341
23
Seo Mr. ARNOLD'S Evi.
dence unneled to ru
all are in a fair way towards completion, but owing to his having to see to every thing himself, it has taken more time than it ought to have done consistently with other duties. Had Mr. BAREE been able to give his attention to the duties which would be performed by an ordinary Accountant in respect of Bankruptcy matters, Mr. ACKROYD would have been greatly relieved and been able to have given more attention to duties of equally great importance. As Official Assignee it will also have been seen that the accounts of each debtor, and each Creditor to the Bankrupt, have to be enquired into, and settled, and the Assignee has to keep the debit and credit account not only of the Bankrupt himself, but of each Debtor and Creditor to his Estate.
As Official Administrator the Registrar has not so much to do as in Bankruptcies. The number of cases in which Probate or Administration is applied for, as compared with the number of deaths taking place in the Community, is out of all proportion. A weekly return of deaths is sent by the Registrar General to the Registrar, but deaths ought to be reported immediately that they occur if the Registrar is to take any steps to see that the proper duty is paid. There are a comparatively large number of cases which as it appears to me ought not to be dealt with by the Registrar of the Supreme Court at all.
In 1879 out of 65 Probate cases 31 were Intestate estates under the value of
$25; 22 being under the value of $10.
In 1880 out of 78 Probate cases 18 were Intestate estates under the value of $25;
$ being under the value of $10.
In 1881 out of 101 Probate cases 28 were Intestate estates under the value of $25; 26 being under the value of $10.
For the seven months ending 31st July 1882, out of 46 Probate cases 24 were Intestate estates under the value of $25; 19 being under the value of $10.
In nearly all these cases the parties were passengers who had died at sea and ou offices of Supreme their effects are sent by the Captains of the steamers in which they died to the Registry
purt of Commissioners
Couri . 17.
of the Supreme Court. In a large number of cases there is only in the boxes clothing of little or no value. Every now and then when the boxes are opened some money or valuable securities are found but very rarely. In a large number of cases the boxes and clothing are sold by the Government auctioneer and the proceeds, amounting to 50 cents or $1 seldom more than $3, are paid into the Treasury as unclaimed and are very rarely withdrawn. This, although done with the very best motives, looks very like confiscation. Occasionally a claimant a relative of the deceased may appear and then upon the Registrar being satisfied that the claimant is really what he represents himself to be, the Judge takes it upon himself to order that the articles shall be delivered upon some Resident in the Colony giving security that they shall be properly applied. But in these cases it seems to me that the proper course would be to leave the Harbour Master and his subordinates to deal with them. It is not possible for the Registrar to make the necessary enquiries as to the deceased's relatives or friends on board the vessels which arrive here and which the Harbour Master could easily do. The passen-
4)