BANKRUPTCY PETITION FOLLOWS ACCIDENT

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5310, 24 January 1947, Page 5

BANKRUPTCY PETITION FOLLOWS ACCIDENT

Maori Driver Asked To Get in Touch With Creditor Judgment was obtained against a Works Department employee, Tom Wahapango Kingi, of Paeroa, near Whakatane, on December 3 last in ihe Magistrate's Court at Whakatane l'or £137 and costs. The action was brought hy Norman William Carter and the claim was for damage to plaintiff's motor car, held by the Court to have been caused by defendant's negligent driving of a truck. He had previously been fined £25 for being drunk in charge of the vehicle. A fortnight after the civil hearing, Kingi was adjudicated bankrupt on his own petition. In his statement, he said that he had returned to New Zealand in Fehruary of last year after five and a-half years' service with the Maori Battalion, and the accident occurred on February 14. Other than a few small interests in native lands in Rotorua, he had no assets. Of his £200 gratuity and other Army payments, most had been given to his wife, who- also ownecl the household furniture. At the adjourned meeting of creditors, held at Whakatane on Monday last, the Official Assignee, Mr. II. B. Reid, commented that in view of the large amount of money received since the accident and bankrupt's wages of £6/6/- a week, also his failure to get in touch with his •c-reditor, he considered bankrupt or l is solicitor should meet to discuss the matter with his creditors' solicitors, otherwise, it might appear the bankruptcy was heing used for a purpose not intended.