A WOMAN AND HER CREDITORS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 466, 26 March 1909, Page 9

A WOMAN AND HER CREDITORS.

EXTRAORDINARY STATEMENT. ■- (Bit TiLEaKArH—I'ttESS ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, March 25. The creditors of Reeco Nicnolson, storekeeper, of Whitianga, near Mercury Bay, met to-day at tho office of tho Official Assignee. The meeting was adjourned' last week in order that tho presence. of Mrs. Nicholson might bo ensured. In. reply to the Official Assignee, Mrs. Nicholson said she started storekeoping threo or four years ago. She admitted having dealt with several firms mentioned by the Official Assignee.- In respect to one of tho bills for £16 which she sworo liacT been paid, the representative of the firm in question denied that any money had been received. Mrs. Nicholson said that she had receipts, but when., the store was., fumigated last August all receipts and bills were burnt. The Assignee: Do you state seriously that you had tho receipt, and yet no entry of the payjnent was mado in tho firm's,books? Tne witness said that sho had paid. Another creditor whom Mrs. Nicholson said she had paid asked if sho had never received a registered letter threatening to mako her insolvent if she. did not settle her bill. Witness: I don't romcmber receiving such a letter. _ Tho Assignee: How soon do you say you received • the receipt after sending the money?— About a week. I suppose it was burnt like the others?— Yes. . "Witness added that she had paid a fourth creditor, and owed tho firm in question nothing. The Assignee: Then' your impression is that all these firms aro trying to' tako advantage of you?—lt looks vory much like ft. "I don't usually express my opinion as I have done in this case," concluded the Assignee, after giving his opinion of witness's evidence, "but tho only alternative to believing that you have lied is that we have a most unscrupulous set of morohants in this town." Mrs. Nicholson (tearfully): "So thero is— a lot of scoundrels I" Beforo Mrs. Nicholson signed her sworn statement, the Assignee warned her of tho danger of a prosecution for perjury, but she persisted that her evidence was true in overy dctail.-