§ *MR. T. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade—(1) whether his attention has been given to the statement made by Mr. Justice Vaughan Williams, on 19th March 1894, in dealing with the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, that the report of the Official Receiver suggested two distinct frauds; that the Official Receiver had delayed his report too long, the Winding-up Order having been made on 21st July 1893, and the report not having been delivered till 15th February 1894; and that the Board of Trade has expressly claimed to control the discretion of the Official Receivers, both in respect of the expression of their opinion as to fraud having been 1099 committed and in respect of the presentation of their reports to the Court; and (2) whether the Board of Trade does now claim or does now exercise any control, and, if so, what control, over the Official Receivers in these two respects?
§ MR. BRYCEIn reply to the last paragraph of the question, I have to state that the Board of Trade do not claim or exercise any control over Official Receivers in reference either to the contents of their reports to the Court, under Section 8, or the time of their presentation, beyond that of calling the attention of Official Receivers to any delays which may take place in presenting such reports, and communicating to them any observations or suggestions which may occur to the Department, with a view to ensuring that the Court is placed in possession of all the material facts and circumstances of the case. I may add, with reference to the alleged delay in presenting the report in the case referred to, that the Official Receiver states:—
that he was unable to lodge his report at an earlier date in consequence of the complicated nature of the facts and the extent of the preliminary investigations which he had to conduct in order to elicit all the facts which were necessary for framing his report; but that the report was presented in accordance with his usual practice shortly after the first meeting of creditors, and as soon as he was in a position to do so.
§ *MR. T. GIBSON BOWLESIs it not a fact that the Judge stated that there had been delay, and that he threatened to commit the Official Receiver, if he did not present a report?
§ MR. BRYCEThese matters engaged the attention of the Board of Trade before I took Office; and I have not had an opportunity of examining all the records. I have given all the information asked for in the question.
§ *MR. T. GIBSON BOWLESBut the right hon. Gentleman is the representative of the Board of Trade, and I claim the right of asking what the Department is doing in the matter.
§ MR. BRYCEI have told the hon. Member what the position of the Board of Trade is. He cannot expect me to answer off-hand questions relating to what happened before I took Office. If he desires further information he must ask for it in the usual way.