Registrar-Generals-Department-Annual-report-1951-1952 — Page 22

PART V

PATENTS REGISTRY

34. The number of new patents registered during the year was 24 which compares with 48 in the previous year when the Registry was re-opened. No pre-war patents were registered. On 31st March, 1952, the total number of patents on the Register was 72.

35. The fees collected during the year amounted to $1,384.00, $448 less than in the previous year.

PART VI

OFFICIAL RECEIVER IN BANKRUPTCY

AND COMPANIES WINDING UP.

36. The general recession in the Colony's trade during the year had its inevitable sequel in a number of bankruptcies and compulsory liquidations.

37. Including two Petitions for the administration in bank- ruptcy of deceased Debtors' estates, there were altogether six Bankruptcy Petitions during the year, but one of these was struck out owing to the non-appearance of the Petitioning Creditor. Orders were made under Section 112 of the Bank- ruptcy Ordinance (Cap. 6) for the administration in bankruptcy of the estates of the two deceased Debtors, and Receiving and Adjudication Orders were made in the other three cases. The total liabilities in these five bankruptcies are estimated to amount to nearly $4,000,000, and it is expected that there will be very heavy deficiencies in some cases.

38. Orders were made for the winding up of five companies by the Court. These included two Banks, the China Industrial Bank of Hong Kong Limited and the Fu Shing Bank of Hong Kong Limited with estimated liabilities of some $1,300,000 and

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