COOPER'S ESTATE.-In Bankruptcy.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1147, 14 September 1882, Page 2

COOPER'S ESTATE.-In Bankruptcy.

‘J’Hfi aiiftlyzation of this meeting is simply beyond the bounds of credibility. Legal acumen, legal argument, chaff, and everything else but business characterised the meeting. Mr Whitaker occupied the chair, and a large number of creditors, nearly all prepared to act in Mr Cooper’s favor, were present; still the chairman, a clever and astute lawyer, contrived to work things to his own ena.

Mr Dickson, as a creditor, asked for an adjournment of the meeting. Mr Brassey said the affidavit made by Read’s Trustees was not a proper one. The Chairman and Trustee ruled that it was, and the affidavit was received, Mr Brassey brought under the notice of the meeting the fact that the Trustees were acting ultra vires, The Chairman denied this, and challenged proof, reading the section of the Bankruptcy Act under which the matter came. The assets were £108,750, and the liabilities were undefined.

The Chairman asserted that Mr Cooper ought to have appeared. Mr Brassey said that he, as solicitor for defendant, had advised Mr Cooper not to appear. Mr Rees rose in argument. On the motion of Mr Rees, appearing as a solicitor, the meeting is adjourned until Wednesday next; and it was resolved that Mr Cooper be given notice to appear on that occasion.

We don’t think it necessary to publish the amounts claimed, as they are perfectly private matters, concerning only the alleged debtor, and the alleged creditor, and not the public. Our own opinion is that the whole proceedings are iniquitous and wrong, and Judge Hardcastle’s decision is bound to be adjudged bad, both in law and equity. Who has worked this oracle ? Who has been the Deus ex machina ?” We at present are ignorant, but we mean to know the ins and outs of the matter, and we mean to find out the lever that has worked the machine, and pillory him if we can I