36 & 37 Vict.

97.-(1) Subject to general rules, and to orders of transfer made Transaction of under the authority of the Supreme Court of Judicature Act, 1873, and bankruptcy business by Acts amending it, all matters in respect of which jurisdiction is given special judge to the High Court by this Act shall be assigned to such division of the of High Court. High Court as the Lord Chancellor may from time to time direct. (2) All such matters shall, subject as aforesaid, be ordinarily transacted and disposed of by or under the direction of one of the judges of the High Court, and the Lord Chancellor shall from time to time assign a judge for that purpose.

Provided that during vacation, or during the illness of the judge so assigned, or during his absence, or for any other reasonable cause, such matters or any part thereof, may be transacted and disposed of by or under the directions of any judge of the High Court named for that purpose by the Lord Chancellor.

(3) Subject to general rules, all bankruptcy matters shall be entitled "In bankruptcy."

c. 66.

98.-(1) If the debtor by or against whom a bankruptcy petition Petition, where is presented has resided or carried on business within the London bank- to be presented. ruptcy district as defined by this Act for the greater part of the six months immediately preceding the presentation of the petition, or for a longer period during those six months than in the district of any county court, or is not resident in England, or if the petitioning creditor is unable to ascertain the residence of the debtor, the petition shall be presented to the High Court

(2) In any other case the petition shall be presented to the county court for the district in which the debtor has resided or carried on business for the longest period during the six months immediately preceding the presentation of the petition.

(3) Nothing in this section shall invalidate a proceeding by reason of its being taken in a wrong court.

99. The London bankruptcy district shall, for the purposes of this Act, comprise the city of London and the liberties thereof, and all such parts of the metropolis and other places as are situated within the district of any county court described as a metropolitan county court in the list contained in the Third Schedule to this Act.

100.-(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, every court having original jurisdiction in bankruptcy shall have jurisdiction throughout England.

(2) Any proceedings in bankruptcy may at any time, and at any stage thereof, and either with or without application from any of the parties thereto, be transferred by any prescribed authority and in the prescribed manner from one court to another court, or may, by the like authority, be retained in the court in which the proceedings were commenced, although it may not be the court in which the proceedings ought to have been commenced.

(3) If any question of law arises in any bankruptcy proceeding in a county court which all the parties to the proceeding desire, or which one of them and the judge of the county court desire, to have determined in the first instance in the High Court, the judge shall state the facts in the form of a special case for the opinion of the High Court. The special case and the proceedings, or such of them as may be required, shall be transmitted to the High Court for the purposes of the determination.

101. Subject to the provisions of this Act and to general rules, the judge of the High Court exercising jurisdiction in bankruptcy may exercise in chambers the whole or any part of his jurisdiction.

102.—(1) The registrars in bankruptcy of the High Court, and the registrars of county courts having jurisdiction in bankruptcy, shall have the powers and jurisdiction in this section mentioned, and any order

Definition of London bankruptcy district.

Transfer of proceedings from

court to court.

Exercise in chambers of High Court jurisdiction. Jurisdiction in bankruptcy of

registrar.

Powers of
Bounty court.

Board of Trade

to make pay

ments in accord

made or act done by such registrars in the exercise of the said powers and jurisdiction shall be deemed the order or act of the court.

(2) Subject to general rules limiting the powers conferred by this section, a registrar shall have power

(a) To hear bankruptcy petitions, and to make receiving orders and adjudications thereon;

(b) To hold the public examination of debtors;

(c) To grant orders of discharge where the application is not opposed ; (d) To approve compositions or schemes of arrangement where they are not opposed;

(e) To make interim orders in cases of urgency;

To make any order or exercise any jurisdiction which by any rule in that behalf is prescribed as proper to be made or exercised in chambers;

(g) To hear and determine any unopposed or ex parte application; (h) To summon and examine any person known or suspected to have in his possession effects of the debtor or to be indebted to him, or capable of giving information respecting the debtor, his dealings or property.

(3) The registrars in bankruptcy of the High Court shall also have power to grant orders of discharge and certificates of removal of disqualifications, and to approve compositions and schemes of arrangement.

(4) A registrar shall not have power to commit for contempt of court. (5) The Lord Chancellor may by order direct that any specified registrar of a county court shall have and exercise all the powers of a registrar in bankruptcy of the High Court.

103. A county court shall, for the purposes of its bankruptcy jurisdiction, in addition to the ordinary powers of the court, have all the powers and jurisdiction of the High Court, and the orders of the court may be enforced accordingly in manner prescribed.

104. Where any moneys or funds have been received by an official receiver or by the Board of Trade, and the court makes an order declarance with direc-ing that any person is entitled to such moneys or funds, the Board of Trade shall make an order for the payment thereof to that person.

tions of court.

General power of bankruptcy courts.

