SUPREME COURT

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 7, 9 January 1932, Page 12

SUPREME COURT

RETURNS FOR THE YEAR

CIVIL AND CRIMINAL

DECREASE IN FEES

Supreme Court returns for the past year were made available to-day and, with the figures for the previous year, 1930, they make an interesting comparison.

Dealing first with the criminal side the aggregate figures show that more persons were convicted after trial last year than was the case in 1930; also that more persons (who had pleaded guilty to offences in the Magistrate's Court) were sentenced under the Justices of the Peace Act The number of acquittals was the same in each year—eleven. The aggregate number of divorce trials was one less than in 1930 v the totals for the two years being 178 and 179 respectively. Unly two divorce actions were tried uy a jury, one in the third quarter and one in the last quarter, as against two in the third quarter of 1930. A comparison of the bankruptcy figures shows that there were during the year 20 adjudications on creditors' petitions, as against 24 m 1930. 'Ten discharges were Bear 3' 6ar ' and 15 in the Previous

The returns m respect oE the number of sales .by mortgagees through the Registrar are interesting, for, with the exception of the second quarter, when the total was one ofHwn 11?!, fi corresponding quarter ot 1930, the figures show an increase each quarter. The aggregate number o£ sales last year was 72, as against 46 in 1930. In the first quarter last year the number of sales was 11; the number of sales in the last quarter had jumped to 31. The fees collected last year show a decrease when compared with the amount collected m 1930. The totals are: 1931 £12,614.185; 1930, £13,567 17s 3d. ™n only one quarter, the first, was the amount co]] ected in fees higher than the amount collected in the corresponding quarter of 1930. The figures for the four quarters of last year, with those for 1930 in parentheses are as follows:— FIRST QUARTER. Criminal.—Persons convicted, 11 (5)----persons acquitted, 3 (4); persons sentenced under section 181 of the Justices of the Peace Act, 48 (20). Divorce.—Petitions filed for restitution, 6(1); dissolution, 32 (40); trials by Judge alone, 42 (23); trials by jury, 0 (0)- decrees' nisi sealed, 38 (24); decrees absolute sealed, 41 (35). Bankruptcy.—Debtors' petitions filed, 23 (14); creditors' petitions filed, 8 (4); adjudications on creditors' petitions, 8 (2)----discharges granted, 2. (4). . ' Civil.—Actions commenced, 115 (80); amount claimed in actions commenced, £114,759 (£37,632); actions tried by Judge, 60 (22); actions tried by common jury, 4 (4). \ Sales by mortgagees through Registrar. —Applications to conduct sale, 35 (26); number of sales, 11 (5). Fees collected, £3235 Is' 8d (£2839 9s). SECOND QUARTER. Criminal.—Persons convicted, 6 (8); persons acquitted, 0 (2); persons sentenced under J.P. Act, 21 (21). Divorce.—Petitions for restitution, i (9); dissolution, 41 (43); trials by Judge alone, 53 (53); trials by jury, 0 (0); decrees nisi sealed, 27 (32); decrees absolute sealed, 36 (31). Bankruptcy.—Debtors' petitions filed, 12 (14); creditors' petitions filed,.7 (13); adjudications on creditors' petitions, 3 (7); discharges granted, 2 (4). Civil.—Actions commenced, 61 (75); amount claimed in actions commenced, £25,258 (£39,657); actions tried by Judge, 26 (25); actions tried by common jury, '. Sales by mortgagees through Registrar. —Applications to conduct sale," 26 (29); number of sales, 12 (13). Fees collected, £3058 (£3209 6s Id). ; THIRD QUARTER. Criminal.—Persons convicted, 10 (10); persons acquitted, 6 (2); persons sentenced under J.P; Act, 42 (29). . . Divorce.—Petitions for restitution, 4 (3)- dissolution, 37 (63); trials by Judge alone, 38 (47); trials by jury,, 1 (2); decrees nisi sealed, 33 (40): decrees absolute sealed, 28 (40). Bankruptcy.—Debtors' petitions filed, 10 (7); creditors' petitions filed, 7 (4); adjudications on' creditors' petitions, 3 (5); discharges granted, 1 (3). Civil. —Actions commenced, 90 (82); amount claimed in actions commenced, £39,376 (£50,439); actions tried by Judge, 27 (13); actions tried by common jury, 2 (6). Sales by mortgagees through Registrar. —Applications to conduct sales/, 50 (40); number of sales, 18 (17). ' Fees collected, £3458 16s (£4189 5s 7d). FOURTH QUARTER. Criminal. —Persons convicted, 6 (4); persons acquitted, 2 (3); persons sentenced under J.P. Act,.22 (29). ~. Divorce.—Petitions for restitution) 9 (7); dissolution, 38 (50); trials by Judge alone, 43 (54); trials by jury, 1 (0); decrees nisi sealed, 32 (40); decrees absolute sealed, 35 (32). * • Bankruptcy.—Debtors' petitions\ filed, 13 (9); creditors' petitions filed, 8 (15); adjudications on creditors' petitions, 6 (10); discharges granted, 5, (4). Civil.—Actions commenced, 93 ' (91); amount claimed in actions commenced, £48,735 (£62,939); actions tried by Judge, 23 (32); actions tried by common jury, 5 (4). Sales by mortgagees through Registrar. —Applications to conduct sales, 51 (39); number of sales, 31 (11). Fees collected, £2863 0s 4d (£3329 16s yd).