§ Mr. SUNLIGHTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the National Benefit Assurance Company, Limited, was wound up under an order of the Court, dated the 25th July, 1922, and that since the 4th April, 1923, the bondholders have received no notice of the progress of the liquidation; that a large number of the bondholders are working people whose savings were deposited with the company; and whether he can state a date when a dividend will be declared?
§ Mr. A. V. ALEXANDERThe answer to the first two parts of this question is in the affirmative. As to the last part, in March, 1923, the Senior Official Receiver who is the liquidator of the National Benefit Assurance Company, Limited, applied to the Court for directions as to the respective rights of the bondholders, the life policyholders and the other creditors in the liquidation. The questions998W which have arisen are of great complexity, and when the matter last came before the Court on the 17th December, the application was further adjourned. It is hoped that the matter may be disposed of in the course of the next few weeks, but until the directions of the judge have been obtained, it will not be possible for the Official Receiver to pay a first dividend to the bondholders.