BANKRUPTCY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1625, 17 December 1912, Page 11

BANKRUPTCY.

DISCHARGE APPLIED FOR. Mr. Justice Sim presided at a sitting of the Bankruptcy Court,yesterday morning, and dealt with applications for,discharge. The first case dealt .with was. that of Joseph Wareham, for whom Mr, T. Young appeared. l*he Official Assignee (Mf: A. Simpson) offered no opposition to the application, and his Honour made an order for immediate discharge. Mr. O. N. Beere appeared in support of an application by Walter Alexander Morrison, at present following the occupation of clerk. ■ - ■ In this case tho Official Assignee reported that the estate was worth nothing, and it was also mentioned that the application was opposed by Mr. J. H. Dale, one of the creditors, who was present. His Honour asked why the bankrupt had filed. Mr. Beere explained that Morrison had a house property in Khandallah. It had been insured tor .£6OO, but was burnt down after tho insurance lapsed. Ho was now a clerk earning £2 10s. a week,' and as a judgment summons had been pressed against him he had no option but to. file or go to gaol. Ho had experienced misfortune through starting in the building trade just before the depression came to Wellington. In evidence, the bankrupt stated that when he camo to New Zealand some years ago he had between J6700 and £800. Ho had invested money in the building toads at Brooklyn, and the last of his cash had gone into tho property at Khandallah. He had never had any money back from thogo sources. Another business venture had also proved unprofitable. To enter this last business bankrupt had given up a billet at X 3 10s. per week. But sometime ago he had been, glad to return _ to the same employers, and take an inferior position at £2 10s. per week. In answer to his Honour, the bankrupt said he was single. It cost h?ui quite £2 a week to live. His Honour considered that before the bankrupt received his discharge he should pay something to his creditors. Mr. Beare contended that where thero was no suggestion of anything improper about the bankruptcy, thero was no reason to withold the discharge. His client had been practically forced to file. His Honour: Ho ought to pny ss. in tho £, Ho has been with his present employers before, and perhaps they might advance him something. Mr. Beere did not think that there was much chance of that. It would take his client a year to pay what his Honour suggested. His Honour thought that tho best course would bo to let tho application stand over until tho next sitting. In the meantime something might ■be arranged with the unsecured creditors. Tho npplioition was accordingly adjourned.