yesterday by Magsitrates' Court administrator Mr. Tracey Kelly.

More than $300,000 in child support payments was collected last month alone, he said.

And since January, its officers have managed to collect a total of $2.5 million in payment arrears -- a 23 percent jump over last year, he said.

Magistrates have also not hesitated to send delinquent fathers to prison until they pay their debts. As a result, around 90 percent of the fathers sent to prison were coming up with the money they owed.

"We had a guy we sent up (to Casemates Prison) last Thursday,'' Mr. Kelly said. "He owed around $2,000 and it was paid the same day.'' Though the Magistrates Court office had been operating since January, it was officially opened in June by Health and Social Services Minister the Hon.

Quinton Edness.

It was part of an effort to clear up a staggering $8 million in child support arrears. Delinquent dad data was updated, enforcement of court maintenance orders was stepped up and collection methods improved.

Mass arrests of deadbeat dads were triggered by its opening. They were hauled into court by the office's five bailiffs and many were sent straight to jail until they paid off their debts.

Mr. Kelly said an important feature of the office was its five bailiffs, dedicated to finding and arresting the some 2,000 known delinquent dads.

"A lot (of the fathers) who had been evading us in the past have been found '' he said. "There are still one or two out there whose day hasn't come yet.'' A lot more single parents were now getting support money for their children as a result of the special office, Mr. Kelly said.

"It's been an absolute success,'' he said. "Some even say its been too successful because we are seeing more work than we can really handle.'' Latest figures showed that around 65 percent of parents claiming child support were receiving regular payments.

In the past, the figure had barely reached 50 percent, he said. "Hopefully, that number will continue to improve in the office's second year of business,'' he said.

In September, $310,000 in child support was collected, compared to $247,000 last September. In July, the month after the office opened, $326,000 compared to $260,000 in the same period last year was collected.

FAMILY SUPPORT -- This graph shows the increases in court-ordered family maintenance collections this year.