STRONG REMARKS BY THE OFFICIAL ASSIGNEE.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 292, 19 April 1894, Page 2

STRONG REMARKS BY THE OFFICIAL ASSIGNEE.

(PHB PRESS ASSOCIATION ) Wellington, April 18. At a meeting of the creditors of Jabez Mather, commission agent, formerly of Auckland, held this afternoon, the statement showed thai; debtor had started business with £90, part of which sum was borrowed, that he had lost his capital during the last twelve months and had also incurred liabilities to the extent of £570; The Official Assignee said debtor should have filed long before he did. The estate was in a most unsatisfactory condition. Addressing the debtor, the Official Assignee said, "The fact of the matter is, you have been simply living on your creditors. In the course of twelve months you have not only eaten up all the profits but also £500 belonging to your creditors. You then came here with a statement that £350 lias been consumed in office-ex-penses. The thing is utterly.unjustifiable, and unless some better explanation can be afforded I must bring the matter under the notice of the Judge. Such a thing is perfectly monstrous. It is just like your impudence to come here with such a statement." Later on the Official Assignee said the question would have to be considered whether debtor had not brought himself under the penal clauses of the Act. Debtor might not have incurred the debts with intent to defraud, but still he had no right to incur expenses in the hope of better times. He was afraid it would go hard with the bebtor when he applied for his discharge. The realisation of the estate was left in the hands of the Official Assignee.