DISTRICT COURT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1620, 28 January 1886, Page 4

DISTRICT COURT.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27. (Before Judge Rawson.) APPLICATION FOR DISCHARGE. ;. tffe Edward Gascoigne and Henry Freeman* -„-.. , ' ; Application postponed till next sittings of the Court. , . . . i . PUBLIC EXAMINATION. . , , ' Be William Bond of Bulk, 'cordial', manufacturer. Mr Siuidilands of Messrs Prior and Sandilands appeared for the debtor, The report of the Deputy Official Assignee was read and was of a most severe character. T^he debtor r having been sworn,- the folio wins- evidence was elicited by the Assignee, and Messrs Edward Gorton and R. M. Begg, two of the creditors, viz.,— That for a considerable period previous to September, 1885, he had been m constant employment at wages ranging from 30s to 50s per week. That he started business on his own account about the latter end of September, 1885 ; that at the time of starting business he was m debt to the extent of £45 ; *hat he lost nothing, by the business but rather gained^ That although- he has been m constant employment,, he has i not paid a sixpence of rent for the past r nine.. months : that he has no family ;. i that m October he sold the bulk of his I furniture to one Schussler for £11 ; that I during thej, past twelve months he had I received m ■ WaWs 'and profits oh differ-' I erent transactions over £100, and that he ! had paid away within a few pounds of that amount. ' On being asked what he ' spent the money on he confessed that he spent a good deal m drink and billiards. Tho immediate cause of his filing .was the actibn'of Mr Begg, who took ' but a summons against him for £11 12a 9d, but at the same time he could afford to pay his solicitor £8 towards the expenseof "his bankruptcy. After Mr Sandilands had replied, Hia Honor said: This is a disgraceful bankruptcy ; v the debtor > a strong: young ;man *wij;uV a wife but no childrj?n £ he ! has \een ; m receipt of «guiar*ari.i good ; wagers, up to the time he started m busi;ness for himself, and admits' that the 'business has been successful during the, stiort time he was engaged m it ; the only excuse the debtor can offer is that the has a weakness for intoxicating (liquors, and has spent much m drink and billiards, ; I do not preach what ,1 : 'hove not practised when I say that it is the duty of everyone m receipt of re!gular wages, [pay, or salary to live with-\ m his income however small, and nothing, but .unloosed. for misfortune , can justify suoh a person becoming bankrupt^ supposing Jibe 1 courts ;w,ere s •to enforce tliis principle but were'fo"admit, by their action, ! that people could ' not ibeyexpected to keep ttiifeirfamiUessiiif I ; moderate wage 3, ,we should be advocatUng the principle that it is justifiable to Hive upon and 'so' swindle our ! creditors ; 'such a principle wonld be destrnstive of I trade, and yeonuueeu to .national banlc-\ iruptcy, besides the immoral exaihple and want "of encouragement to thousands .of honest men and women, who, by their thrift and self-denial bring up their faniilies respecta,bly . on,. i yery. v Umit<e.dni^ixnVV 1 sky that everyone (with some few exceptions), who lives' beyond his known means, is guilty of unjustifiable extravagance m living.^ , Idp nqt .think Ishoaldbe doing my duty' did 1 hot make an example" of this- debtor, and I order him to be imprisoned m the WanIganui Gaol for one* calendar month withjoufc^ hard labour, on the 'ground that his ibahkruptcy is attributable to unjustifijable extravagance m living.