§ MR. YOUNG (Cavan, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state the number of Petitions for arrangement filed each year since 1888 in the Local Bankruptcy Court, Belfast; the number of these which have been confirmed; the number which have been turned into bankruptcy; the composition offered in 9 each case of the debtors; and the dividends paid to creditors in each case turned into bankruptcy?
MR. J. MORLEYI am informed that 192 Petitions for arrangement were filed in the Belfast local Court of Bankruptcy between January, 1889, and the present date. Of these, 130 were confirmed, and 37 were turned into bankruptcy. I cannot, within convenient limits, state the amount of composition offered in each case, but I may state it varies from Is. in the £1 upwards. The dividends paid were likewise of variable amount, the lowest being about 8½d. in the £1. Several estates have not yet been closed.
MR. J. MORLEYI do not think there would be any objection to stating the sums without indicating the names.