ADMINISTRATOR-GENERAL'S OFFICE.

THE want of a duly authorized Officer to take charge of the property of persons who die either intestate, or without leaving Executors who will act, having for a considerable time pressed itself on the consideration of the Government a law was passed in 1873, Law 34 of 1873, for the appointment of an Administrator-General. Under this law the Administrator-General is bound to administer on the estates, of which the personalty amounts to £50 and upwards, of persons (1) who die intestate without leaving a widower, widow, brother, sister or any lineal ancestor or descendant, or leaving such relative, if no such relative shall take out letters of administration within three months or such other time as may be fixed by the Court; (2) who die leaving a will but leaving no Executor, or no Executor who will act, if no such relative as aforesaid of such deceased shall take out letters of administration within the same period. He may administer on the estate of any person who shall appoint him the sole Executor of his will, but he cannot act as a Co-Executor with any other person. The Administrator-General may be appointed Trustee of any real or personal property in the same way that any other person might be appointed. He may also be appointed Guardian of any Infant, Committee of any Lunatic or Idiot, and Receiver in Chancery.

The Administrator-General is subject to the immediate control of the Supreme Court of Judicature, he being an Officer of that Court and accountable to it for the due and efficient discharge of his duties. He is paid a salary of £300 per annum and receives six per cent. on disbursements. He defrays all the expenses of his office, including the salaries of his Clerks, out of these emoluments.

In 1891 the Administrator General obtained Letters of Administration in 4 estates of intestates and proved one will where the executrix renounced. The estates of three natives who died in Nicaragua were sent to him to be dealt with On 31st December, 1891, he was Guardian of 9 infants and their estates, Committee of one lunatic, Trustee of seven estates and Trustee and Receiver of three Chancery suits. The accounts of the Administrator-General are audited in the Audit Office and are passed half-yearly by the Supreme Court.

BANKRUPTCY.

THE Bankruptcy Law of 1879 declares that the Administrator-General for the time being shall be ex officio the Trustee in Bankruptcy, and it places the administration of

*Off the Island.

debtors' estates in bankruptcy in the hands of that Officer, who is directly accountable to the Supreme Court of Judicature. The law as amended by 24 of 1892 places the question of a Bankrupt's discharge, and of the conditions to be attached thereto, in the hands of the Court, and gives the Court the power of inflicting punishment for culpable bankruptcies or other fraudulent transactions. *

The following table shows the number of persons who took the benefit of the Insolvent Debtors' Law during each of the eight years previous to 1868 :

The following table shows the number of persons declared bankrupts during each of the last nine years under the provisions of the new Bankruptcy Law :

The judicial statistics of the colony show that the bankruptcies which took place in the period between May, 1840, and May, 1845, (when the full force of Emancipation may be assumed to have been felt) and the 9 years between 1877 and 1885 stood as follows: in the former period the total amount of liabilities was £1,423,371 78. 5d., and in the latter period the total amount of liabilities was £241,884 19s. 6d.

The Trustee in Bankruptcy is paid a salary of £300 per annum, but in addition he receives five per cent. on dividends paid to creditors under an Absolute Order of Bankruptcy or under a Deed of Arrangement. He defrays all the expenses of his office out of his emoluments. The office of Trustee in Bankruptcy is to be amalgamated with that of Administrator-General on a vacancy occurring and a salary of £500 is to be paid for the discharge of the combined duties.

The accounts of the Trustee in Bankruptcy (like those of the Administrator-General) are audited in the Audit Office and passed half-yearly by the Supreme Court.

*The Amending Law now in force makes it incumbent on Bankrupts to pay 10s. in the £ otherwise their Discharge is suspended for 2 years, and it also provides for the administration of deceased persons estates in Bankruptcy.

123

46778

Object.
1890.

EQUITY.

(In Supreme Court.)

NO. OF SUITS FILED AND THEIR RESULTS.

To have real and personal estate ad-
ministered

For specific performance of contract
For specific performance of contract
For specific performance of contract
To set aside deed, &c.

To set aside deed, &c.

Suit pending.

Decree as prayed.
Suit pending.
Decree as prayed.
Suit pending.
Decree as prayed.

Damages for obstructing River and for Suit pending.

an Injunction

For an account, &c.

For an account, &c.

Monies due by deceased Estate, &c.

To administer real Estate

To have trusts of deed established
To set aside deed, &c.

1891.

To set aside deed and for an account
For partition and sale

Suit pending.

Suit pending.
Suit pending.
Decree as prayed.
Suit discontinued.
Suit pending.

Decree as prayed.
Pending.

For sale of property and distribution Decree as prayed.

of proceeds

Discontinued.

Result.

Suit heard. Judgment for defendant.

Pending.

Pending.

For payment of money due and for spe- Pending.

To have deed rectified

To establish title

For an account

For goods sold, &c.

cific performance of contract

9

For partition and sale

Pending.

10

To have estate administered

Pending.