Statistics of Van Diemen’s Land. 27 
Table 63 is a similar record of the business done in the 
Courts of Request, and shows a progressive increase since 
1848. The increase in summonses issued is 6°39 per cent. ; 
in actions tried, 12°1 per cent.; in writs of fi. fa., 3°3 per 
cent., and of ca. sa., 225 per cent. The large number of 
1903 summonses were issued, and 1221 actions were tried ; 
about 35°8 per cent. of actions being compromised before 
trial. 
Table 64, relating to Insolvencies, confirms the impression 
that 1849 was, upon the whole, a prosperous year. As com- 
pared with 1848, there is a decrease of 25°5 per cent. in the 
number of Insolvencies—of 44 per cent. in the scheduled 
. liabilities, and of 38°5 per cent. in the scheduled assets.— 
There were 5 insolvencies superseded. Of the total number 
of insolvents, 67 per cent. occurred within the district of 
Hobart Town, and 33 per cent. within that of Launceston. 
Tables 65 and 66 are returns of trials for Crimes in the 
Supreme Court in 1849,—the total number being 168. Of 
these, 80 per cent. were convictions, and 20 per cent. acquit- 
tals; and of the persons tried, 6 per cent. were of the free 
class, 48°8 per cent. were free by servitude or conditionally 
pardoned, and 45 per cent. were convicts. The crimes against 
the person comprise 8°65 per cent., and those against property 
81°5 per cent.; and, compared with the similar returns of 
1848, the former class show a decrease of 50 per cent., and 
the latter of 16 per cent., or 60 cases in all fewer than were 
tried during the previous year. Notwithstanding this favour- 
able comparison as to numbers, it may be remarked that the 
cases of robbery by armed men have increased from 2 to 11. 
Table 67 is a similar return of Criminal Trials at Quarter 
Sessions ; the total number being 159, or 18 per cent. fewer 
than in 1848. Of these, 80 per cent. were acquittals, and 
70 per cent. were convictions ; and of the whole number of 
