Registrar-Generals-Department-Annual-report-1964-1965 — Page 40

Absconding Debtors

111. One debtor absconded before a Receiving Order was made against him. A warrant for his arrest was obtained from the Court. Thanks to excellent work by the staff of the Official Receiver's Office in co-operation with the Commercial Crime Office of the Police Depart- ment, three long-absconding debtors were arrested during the year.

Dividends Paid

112. Thirteen dividends were declared and distributed, ten in bank- ruptcies, and three in winding up.

Public Examinations and Court Work

113. Four Public Examinations were held. Altogether, legal officers. of the Department appeared in Court and in Chambers on 69 occasions in connexion with bankruptcies and liquidations.

Prosecutions

114. There was only one prosecution for bankruptcy offences, namely that of a former bank clerk who was charged with pawning property which he had obtained on credit and had not paid for, and with having obtained credit to the extent of $100 or upwards from various persons without first informing them that he was an undischarged bankrupt. He was found guilty, fined $200 and bound over for $1,000 for one year.

Cases Concluded

115. Three cases were concluded, all bankruptcies, and the Official Receiver was duly released from his trusteeship.

Previous Cases Still Outstanding

116. Fifty-three bankruptcies, including the eight pre-war cases already mentioned, were carried over from previous years, but in thirty- five of these either a final dividend had already been paid or there were no assets available for distribution, and only formal closure proceedings were required. There were thirty-one compulsory liquidations out- standing from previous years, sixteen of which were merely awaiting formal conclusion. Some of the cases awaiting formal closure have been awaiting closure for several years. It has, however, been necessary to give priority to more important work on current cases.

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