AN ABSCONDING BANKRUPT

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 11

AN ABSCONDING BANKRUPT

(From Ouh Own Correspondent.) j AUCKLAND, August 12. | A meeting of creditors was held at the j office of the Official Assignee (Mr E. Gerard) this morning to consider what is to be done in the case of Frank A. Cooper, an acetylene gas expert, whose present address it unknown, and who has left a number of tradespeople with unsettled ac- | counts. The Official Assignee explained that Cooper -had been adjudged a bankrupt. } Very, little information was available ?3 ' far as the creditors were concerned. A few inquiries had been made., and it was ascertained that £200 was owing. There , iveVi additional creditors at the meeting, ' however, whose accounts had not been iv.- ' eluded in that amount. They had not b«*en able to ascertain the \vb iiiibou:*. «i the bankrupt, and it wa*> fix- the meeting to say what it was best to do i

Mr Ferguson : As far as we krow, the bank -apt is now in Sydney. Mr Fiith: We know that he left Auckland by train for Wellington. He eaid he was only going as far 'as Gisborne. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and outward bound boat*, were watched -it both Wellington and Gi=borne. The police were unable to effect an arrest, however, and the warrant had been returned. Sir H. White ■/ His wife and child are both still in Auckland. Official Assignee: I lannot force the wife to divulge the -whereabouts of her husband, but I can summon her to come here and give evidence on oath. Ater 'further discuss-ion. the Offi'tal Assignee asked : Well, what do you propose doing now? Mr White : It seems to me an unfair thing that a man should be able to get away like this. Tiie smaller ti-ade-~pec.pl*

find it hard enough to lose their money. They cannot put up the wherewithal to bring him back. Official Assignee : Yes, but what do you suggest — an amendment to the act? j Another Creditor : If we get him, what j can we do with him? i Official Assignee : Put him in prison if he is an absconder. | Mr Frith : I do not think thjjt we can do anything but go through the books. Official Assignee : There is an action pending in the Supreme Court against bankrupt for infringement of the patent of an improved acetylene ga-s generator. However, that does not help his creditors. Mr Frith : Perhaps tlnere is enough money left in the estate to bring the bankrupt back. Official Assignee : Yes, and in thf meantime, if you so desire, bankrupt's wife can be examined on oath. Mr Frith : I do not think we will get much out of the books. The Official Assignee said he did notthink the bankrupt was still in New Zea

land. AH that he could do at present was to get someone to examine the hooks, and he would ea!l the creditors tog«ther agaiu as soon as possible. I