105.-(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, every court having jurisdiction in bankruptcy under this Act shall have full power to decide all questions of priorities, and all other questions whatsoever, whether of law or fact, which may arise in any case of bankruptcy coming within the cognizance of the court, or which the court may deem it expedient or necessary to decide for the purpose of doing complete justice or making a completion distribution of property in any such case:

Provided that the jurisdiction hereby given shall not be exercised by the county court for the purpose of adjudicating upon any claim, not arising out of the bankruptcy, which might heretofore have been enforced by action in the High Court, unless all parties to the proceeding consent hereto, or the money, money's worth, or right in dispute does not, in the opinion of the judge, exceed in value two hundred pounds.

(2) A court having jurisdiction in bankruptcy under this Act shall not be subject to be restrained in the execution of its powers under this Act by the order of any other court, nor shall any appeal lie from its decisions, except in manner directed by this Act.

(3) If in any proceeding in bankruptcy there arises any question of fact which either of the parties desire to be tried before a jury instead of by the court itself, or which the court thinks ought to be tried by a jury, the court may, if it thinks fit, direct the trial to be had with a jury, and the trial may be had accordingly in the High Court in the same manner as if it were the trial of an issue of fact in an action, and in the county court in the manner in which jury trials in ordinary cases are by law held in that court.

(4) Where a receiving order has been made in the High Court under this Act, the judge by whom such order was made shall have power, if he sees fit, without any further consent, to order the transfer to such judge of any action pending in any other division and brought or continued by or against the bankrupt.

(5) Where default is made by a trustee, debtor, or other person, in obeying any order or direction given by the Board of Trade, or by an official receiver or any other officer of the Board of Trade under any power conferred by this Act or any enactment repealed by this Act, the court may, on the application of the Board of Trade or an official receiver or other duly authorised person, order such defaulting trustee, debtor, or person to comply with the order or direction so given; and the court may also, if it thinks fit, upon any such application, make an immediate order for the committal of such defaulting trustee, debtor, or other person; provided that the power given by this subsection shall be deemed to be in addition to and not in substitution for any other right or remedy in respect of such default.

106.—(1) If a peer of the United Kingdom or of any part of the United Kingdom or any other Lord of Parliament is adjudged bankrupt, the court shall cause the fact of his having been adjudged bankrupt to be certified as soon as may be to the Speaker of the House of Lords and the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery.

(2) If a member of the House of Commons is adjudged bankrupt, and the disqualifications arising from his bankruptcy are not removed within six months from the date of the order, the court shall immediately after the expiration of that time certify the same to the Speaker of the House of Commons.

Judgment Debtors.

107.—(1) It shall be lawful for the Lord Chancellor by order to direct that the jurisdiction and powers under section five of the Debtors Act, 1869, now vested in the High Court, shall be assigned to and exercised by the judge to whom bankruptcy business is assigned. (2) It shall be lawful also for the Lord Chancellor in like manner to direct that the whole or any part of the said jurisdiction and powers shall be delegated to and exercised by the registrars in bankruptcy of the High Court.

(3) Any order made under this section may, at any time, in like manner, be rescinded or varied.

(4) Where, under section five of the Debtors Act, 1869, application is made by a judgment creditor to a court having bankruptcy jurisdiction for the committal of a judgment debtor, the court may, if it thinks fit, decline to commit, and in lieu thereof, with the consent of the judgment creditor and on payment by him of the prescribed fee, make a receiving order against the debtor. In such case the judgment debtor shall be deemed to have committed an act of bankruptcy at the time the order is made, and the provisions of this Act except Part VII. thereof shall apply as if for references to the presentation of a petition by or against a person there were substituted references to the making of such a receiving order.

(5) General rules under this Act may be made for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of the Debtors Act, 1869.

Appeals.

108.—(1) Every court having jurisdiction in bankruptcy under this Appeals in Act may review, rescind or vary any order made by it under its bank- bankruptcy. ruptcy jurisdiction.

(2) Orders in bankruptcy matters shall, at the instance of any person aggrieved, be subject to appeal as follows:

(a) Where the order is made by a county court, an appeal shall lie to a divisional court of the High Court, of which the judge to

Discretionary powers of court.

Consolidation of petitions.

Power to change carriage of proceedings.

Continuance of

proceedings on

The

whom bankruptcy business is for the time being assigned shall, for the purpose of hearing any such appeal, be a member. decision of the divisional court upon any such appeal shall be final and conclusive, unless in any case the divisional court or the court of appeal sees fit to give special leave to appeal therefrom to the court of appeal, whose decision in such case shall be final and conclusive;

(b) Where the order (not being an order on appeal from a county court) is made by the High Court, an appeal shall lie to the Court of Appeal, and an appeal shall, with the leave of the Court of Appeal, but not otherwise, lie from the order of that court to the House of Lords;

(c) No appeal shall be entertained except in conformity with such general rules as may for the time being be in force in relation to the appeal.

(3) Where by this Act an appeal to the High Court is given against any decision of the Board of Trade, or of the official receiver, the appeal shall be brought within twenty-one days from the time when the decision appealed against is pronounced or made.

