.326
Return No. 5.
Return No. 6.
Return No. 7.
One case was carried to the Privy Council, but no decision has yet reached the Colony.
One important Appeal was the case of TANG Tsz U, Appellant and The Attorney General, Respondent, commonly known as the Cheung Sha Wan case, in which the Full Court held several lengthy sittings.
5.- ADMIRALTY JURISDICTION.
There were 11 Actions instituted, 2 of which were disposed of, 1 having been settled or withdrawn before trial, leaving 8 in dependency.
The number of vessels arrested was 4.
The total fees received and paid into the Treasury amounted to $452.
6.-BANKRUPTCY JURISDICTION.
There were 29 Petitions filed, being Creditors' Petitions 19, and 10 Petitions by the Debtors themselves.
The number of Receiving Orders made was 2o, being 19 on Creditors' Petitions, and 9 on Debtors' Petitions.
The number of Public Examinations held was.15.
There were 15 Adjudications; and 2 Compositions approved by the Court. There was one Discharge.
The aggregate amount of declared Assets was $854,201.33, and declared Liabilities $1,431,590.36. Of the declared Assets only $79,043.54 were recovered.
The fees paid into the Treasury amounted to $4,162.60 (of which $2,390.93 was paid by impressed Stamps) including the Official Receiver's commission as Trustee where no Trustee has been appointed by the Creditors.
A tabulated statement of the work done is attached to this Report.
7.-PROBATE AND ADMINISTRATION.
There were 171 Grants made by the Court, being:
Probates,..
Letters of Administration,
71
98
171
Returns Nos.8 and 8 (a.)
The aggregate value of the Estates was $2,788,400.
Probate duties amounted to $77,552.00, Court fees to $7,287.70, and Official Administrator's Commission paid into the Treasury to $2,201.27.
There were 39 Estates vested in, or administered by, the Official Administrator during the year, representing an aggregate value of $35,157.98.
25 Estates were wound up during the year, as against 20 in 1903, representing an aggregate value of $23,110.98.
8. OFFICIAL TRUSTS.
The total number of Trust Estates in the hands of the Official Trustee at the end of 1904 was 23, and the aggregate amount of Trust funds $241,264.34, as against 21 Estates aggregating to $99,200.88 in 1903, and certain house property, viz., No. 6, Rednaxela Terrace.
66
9.-REGISTRATION OF COMPANIES. ·
The total number of Companies registered from the commencement of the Companies Ordinance, 1865" was 424 with an aggregate capital of $197,143,121, of which there were 219 remaining at the end of 1904, whose aggregate capital amounted to $115,594,664, 130 were wound up voluntarily, 4 were wound up under the supervision of the Court, and 71 are defunct. In addition to the latter, there are other Companies that are practically defunct as no Returns have been furnished by such Companies for years: steps are being taken to legally strike them off the Register.