BANKRUTPCY RETURNS. ANNUAL FIGURES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 40, 17 February 1908, Page 8

BANKRUTPCY RETURNS. ANNUAL FIGURES.

The aiinur,l return of the transactions in bankruptcy for the districts under the jurisdiction of ths Wellington Official Assignee contains figures of considerable interest to commercial men. The totals "are as follows, the figures in parentheses being those for^the year 1906:Petitions by debtors, 131 (107); adjudications on < reditors' petitions — 24 (16) ; composition — 1 (0) ; orders of immediate discharge granted by the court — 47 (28) ; casts in which orders of discharge were suspended by tho courts— 16 ~(9) ; assets, excluding amounts secured to creditors — £39,504 19s 6d (£44,400 8s lid) ; amounts secured to creditors, not included in previous column— £l9,Bßs 9s lOd (£27,649 7s Ud); liabilities as per statement' filed, excluded amounts secured to creditors —£60,185 11s lOd (£82,749 10s ld)j amount of assets realised by Assignee — £24,527 8s Id (£14,635 5s sd) ; amount of debts proved— £7o,996 6s 8d (£57,943 4s 6d) ; amount paid in dividends, excluding preferential and secured claims —£12,663 17s 4d (£96,699 3s 4d) ; amount paid for preferential claims (rents, rates, wages, etc.) — £2466 9s 5d (£2138 19s) ; amount paid for secured claims— £lo47 13s 9d (£857 ISs 6d) ; amount paid for Government commisssion — £538 2s 7d (£645 19s) ; amount paid for cost of actions (if any), solicitors' and supervisors' fees— £l3o6 2s 2d (£7lO 10s 3d) ; expenses incurred in carrying on estates for the benefit of creditors— £l2l7 17s 7d (£389 2s lid) ; other charges— £l47o 13s 7d (£586 4s 4d) ; balance in bank Ist January,- 1907— £4084 4s 5d (£4472 13s 8d) ; balance in bank on 31st December,- 1907— £7855 16s Id (£4082 6s 9d). Ths districts to which the above figures apply are Wellington, Masterton, Dannevirkej Napier, Nelson, Palmerston North, Wanganui, Pahiatua, Blenheim, Greymouth, Eeefton, and Hokitika. The figures for Wellington alone (excluding shillings and pence) are as follow : — 1906. 1907. Debtors' petitions ... 38 31 Creditors' ' adjudications 7 4 Imediate discharges 13 3 Discharges suspended 4 3 Unsecured assets £9,801 £7,645 Secured assets ... £9,283 £4,521 Liabilities (excluding amounts seemed) £20,614 £16,743 Aesets realised ... £3,505 £2,317 Debts proved ... £21,565 £15,009 Dividends, excluding pref. and seeivrecf claims ... £933 £1,522 Preferential claims , paid ' £457 £545 Government commission ... £109 £92 Legal costs •... Jy463 £214 Carrying on estates benefit creditois £358 £92 Other charges ... £62 £74 Bank balance Ist January, 1907 ... £1,081 £1,273 Ditto 31st December, 1907 £2,201 £1,081

Mr. Riddcll, S.M., at the Magistrate's Couit this morning;, laid stiess upon the importance of diivera of carte taking the precaution, when approaching raihvay crossings, to make themselves acquainted with the movements of trains. A man ] named D. M'Millan was before the court for neglect in this respect, and was fined 40s, with costs amounting to £1 0s 6d. Charles S. Bailey, for leaving a horse and tiap unattended in a public street, was fined 10s, with an alternative of twent_»-four hours' imprisonment. Charles Edward Heron was fined 20s, with costs 7s, for obtaining liquor after a prohibition order had been taken out against him. A prohibition order was granted against Mary Lee for the period of one year. Mr. J. Drummond, chief reporter of the Lyttelton Times, is in Wellington on holiday. Mr. Drummond. whose studies of New Zealand bird life havo. made his name very well known in the?e islands, intends spending several days on Kapiti to watch the behaviour of the 01 iginal avifauna and the lec^ut import! Itioua from Antarctica.