Procedure.

109.-(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act and to general rules, the costs of and incidental to any proceeding in court under this Act shall be in the discretion of the court: Provided that, where any issue is tried by a jury, the costs shall follow the event, unless, upon application made at the trial, for good cause shown, the judge before whom such issue is tried otherwise orders.

(2) The court may at any time adjourn any proceedings before it upon such terms, if any, as it may think fit to impose.

(3) The court may at any time amend any written process or proceeding under this Act upon such terms, if any, as it may think fit to impose.

(4) Where by this Act, or by general rules, the time for doing any act or thing is limited, the court may extend the time either before or after the expiration thereof, upon such terms, if any, as the court may think fit to impose.

(5) Subject to general rules, the court may in any matter take the whole or any part of the evidence either vivâ voce, or by interrogatories, or upon affidavit, or, out of the United Kingdom, by commission.

110. Where two or more bankruptcy petitions are presented against the same debtor or against joint debtors, the court may consolidate the proceedings, or any of them, on such terms as the court thinks fit.

111. Where the petitioner does not proceed with due diligence on his petition, the court may substitute as petitioner any other creditor to whom the debtor may be indebted in the amount required by this Act in the case of the petitioning creditor.

112. If a debtor by or against whom a bankruptcy petition has been death of debtor. presented dies, the proceedings in the matter shall, unless the court otherwise orders, be continued as if he were alive.

Power to stay proceedings.

Power to present petition against one partner,

113. The court may at any time, for sufficient reason, make an order staying the proceedings under a bankruptcy petition, either altogether or for a limited time, on such terms and subject to such conditions as the court may think just.

114. Any creditor whose debt is sufficient to entitle him to present a bankruptcy petition against all the partners of a firm may present a petition against any one or more partners of the firm without including the others.

115. Where there are more respondents than one to a petition, the court may dismiss the petition as to one or more of them, without prejudice to the effect of the petition as against the other or others of them.

Power to against some dismiss petition respondents

only.

vested in same

116. Where a receiving order has been made on a bankruptcy petition Property of by or against one member of a partnership, any other bankruptcy petition partners to be by or against a member of the same partnership shall be filed in or trans- trustee. ferred to the court in which the first-mentioned petition is in course of prosecution, and, unless the court otherwise directs, the same trustee or receiver shall be appointed as may have been appointed in respect of the property of the first-mentioned member of the partnership, and the court may give such directions for consolidating the proceedings under the petitions as it thinks just.

117. Where a member of a partnership is adjudged bankrupt, the court may authorise the trustee to commence and prosecute any action in the names of the trustee and of the bankrupt's partner; and any release by such partner of the debt or demand to which the action relates shall be void; but notice of the application for authority to commence the action shall be given to him, and he may show cause against it, and on his application the court may, if it thinks fit, direct that he shall receive his proper share of the proceeds of the action, and, if he does not claim any benefit therefrom, he shall be indemnified against costs in respect thereof as the court directs.

118. Where a bankrupt is a contractor in respect of any contract jointly with any person or persons, such person or persons may sue or be sued in respect of the contract without the joinder of the bankrupt.

119. Any two or more persons, being partners, or any person carrying on business under a partnership name, may take proceedings or be proceeded against under this Act in the name of the firm, but in such case the court may, on application by any person interested, order the names of the persons who are partners in such firm or the name of such person to be disclosed in such manner, and verified on oath or otherwise, as the court may direct.

Officers.

Actions by

trustee and bankrupt's partners.

Actions on joint contracts.

Proceedings in partnership

name.

officers.

120.-(1) No registrar or other officer attached to any court having Disabilities of jurisdiction in bankruptcy shall, during his continuance in office, be capable of being elected or sitting as a member of the House of Commons.

(2) No registrar or official receiver or other officer attached to any such court shall, during his continuance in office, either directly or indirectly, by himself, his clerk, or partner, act as solicitor in any proceeding in bankruptcy or in any prosecution of a debtor by order of the court, and, if he does so act, he shall be liable to be dismissed from office.

Provided that nothing in this section shall affect the right of any registrar or officer appointed before the twenty-fifth day of August eighteen hundred and eighty-three to act as solicitor by himself, his clerk, or partner to the extent permitted by section sixty-nine of the c. 71. Bankruptcy Act, 1869.

Orders and Warrants of Court.

121. Any order made by a court having jurisdiction in bankruptcy in England under this Act or any enactment repealed by this Act shall be enforced in Scotland and Ireland in the courts having jurisdiction in bankruptcy in those parts of the United Kingdom respectively, in the same manner in all respects as if the order had been made by the court hereby required to enforce it; and in like manner any order made by a court having jurisdiction in bankruptcy in Scotland shall be enforced in England and Ireland, and any order made by a court having jurisdiction in bankruptcy in Ireland shall be enforced in England and Scotland by

32 & 33 Vict.

Enforcement of orders of courts United throughout Kingdom.