§ Mr. Bartlettasked the Attorney-General how far use is being made of the Liabilities (War Time Adjustment) Act intended to meet cases of financial difficulty occasioned by the war; and whether he is satisfied that members of the public have ceased to consider it as an alternative to bankruptcy proceedings?
§ The Attorney-GeneralUnder the Liabilities. (War-Time Adjustment) Act, protection orders have been made in 681 cases, but in 96 of these cases the court has refused to make an adjustment order and has revoked the protection order. In 358 of these cases an adjustment order has been made. In seven of these cases the court has revoked the adjustment order. The remaining cases are under investigation. Up to 1st July, 1942, schemes had been approved in 123 cases and 121 other applications for schemes were under investigation on that date. Up to the same date adjustment officers had given advice and assistance in 1,079 other cases in which an adjustment order was not suitable or was not desired, but the figures of such cases since 1st July and of schemes approved since 1st July are not available. Returns of these matters up to 31st December, 1942, will be obtained in due course. The Act has been the means of preserving many persons from bankruptcy and has enabled many traders to continue in business who would otherwise have been compelled to cease trading. In 16 cases the debtor has carried out the terms of the adjustment order and has been granted an order of discharge. I think it would be desirable that the public should have a still wider knowledge of the Act, including the fact that insolvency is not a necessary qualification for obtaining relief under it. Steps have been taken to spread this knowledge which have not yet had their full effect.