▁As ▁a ▁consequence , ▁the ▁court ▁could ▁assist ▁Singapore an ▁courts ▁in ▁bank rupt cy ▁proceed ings ▁as ▁the ▁court ▁still ▁had ▁a ▁bank rupt cy ▁juris diction ▁based ▁on ▁that ▁old ▁law . ▁ ▁French ▁J ▁also ▁held ▁that ▁the ▁Bank rupt cy ▁Act ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁( UK ) ▁continued ▁to ▁apply ▁to ▁the ▁court . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁bank rupt cy ▁on ▁the ▁Island ▁could ▁be ▁de alt ▁with ▁under ▁that ▁English ▁law . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁accepted ▁that ▁Australian ▁bank rupt cy ▁laws ▁did ▁not ▁apply ▁to ▁the ▁Island ▁and ▁a ▁letter ▁of ▁request ▁was ▁necessary ▁to ▁be ▁issued ▁for ▁Australian ▁laws ▁to ▁apply . ▁ ▁In ▁giving ▁his ▁judgment ▁on ▁the ▁then ▁state ▁of ▁the ▁law , ▁French ▁J ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁laws ▁of ▁the ▁territory ▁could ▁be ▁regarded ▁as ▁“ reg ulated ▁by ▁a ▁system ▁of ▁law ▁which ▁is ▁By z antine ▁in ▁its ▁complexity ”. ▁ ▁Reform ▁The ▁Australian ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁Stand ing ▁Committee ▁on ▁Leg al ▁and ▁Constitution al ▁Affairs ▁conducted ▁an ▁inqu iry ▁into ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁laws ▁in ▁the ▁Island , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁other ▁Territ ories ▁under ▁Australian ▁control . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁it ▁table d ▁its ▁find ings ▁on ▁those ▁legal ▁systems ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁“ Is lands ▁in ▁the ▁Sun ” ▁report . ▁In ▁respect ▁of ▁the ▁Island , ▁it ▁concluded ▁that ▁the ▁laws ▁were ▁a ▁“ n ational ▁dis gra ce ”, ▁and ▁probably ▁bre ached