PENNILESS CONTRACTORS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 333, 23 July 1875, Page 3

PENNILESS CONTRACTORS.

■ ''TKe i ' , 'lhMg^[iua' : 'iEiefai'd' v reports a bankruptcy,.case j3eardVbe|pre-.his.; Honor 'Judge WestDifof more than*local interest. The -BanKfupt^Tfabuities'jyeie set down as.gg29&l6&T M'ising ! oufeof failure 1 in a : contractof I^SSO^-Assets-wereV^CrCourse, Tiii/ :i - Afjer Ir the Judge reraarJ^4 is truly laments <T Here is the case" of 'a mari'without'means'taking!a to-' ler'atify large j cqntraci;upon 'the strength of which he emptoys men and runs; into. ..debt? with Aradesmeh ~ and> others.- j The' public has no'''nght whatever to entrust contracts- to-such -persons.- According to ,his own showing, "bankrupt had only '>M25 when he took up the contract, andhad to rely sjolebj j3pon-Kis, : progress payments and bank accommodation to carry him through. In such case's--whW-teA contractor fails; ;Whtf- are;Jthe _ reajl'^offerers?—why ; the '"workmen and' "Tradespeople'.'"' '"I.-, am. :aurprised that mining.companies, regulated as they aie, ,by.men ofeduratipn,.and discriniiriatioh,* themselves to such a proceeding, H; So;.lpng^|-ijtas ; .class of tendering is recognised,', men..with. educatibii ; and. kpbvyledge ; ,<are/kept out.o£ v'cbrnpetitipn,.,and in 7 th^, ; end|,he .public is the Sufferer. It is a terrible state of affaire,; arid ought^to''bS-liscoWaged by every means ; po'ss%le: ' "Men'-'who go into contracts "should have money' to meet'con tingencies. • -1. consider- the-company is quite as; n?trch to blame'in'•afcc'gpting-'his tender-as! the., ban'krjjptti's for not folfillirigliM .. . j . i .:Itrtends 'to ibririg 'companies;irito ; cbrifempt. ' Legitimate contractors—men with money : '■ r neld;' ' THe'work.is delayed, 'arid'^B^the'' companies, people; wbrl«nefr;vMdla "fact the wjiole 1 no r t cases of "misfortune* but, cases of misjudg-. Court cannot, - however, 'but 1 grartt'the" order/ aslhere ayejho creditors present to-oppose; but I cannot but .express my opinion of the danger which, min*: 'ing~companips ; run in letting contracts to men 1 who have rib rrieans of carrying tiem. out. There is ; nothing whatever to justify a man without means in accepting a large contract. does-,a v vyrong to everybody, .. a H ( *.g t i e f m » st ensue. In this case [the banks, as well as the; securities, if not;the comparry,' appear' to have known the bankrupt's ...position' jvyhen, ,they : \ agreed to assisthim;[.,and;that must' his faVbr ;- and, were the case, I should be. tempted to regard" jhe; matter in a different light.- 1 ■ ; _Miriirig C; cbmpan'ie ! s"should rather, strive to ; set ; an example-in matters of this kind, and* not"- letrcontracts to men whojare unable-to carry themnut. Such acoiirse" , more' honorable. <|rie; and, if followed, there would, 1 feel sure, beffes&;w s &; cases' of bankruptcy on the GqWfields." .■••!•••