§ Sir J. Grahammoved the third reading of the Bankruptcy Law Amendment Bill.
§ Bill read a third time.
§ Mr. Hawesmoved that the following clause be added as rider to the bill:—
And be it enacted, that fourteen days before a final dividend shall be advertised under any bankrupt's estate, there shall be sent by the official assignee to each creditor's assignee of such estate a debtor and creditor account between the official assignee and such estate, showing also the monies remaining uncollected under such estate, and the cause of such monies remaining uncollected, a copy of which account shall he delivered to any creditor who shall apply for the same and have proved or claimed a debt under such fiat, upon his applying for the same to the official assignee, and paying such sum, not exceeding one shilling, as shall be settled by the court authorised to act in the prosecution of such fiat.
Mr. W. Scottwas of opinion, that the creditors ought to receive every information relative to a bankrupt's estate without paying a shilling fee.
§ Mr. Hawesthought that it was fair to make a small charge for a document from which much valuable information was likely to be obtained.
§ Sir T. Wildesaid, it might be important, in many cases, that parties who were not creditors should be allowed to possess themselves of such an account as the clause specified, on payment of a certain fee, and moved an amendment to effect that object.
§ Sir J. Grahamapproved of the proposition.
§ Sir T. Wildesaid,' that when the creditors of an estate were numerous, 1s. would be found sufficient to defray the expense of printing, but that sum would be insufficient where the creditors were few. A fee of 2s. 6d. would, however, be amply sufficient in all cases to meet the expense.
§ Clause agreed to with verbal amendments.
§ Bill passed.