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9
with a deficit of $7,818.97., which is due (but
irrecoverable) from the Auctioneering and Brokering Company, Limited, and payable to various judgment
creditors. The responsibility for this position rests on the Supreme Court Registry generally and,
as the Registrar must accept responsibility for his
department, more particularly on the Registrar.
I therefore caused a letter, dated 20th October last,
to be addressed to Ir. Nisbet (copy enclosed) and I
his reply satisfactory, I would observe at once that
Enclos.Nos.10 & 1 enclose a copy of his reply. While I do not consider
I am given to understand that it would be an utter
impossibility for Mr. Nisbet to make good the
deficiency and that his private financial position is by no means satisfactory.
14.
The conclusion to which I have come is that
the Supreme Court Registry was only adequately staffed
for normal times, that it was overwhelmed by a rush
of work consequent on the financial depression of
1925 and subsequent. years, that Mr. Nisbet was quite
unequal to the task of meeting and dealing with the
emergency which arose, and that all concerned were
obsessed with the idea that everything would be
straightened out on the sale of the "Ling Nam", which
was originally valued at $270,000, but owing to the
depression realized only $130,000.
15. The most serious share of the responsibility
should, in my opinion, rest upon Kr. Hill; but he was
acquitted by the Executive Council and his case must,
therefore, be regarded as res judicata. For the
general lack of supervision, which made the confusion
possible,