§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether Mr. Britten has long been, and still is, in the habit of discharging the duties of the Official Receiver at the Guildford and other District Courts upon the public examinations of, and applications for discharge by, debtors, without being nominated by the Board as deputy; and, whether he will take steps to prevent the performance by such unauthorized persons of the duties imposed by the Bankruptcy Act on the Official Receivers?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.)The Bankruptcy Rule, 328, authorizes the Board of Trade—
By general or special directions to determine what acts or duties shall be performed by the Official Receiver in person, and in what case he may discharge his functions through the agency of his clerks.Under this Rule the Board of Trade have authorized the Official Receiver of the Guildford District (who is also Official Receiver of the Kingston-on-Thames, Barnet, Edmonton, and Brent-ford Bankruptcy Districts) to perform certain of his functions, including those mentioned in the above Question, through the agency of his Chief Bankruptcy Clerk, Mr. Britten, in such cases as he may be unable to perform them personally. But it is the duty of the Official Re- 1483 ceivor personally to report upon all applications by debtors for their discharge; and he is responsible, in the fullest manner, for the discharge of all duties thus delegated to Mr. Britten. Mr. Britten has not been in the habit of acting in this matter without authority.