Contributions by creditors towards cost of sequestration when free residue insufficient

Contributions by creditors towards cost of sequestration when free residue insufficient.—Where there is no free residue in an insolvent estate or when the free residue is insufficient to meet all the expenses, costs and charges mentioned in section ninety-seven, all creditors who have proved claims against the estate shall be liable to make good any deficiency, the non-preferent creditors each in proportion to the amount of his claim and the secured creditors each in proportion to the amount for which he would have ranked upon the surplus of the free residue, if there had been any: Provided that—

(a) if all the creditors who have proved claims against the estate are secured creditors who would not have ranked upon the surplus of the free residue, if there had been any, such creditors shall be liable to make good the whole of the deficiency, each in proportion to the amount of his claim;

(b) if a creditor has withdrawn his claim, he shall be liable to contribute in respect of any deficiency only so far as is provided in section fifty-one, and if a creditor has withdrawn his claim within five days after the date of any resolution of creditors he shall be deemed to have withdrawn the claim before anything was done in pursuance of that resolution;

(c) if all the creditors who would have ranked upon the surplus of the free residue, if there had been any, have withdrawn their claims and, after payment of their contribution in terms of paragraph (b) there is still a deficiency, the remaining creditors whose claims have been proved against the estate shall, notwithstanding the fact that they would not have ranked upon the the surplus of the free residue, if there had been any, be liable to make good such deficiency, each in proportion to the amount of his claim.