Registrar-Generals-Department-Annual-report-1966-1967 — Page 42

of which orders were made during the year, classified according to trades and occupations. The estimated liabilities totalled $15,472,873 and the estimated assets $2,571,491. These estimates are based on information given by the debtors and are seldom reliable indications of the true position.

Comparison with previous years

112. Table XXII sets out for the purpose of comparison the numbers of bankruptcies and compulsory liquidations in the years from 1957-58 to 1966-67 together with the aggregate amounts of the estimated liabilities and assets. This shows that 1966-67 had the second highest number of cases in the decade and the third highest totals of estimated liabilities and assets, being exceeded in the latter respects only by 1964-65, which included the Ming Tak Bank bank- ruptcy case, and 1965-66, which included the Canton Trust and Commercial Bank Ltd liquidation. The Table also shows a gradual rise in the number of compulsory liquidations. This is not surprising in view of the number of companies on the Register having almost quadrupled from 2,791 to 10,970 in the decade.

Pre-war Bankruptcy Cases

113. There were eight pre-war cases on hand, in seven of which a final dividend had already been paid and only formal closure proceedings were required.

Dividends paid

114. Payments to preferential creditors and dividends to unsecured creditors were paid in nine bankruptcies and eight windings-up.

Public Examinations and Court Work

115. Eight Public Examinations and one Private Examination were held. Altogether, Legal Officers of the Department appeared in Court and in Chambers on 169 occasions in connexion with bankruptcies and liquidations. This is the highest total of such appearances in any post-war year exceeding by two the previous record of 167 in 1965-66.

Prosecutions

116. There were nine prosecutions for bankruptcy offences arising out of seven cases. Details were as follows:

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