§ SIR WILLIAM WEDDERBURNI beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, whether he is aware that the official assignee in Bombay is paid by commissions and fees, averaging about Rs.3,000 per mensem, and the cost of his establishment, about Rs.3,200 per annum, is paid by Government; and, whether, considering that the Finance Committee of 1886 recommended, with the concurrence of the Chief Justice, that the salary of the official assignee should be Rs.1,000 per mensem, and that the commissions and fees should be credited to Government, he is now prepared to give effect to that recommendation.
§ LORD G. HAMILTONI believe it is true that for the three years ending in January, 1894, the average receipts of the official assignee were about Rs.3,000 per mensem, but this was owing to exceptional circumstances. In the year 1895–6 the average receipts were only Rs.1,125 per mensem. I cannot at such short notice give in detail the reasons why the recommendations of the Finance Committee have not been acted upon; but I think it probable that the matter has been held over pending the passing into law of the Insolvency Bill, which has only recently been abandoned; on this as on the other similar matter about which the honourable Baronet questioned me on the 11th instant, I will communicate with the Government of Bombay.