A COUNT IN COURT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2398, 2 March 1915, Page 6

A COUNT IN COURT

ALLEGED BREACHES OF BANKRUPTCY ACT. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Hamilton, March 1. Count Do Montaigu_ was charged in «he Supreme Court with. two breaches of tlie Bankruptcy Act, in that he in■jrred debts of which there was no reasonable prospect of paying, and brought about his, bankruptcy by unjustifiable extravagance. Counsel for the defence stated that accused was the son of the Marquis De Montaigu, whoso income was between fifty and sixty thousand a year. .Incurring his father's displeasure accused went to England, where he was given an allowance of £100 a month. Here he gambled considerably, and at his father's request came ont to New Zealand, where his allowance was reduced to £68 a month, as he thought living out here would not be expensive. This had not proved so, as he found it doubly hard to exist. The war materially affected his parent's .income, as fighting was waged over the areas where their iron and coal mines were situated | and since the-outbreak of hostilities his i income had been reduced to £40 per month. .

Montaigu gave evidence bearing out the statements of his counsel. The jury, after a short retirement, returned a verdict of not guilty. Leo Taylor, charged with committing a« unnatural offence, _ pleaded guilty. He was granted-probation for two years under stringent conditions.