MEETINGS OF CREDITORS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5711, 19 July 1879, Page 2

MEETINGS OF CREDITORS.

A first meeting of creditors in the estate of Peter Cowie, clerk, Wellington, was called for yesterday morning, but in consequence of there being no quorum, it stood adjourned till to-day. Assets are set down at £SO, and liabilities £124.

A meeting of creditors of William Ebden, storekeeper, was held yesterday morning, Captain Williams in the chair. Assets were set down at £3002, exclusive of £163 1 s. bad debts; and liabilities £B3O 17s. lid., exclusive of £IOSO, secured creditors, making total liabilities £IBBO 17s. lid. The bulk of the assets consisted of leasehold and freehold property. Mr." Quick stated that the meeting was called for the purpose of considering a deed of assignment which Mr. Ebden had been obliged to make. He had assigned his estate to Messrs. Crawford and Hutchens in trust for the payment of his debts, which he proposed to pay by instalments. The whole liabilities would be swept off in twelve months, during which time Mr. Ebden was to continue to carry on his business as long as he did so to the satisfaction of the trustees. After some consideration it was decided that the deed be assented to, and the remuneration of the trustees was fixed at 5 par cent. A meeting of creditors in the estate .of Charles Taylor, carpenter, was held in the afternoon, Mr. Ollivier in the chair. The debtor was examined at some length. He said he had acquired no other property but what •was mentioned in his statement of assets. He had kept an account at the Colonial Bank. The banking account did not represent his transactions. His account was sometimes overdrawn at the bank. He had lodged some deeds of conveyance at the bank, and had signed a book, but did not know with what object. There was no arrangement made for an overdraft at the time, but he was accustomed to overdraw his account at times. The deeds were simply lodged for safe custody. The deeds comprised two sections at Woodville, one at Palmerston, one at Carnarvon, and two at Beaconsfield. "Witness had been married about eighteen years. His wife had no property at her marriage. She might have had a few pounds. There were no other properties of witness but those in the assets. He was “ loafing” on his wife now. He wife had a house and land on lease, the lease containing a purchasing clause. He did not know how much money had been paid per quarter on this property, neither did he know what was the purchasing price, but he thought it was between £2OO and £3OO. The amount had to be paid off quarterly, with interest 8 percent, added. Mrs. Taylor had always made the payments with her own money. Witness had signed the lease. He did not know whether the property was insured or not, but he believed it was. The house was but a shell, and had been put up by witness. Mrs. Taylor bought the timber. Witness did not know what the house cost. Ha thought the timber cost about £SO. His wife bought it herself. There were five rooms in the house. Tfcre was also a workshop on the ground, for which witness was paying his wife 15s. per week. There were three other houses on the section, all owned by witness’s wife. All these houses were not put up in the same way as the first described, but had been built upon loan. There was also a house built on the section prior to it becoming the leasehold property of Mrs. Taylor. Witness did not know of his wife having received any money from her friends. His wife was at liberty to earn money if she chose by needlework, or otherwise. She used to take boarders. He did not know that she bad any other means.

except rent for two cottages at the top of Taranaki-street, which she had sold six or seven years ago. Witness used to allow her 30s. per week on an average. She took good care that he always paid for his board, but there was no specific agreement as to rate of payment. The furniture in the house witness and his wife occupied was worth about .£3O or £4O. It was secured to his wife by deal of gift, which included stock-in-trade, tools, &c. His wife had added to the furniture since the deed was executed. Witness had also made some articles of furniture for his wife. Did not know whether the furniture was insured. Everything was done by his wife without witness furnishing her with any funds. The average rent received for the cottages during the last three or four years had been from £1 per week to ISs. per week. They were worth about £2OO per year. Witness’s wife had property at Kiwiea. She bought this herself; it was not transferred to her by witness. The ]-operty was paid for by bills, on behalf of hi- wife. The bills were paid by the Colonial Bank, and were debited to witness’s accounc. Witness's wife had some other property at Saudon. The sections were not worth so much as £2OO each. They only cost 30s. each. There were nine sections. He signed the agreement to pay for them by instalments. Witness bought those sections himself. Mrs. Taylor held them now. Witness knew a man named Kolleston. He remembered taking a bill from him. Mr. Rollestou gave witness £3O to enable him to take up the bill. The hill was for £42 10s. Witness spent the money, and left llolleston to do the best he could. He did not receive the £3O knowing that he was ia insolvent circumstances. H-e filed his declaration on or about the 10th of June. On the 18th of June he did not get £lO from Rollestou. The receipt produced, dated June 18, did not represent the date upon which he received the money. He would not borrow from his wife. —Mrs. Taylor was then called, and was also examined at considerable length. She did not know how much money she had when she came to the colony, nor did not know how much her husband had, if any. Her husband had been in business the whole of the time he had been here, and had bought and sold land In addition to his work. She deposed to being the owner of lands and houses. She had been in the confectionery business, and had made a little money there. She knew nothing of her husband’s affairs. She had kept no books, and could not say how much she had made by needlework. The various properties she enumerated were acquired by her own industry. She had paid her husband for his work in putting up some of the houses. She thought she had £2OO in the Equitable Building Company on deposit, bearing interest. None of this money was given her by her husband. After some further questions the meeting adjourned.