of the business of their respective courts and offices, at such times and in such manner and form as may be prescribed, and from such returns the Board of Trade shall cause books to be prepared which shall, under the regulations of the Board, be open for public information and searches. The Board of Trade shall also cause a general annual report of all matters, judicial and financial within this Act, to be prepared and laid before both Houses of Parliament. Evidence. 132. Gazette to be Evidence.*-(1.) A copy of the London Gazette containing any notice inserted therein in pursuance of this Act shall be evidence of the facts stated in the notice. (2.) The production of a copy of the London Gazette containing any notice of a receiving order, or of an order adjudging a debtor bankrupt, shall be conclusive evidence in all legal proceedings of the order having been duly made, and of its date. 133. Evidence of Proceedings at Meetings of Creditors. (1.) A minute of proceedings at a meeting of creditors under this Act, signed at the same or the next ensuing meeting, by a person describing himself as, or appearing to be, chairman of the meeting at * This clause re-enacts clause 10 of the Bankruptcy Act 1869, with the insertion in the second sub-section of the words "of a receiving order or." This and the four following clauses are founded upon, and, with some slight and chiefly verbal modifications, re-enact clauses from 106 to 109 of the Bankruptcy Act of 1869. which the minute is signed, shall be received in evidence without further proof. (2.) Until the contrary is proved, every meeting of creditors in respect of the proceedings whereof a minute has been so signed shall be deemed to have been duly convened and held, and all resolutions passed or proceedings had thereat to have been duly passed or had. 134. Evidence of Proceedings in Bankruptcy.-Any petition or copy of a petition in bankruptcy, any order or certificate or copy of an order or certificate made by any court having jurisdiction in bankruptcy, any instrument or copy of an instrument, affidavit, or document made or used in the course of any bankruptcy proceedings, or other proceedings had under this Act, shall, if it appears to be sealed with the seal of any court having jurisdiction in bankruptcy, or purports to be signed by any judge thereof, or is certified as a true copy by any registrar thereof, be receivable in evidence in all legal proceedings whatever. 135. Swearing of Affidavits.-Subject to general rules, any affidavit to be used in a bankruptcy court may be sworn before any person authorised to administer oaths in the High Court, or in the Court of Chancery of the county palatine of Lancaster, or before any registrar of a bankruptcy court, or before any officer of a bankruptcy court authorised in writing on that behalf by the judge of the court, or, in the case of a person residing in Scotland or in Ireland, before a judge ordinary, magistrate, or justice of the peace, or, in the case of a person who is out of the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, before a magistrate or justice of the peace or other person qualified to administer oaths in P the country where he resides (he being certified to be a magistrate or justice of the peace, or qualified as aforesaid by a British minister or British consul, or by a notary public). 136. Death of Witness.-In case of the death of the debtor or his wife, or of a witness whose evidence has been received by any Court in any proceeding under this Act, the deposition of the person so deceased, purporting to be sealed with the seal of the Court, or a copy thereof purporting to be so sealed, shall be admitted as evidence of the matters therein deposed to. 137. Bankruptcy Courts to have Seals.-Every Court having jurisdiction in bankruptcy under this Act shall have a seal describing the Court in such manner as may be directed by order of the Lord Chancellor, and judicial notice shall be taken of the seal, and of the signature of the judge or registrar of any such Court, in all legal proceedings. 138. Certificate of Appointment of Trustee.—A certificate of the Board of Trade that a person has been appointed trustee under this Act, shall be conclusive evidence of his appointment. 139. Appeal from Board of Trade to High Court.— 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. 140. Proceedings of Board of Trade.-(1.) All documents purporting to be orders or certificates made or issued by the Board of Trade, and to be sealed with the seal of the Board, or to be signed by a secretary or assistant secretary of the Board, or any person authorised in that behalf by the President of the Board, shall be received in evidence, and deemed to be such orders. or certificates without further proof unless the contrary is shown. (2.) A certificate signed by the President of the Board of Trade that any order made, certificate issued, or act done, is the order, certificate, or act of the Board of Trade shall be conclusive evidence of the fact so certified. Time. 141. Computation of Time.*-(1.) Where by this Act any limited time from or after any date or event is appointed or allowed for the doing of any act or the taking of any proceeding then in the computation of that limited time the same shall be taken as exclusive of the day of that date or of the happening of that event, and as commencing at the beginning of the next following day; and the act or proceeding shall be done or taken at latest on the last day of that limited time as so computed, unless the last day is a Sunday, Christmas Day, Good Friday, or Monday or Tuesday in Easter week, or a day appointed for a public fast, or humiliation, or thanksgiving, or a day on which the Court does not sit, in which case any act or proceeding shall be considered as done or taken in due time if it is done or taken on the next day afterwards, which shall not be one of the days in this section specified. * A re-enactment of clause 114 of the Act of 1869. (2.) Where by this Act any act or proceeding is directed to be done or taken on a certain day, then if that day happens to be one of the days in this section specified, the act or proceeding shall be considered as done or taken in due time if it is done or taken on the next day afterwards, which shall not be one of the days in this section specified. Notices. 142. Service of Notices.-All notices and other documents for the service of which no special mode is directed may be sent by prepaid post letter to the last known address of the person to be served therewith. Formal Defects. 143. Formal Defect not to invalidate Proceedings.*— (1.) No proceeding in bankruptcy shall be invalidated by any formal defect or by any irregularity, unless the court before which an objection is made to the proceeding is of opinion that substantial injustice has been caused by the defect or irregularity, and that the injustice cannot be remedied by any order of that court. (2.) No defect or irregularity in the appointment or election of a receiver, trustee, or member of a committee of inspection shall vitiate any act done by him in good faith. Stamp Duty. 144. Exemption of Deeds, &c., from Stamp Duty.†— *The first sub-section of this clause is identical with clause 82 of the Act of 1869. The second sub-section re-enacts a portion of sub. section 15 of clause 83 of the same act. Re-enacts clause 113 of the Act of 1869, |