"THEY MUST KEEP PROPER BOOKS."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 902, 23 August 1910, Page 5

"THEY MUST KEEP PROPER BOOKS."

• WARNING" TO, TRADERS., (By. Telegraph —Press Association.)

■ Dunedin, August.22. . At ' the -Supreme Court to-day, John . oussex Ayshiord, manufacturer of bam- : boo, goods,. who had pleaded guilty to a charge of not keeping proper books, was ' brought before Mr. Justico Williams for sentence. ' V Air. Macassey, representing the'.Official Assignee, said'that Ayshford wtis'.adjudi- ' cated bankrupt on the ground that -he left' his .place of abode with intent to abscond. Mr. Brugh, ; appearing for defendant, . said that the. business was supposed' to be: in the name of his brother, and defendant did not realise that ho had' brought within the law by making himself, a partner with his brother. During the past six months he evidently did his . best to keep such books as he thought were sufficient. His Honour: As I have said before, in a case of: this kind it'is out of the question to admit prisoner to probation, . because that would defeat the object of the. legislature in making it an offence : ■ not . to : keep proper books/-If, whenever a-bankrupt failed to keep proper .books, and there was nothing against him, he iras admitted .to probation it'would really reduce the Act to nullity. ; The object of the Act is not so much to punish- as , to warn traders - that they must keep proper books, and that, if they do not, they will suffer, punishment.". I do not ihink that there are - any aggravated circumstances in;-this case,, however. The sentence is imprisonment for. one month without, hard labour in the first division.' 1 That, means thai he. will be simply detained, and not treated as a criminal prisoner. , - "s v..'.- : r.-:.-