GOVERNMENT CLERKS AND MONEY LENDERS.

Evening Post, Issue 130, 10 July 1865, Page 2

GOVERNMENT CLERKS AND MONEY LENDERS.

A Post-office clerk, named Jackson, applied for his discharge in the London Bankruptcy 1 Court, on the 7 th. The bankrupt stated that he had had dealings with money lenders. In o ne instance he bad paid upwards of J6130 upon a promissory note of £22 10s. He paid interest at the rate of 80 per cent. He mortgaged his salary in order to meet the demands of the money lenders. He had given one money lender a bill because he was a very insinuating sort of man. (A^l«ngh) # He had given a bill for £18 to.a.per^oh named Bains, and only received £9 as consideration. He did not propose to set aside any portion of his income for creditors, but was willing to submit to any order the court might make. He had been privileged with Mr. Nathan's acquaintance for some years. The rate of interest charged by him varied from 20 to 100 per cent. He had more than paid Mr, Nathan the principal by enormous interest on the money advanced. He used to give Mr. Nathan fresh I O U's for the interest, a- 4,

when it bad accumulated sufficiently a fresh bill would be given. He had been in their power many yean, and was quite at their mercy— in fact, they charged what they likedSome further curious evidence having been given as to the way in which the Government offices were haunted by money lenders, His Honour said it appeared that it had come to the knowledge of the authorities at the P> stofflce that soran of the clerks were deeply involved through dealing in accommodation bills and having recourse to money lenders, and an official circular had been issued recommending the clerks to relieve themselves from their debts, and it was intimated that the loss of their situations would notnecessariiy foljow. The bankrupt, who had been in the hands of money lenders for years, had availed himself of that permission, and he (Mr. Winslow) did not think that he had committed any offence within the act, and was entitled to an unconditional order of discharge.— Some applause followed the decision.