CO129-508-5 Supreme Court of Hong Kong- slackness of registry accounting methods 28-10-1927 - 23-4-1928 — Page 89

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The Committee considers it desirable to call

attention to the following additional matters which have

been touched upon during the course of the Enquiry.

(1) Distraints.

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It would appear that the requisite statutory form of inventory and appraisement had not been prepared for some time before the institution of the Enquiry.

The First Bailiff stated that inventories and

apprai sements were made in all cases but these did not

appear to be in the relevant files and were not forthcoming

when called for.

(2) Auction sales and the proceeds thereof.

(a) The Committee thinks that the Registrar should take under his consideration the question of the financial stability of all firms to whom any substantial part of the Government sales may be entrusted.

(b) The present practice (since September, 1926) with regard to the payment of proceeds of sales appears to be for the auctioneers concerned to hand over the proceeds to

the First Bailiff.

As the Registrer is primarily responsible for accounting for the se proceeds it seems desirable that the auctioneers should be instructed to send the proceeds of

sales under cover addressed to him.

(c) Accounts of sales should always be accompanied by cheques and it seems desirable that the Registrar or Deputy Registrar, into whole hands the "Account Sales" comes, should indicate on same that payment accompanied it.

This would furnish evidence where on the First

Bailiff might proceed to complete the necessary records in his books without the necessity for his having recourse to verbal enquiry to the shroff.