigned and concludes the contract, is called a letter of allotment or allotment certificate. (See COMPANY.) Allotment note is a writing by a seaman authorizing his employ ers to make an allotment of part of his wages, while he is on a voyage, in favour either of a "near" relative or of a savings bank. In the United States, the term allotment was used during the World War to denote that portion of the pay of a member of the Army, Navy or Marine Corps which was sent by direction of such person in the service to dependant relatives. In those cases, the Government paid an additional sum to such dependants as were nominated.