BANKRUPTCY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2060, 22 April 1907, Page 2

BANKRUPTCY.

A meeting of tho creditors of K. Heron was held at the office of the Official Assignee on Saturday morning. Mr. Mann represented the debtor and Mr. T. A. Coleman, represented Messrs. Richards and Hawkins. The statement filed by debtor showed total unsecured debts of £6l 8s 2d and assets £l6 10s. The bankrupt stated that there were only two long-standing accounts which were contracted in Auckland. Had been in Gisborne for two years. In Auckland before he left was working as a carter for about eight weeks, and before, that liad had steady employment for three years, hut was laid up for three months with rheumatic fever. Had not had steady work in Gisbor e. Was at present on a fencing job. He attributed bis bankruptcy to the fact that he could only earn enough to pay current debts. "When he arrivin the Bay lie was out of work for two months and when he took a felling contract it only returned 25s a week. Mr. Richards had been pressing for his In February got a notice from him that if the account was not paid legal proceedings .would he taken and later received a letter stating that the account would have to be paid by March 31st. Being unable to do anything in the matter he filed. To Mr. Coleman : Owed £l2 when he came to tin* Bay. I-lis average wage since coming here would he about 30s. When he came out of the hush in September he paid Mr. Richards £2O. Since then had had to pay other creditors. Had been on wages on all fencing work. He never did any as contractor. Before lie received the letter from Messrs Coleman and Clirisp he saw Mr. Richards and arranged to pay a small amount weekly, hut he had found it impossible to do so. There were no judgments out against him. He could not make ends meet because of the excessive price of goods at "Whatatutu. His brotlier-in-law had given him the money for tho filing fees. Could see no way to make any payments in reduction of his debts out of his weekly wage of 35s- and tucker. Since September had had about £25 in cash and had been paying cash for almost everything he got. With that liad paid some of his old accounts and had paid for all he got.

Air. Coleman said the case did not seem to be very satisfactory. The bankrupt seemed to have boon getting goods to the full value of his wages, though lie had sometimes been getting bis tucker in. To Air. Alann: Since going to Wliatatutu had been endeavouring to make both ends meet. Since Christmas had been dealing with Richards and Hawkins, and had paid cash. In November Air. Richards said he could not continue to give credit. In consequence of a

notice from Mr. Richards regarding a the debt bankrupt saw him and pio- 1, mi sod to make an effort to pay os r i,or week on account. . Bankrupt i found lie could not do so, and later c received a letter from Chnsp and J Coleman. He had a wife ami four young children. Ho would have - made any possible arrangement in- i flier than have filed. Since Decern . her had boon paying cash for. stores and had not boon in a position to pay anything off his old accounts. - Mr. Mann said it seemed to him that tho two months spent in id ®- noss after arrival in the Ray was responsible for bankrupt’s position. Ho started with a handicap ol debts incurred in Auckland, and it seemed that goods were very dear in '\Vhatatutu. It had also to ho remembered that bankrupt had had only small jobs, and that there were intervals between each .job. Tho Assignee said that with the exception of tho account of Messrs. Richards and Hawkins, bankrupt only owed £3O, and he thought the chief creditors should have been consulted with the object of asking for time to pay, before filing took place. The amount was a very small one to go bankrupt for, and it seemed hardly right to file without consulting the principal creditors. Mr. Manil said his client had consulted with the chief creditors after receipt of the notice in February. ' He thought that the latest notice received was a final warning, and filed. ' The Assignee said the Court would ' probably not see that there was suf--1 ficicnt reason for filing; hut his duty was merely to record tho facts ' as they were. 1 Tho meeting then adjourned. NUHAKA NORTH. 1 (From our own Correspondent.) All kind of work is much retarded in this district by the continuous | showery weather, which has pievail-. cd during the past two weeks, and the rain is still teeming down. The rain (fortunately for tho live stock) is very mild, and will be beneficial • to tho pastures and late-sown turnip - crops. Of the early-sown turnips on ’ the bush clearings which escaped tho 1 ravages of the caterpillar and otlici r pests, some good crops are to he • seen, and in some localities lambs t are feeding on them. The young I glass also appears to he coining oil 3 well, and the prospects of plenty of 1 winter feed for stock are very good I indeed. Over three thousand fat ' sheep, selected by Mr. Richmond ! from various flocks between Wairoa • and Tarowa, were taken to Nelson Rros.’ freezing works last week. Tho main road, which has been fairly good during the summer months, is now in a very neglected r between Tarewa and Morere. In . many places tho water tables are ' blcked and tho water is diverted to tho centre.of the road, and considei- [ able damage is being done to the 3 formation. In several places tho j crown of the road has disappeared, 3 and roots, stumps, ruts, and other I dangerous obstructions aro causing , much discomfort and annoyance to 3 the travelling public. Near the approach to the Tarewa ford a landslip partly blocks the way, and the driver of the mail coach has great difficulty in piloting his conveyance 3 safely through the crossing. There 3 is another dangerous spot on the. t road near Mr. Austin’s residence, j- a boggy hole, where the coach has had several narrow escapes from ’ capsizing. To avoid accidents these R obstructions on the public highway o should he removed. If the Wairoa ‘ County Council’s engineer or his assistant. could spare the time to travel along the Tarewa main road to j the boundary of the Cook County . lie would see that much damage is t being done to the road for the want j of proper attention to the water- , tables.