A DEBTOR CHASED FROM FOXTON TO NAPIER.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 1000, 17 November 1881, Page 3

A DEBTOR CHASED FROM FOXTON TO NAPIER.

A bathes amusing story of a chase after an absconding debtor is told by the ALanawatu Ueiald. It appears that an individual, whose Christian name is Patrick, got into debt with Mr. Honore, a Foxton storekeeper, to the extent of £2O. On Thursday morning Mr. Honore heard that Patrick had left for Palmerston, it being further rumored that he intended to join a lady whom he proposed to marry. The storekeeper followed by tqe morning train to the township named,, to learn that Patrick and his companion had left by that morning’s coach for Napier. A horse was ordered, a start made at 3 o’clock, and about 7 o’clock the same night the storekeeper rode into Makotoku, the present terminus of the Napier-Wood-ville railway, having covered 50 miles upon a stalwart steed. Night was spent there, and at 6.30 next morning the train sped with the remorseless creditor towards Napier, which was reachedabout 10.30. Walking leisurely down one of the streets, the debtor and creditor met face to face, and the former looked as if an apparition had confronted him. He offered to give an order on his Foxton debtors, and if that was not sufficient would remit the balance from Sydney ! “ And,” said he, “ when a man is going away to get married you wouldn’t blame him for taking a few pounds in his pocket, would you ? “ Well,” said the storekeeper, “ I should pay my debts first !” Mr. Honore then consulted a lawyer, and learned to his dismay that without the bill of particulars he could do nothing, and as he had only the total amount due he was somewhat nonplussed. Nevertheless, he returned to the unsuspecting debtor and engaged him in an interesting conversation regarding those aforesaid Foxton book-debts. Seeing a gleam of light, with Sydney and the matrimonial “ halter ” in the distance, he very gladly accepted the suggestion of giving an 1.0. U. to the w 7 ily creditor, and thus signed the warrant of his own arrest, for, armed with this document, the myrmidons of the law were soon on his track, and he was arrested for debt on a charge of intending to leave the colony. When brought before the R.M., he refused to disgorge, and was accordingly lodged in gaol until the next sitting of the Court. Having thus ensnared his bird, Mr. Honore on the same afternoon returned per train to Makotoku, and came on to Palmerston on Saturday, returning to Foxion by the night train. On Monday he received a telegram to this effect :—“ 'yields. Cheque for -amount will be sent in'due course.” It may be added that the levanter had in his possession a draft for nearly £5O, which would have gone a long way towards paying all his debts. Mr. Honore is to be congratulated upon his smartness. He left Foxton only on Thursday morning, and by Saturday night had travelled nearly 300 miles, and secured over £2O, which would otherwise have been irretrievably lost.