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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9040, 19 November 1892, Page 4

A few days ago we published figures obtained from the Official Assignee in bankruptcy in Dunedin showing the number of bankruptcies that had taken place in that city during the eight years from 1884 to 1891 inclusive. The following is a table showing how the Dunedin district has stood during these years : — '

This would amount to a dividend on the proofs of 3s l£d in the £1, or about Is in the £1 less than was yielded during the same period by bankrupt estates in Dunedin ; but Mr. Lawson considers it only fair to the business people of Auckland to point out that during the years 1886-1889, a number ol failures occurred which were not ordinary commercial failures, but which were directly traceable to land speculation. Taking a dozen typical cases, he finds that the liabilities reached the enormous total of £152,662, while the assets available for division in the twelve estates only amounted to £2147, or less than 3W. in the £1. Eliminating these figures from the total, the average dividend is raised to over 3s 7d in the £1, and as these are only a portion of the legacy left by the land boom, it is evident that in respect to fair ordinary trading, the Auckland record will compare very favourably with that of Dunedin.

Du.viiDiJf District. Number of Paid to Year. Bank: nptcics. Proofs. Creditor* 1884 .. 201 .. £156,104 .. £16,323 1885 ... 247 .. 121,812 .. 30,088 1886 .. 208 .. 173,539 „ 53,123 1887 .. 292 . .. 162,391 .. . 30,784 1888 .. 203 .. 145,009 .. 22,577 1889 .. 130 .. 103.307 .. 21,171 1800 .. 137 .... 100,323 „ 18,504 1891 .. 145 .. 98,878 .. 15,907 Totals 1623 .. £1,062,053 .. £214,482 Balance in bank to 31st D..c, 1891 .. 3,829 Total.. £218,311 The division ampng the creditors included payments for preferential claims, and amounted to 4s Hd in the pound nearly on the proofs. Mr. Lawson, Official Assignee for the „ Auckland district, lias furnished us with the figures for the Auckland district, as follows:— Auckland District. No. of Debts. Payments to Yr. Bankruptcies. provod. Creditors. 1884 .. 146 .. £50,595 15 11 „ £3*866 11 7 1885 .. 187 „ 43,101 14 11 _ 10,443 14 6 1880 .. 264 ... 156,80111 9 .. 18,00115.6 1887 .. 199 .. 134,185 0 6.. 26,277 7 1 1888 .. 164 .. 207,394 12 8 .. 16,494 2 7 1889 .. 154 .. 233,435 10 2 .. 38,741 4 3 1890 .. 127 .. 73,631 0 2.. 18,425 3 5 lt>91 .. 97 .. 87,945 4 6.. 18,242 15 8 1,338 £937,090 10 7 £160,492 14 6 Balance in Bank 31st Dec, 1891 2,392 15 3 £152,885 9 I Equal to 3s ljd in the £.