Workmen's dues receive statutory priority in company winding up, with recent wage claims paid ahead of secured creditors. Workmen's dues are payable in priority to all other debts in company winding up; where a secured creditor realises security, the unsecured shortfall or the workmen's portion of that security is payable pari passu with workmen's dues. Specified wage sums for a prescribed recent period must be paid within thirty days of asset sale and have a prescribed charge over secured creditors' security; those sums must be paid in full before any distributions to secured creditors and, if assets are insufficient, abate in equal proportions.