BANKRUPTCY RETURNS FOR 1905.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 68, 21 March 1906, Page 8

BANKRUPTCY RETURNS FOR 1905.

During the year ended December, 1905, there were in deputy districts included in the Wellington Bankruptcy Distinct, 77 bankruptcies, 70 being by petitions of debtors, and 7 by creditors' petitions. Tlie number of bankruptcies in these-districtP, •which include Watig-imii. Palmerstdn 2«orth, Napier, Masterton, Blenheim, N-el-son, Westporb, ileefton, Greymouth, and Hokitika for the previous tweiYe_ months was 62. In Wellington City- district there were in addition to the figures already given 29 bankruptcies as compared with 16 for 1904. Of the 29, 23 were on petition by debtors, and 6 on petition by creditors. In the further details of the bankruptcies, the figures appearing in parenthesis are for 1904. The assets for the deputy districts during 190& as per statement filed (excluding amounts secured to creditors) totalled £18,297 18s 2d (£13,675), and for Wellington City £3,974 (£3041). The amount secured to creditors not included in the pruviotw amount was £8462 12s 4d (£2148 4s 7d) in the depute districts and £4857 18s 5d (£1255 18s 9d) in the city • district. The liabilities for the deputy districts, excluding amount secured to creditors, was £34,792 lls 4d (27,369 153), and for the city district £8991 6s 2d pSSIS 8s 3d). The total amount realised by the Official Assignee in the deputy districts wan £11,176 13s lid (£8592 16s 4d) and in the city £2442 53 Sd (£3602 183 4dj. The amount of dividends paid by the deputy districts wai £5199 13s 7d (£4304 3a 3d), and by t-he citr £817 4s 2d (£3978 13-. 2d). it i& explained tliac the falling off of dividends in the city this yr-ar wxis due to the fact that in 1904 £2528 stood to the city district' 6 credit in the bank, and that it was paid out. The preferential claims paid in tha deputy districts totalled £1303 6a 5d (£835 15s Id) and in the city £572 9s 5d (£192 14s Id). Commenting on tho above figures, Mr. Simpson, Deputy-Assignee, said that they did not show that business iv Wellington had gone back — in fact, it had been very steadj. Of the 29 city bankruptcies nearly every one was connected svith a amall tradesman's business.

As Mr. E. T. Taylor was driving back to his home at Kilbirnie list evening his horse and trap went over the bank of a. cutting recently made by the City Council at the top of Constable-street. Tho horsa and vehicle suffered some damage, but Mr. Taylor had a lucky escape.. Mr. Watterson, editor of tho Argus, Melbourne, arrived from Sydney by the Moeraki to-day. Eric Hibbard, a young boy who resides with his parents at No. 2, Russellterrace, Wellington South, when riding a bkycte along Lambton-quay thifl morning fell off in endeavouring to pass a cab going in the same direction. He fell among the horses' feet, but escaped ■with a severe cut abi/ve the eye and afew bruiaea.