TWICE BANKRUPT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 466, 22 September 1928, Page 13

TWICE BANKRUPT

CHARGE OF FRAUD GARAGE OWNER GAQLED Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Before Mr. Justice Adams, George Wilcox, who was in ir* A burton as a garage proprietor and car agent, was sentenced to-day to three months* imprisonment for having obtained £2O credit from the Vacuum Oil Company without having disclosed the fact that he was an undischarged bankrupt. He was twice adjudicated bankrupt, once at Auckland seven years ago. before he went to Ashburton, and this year at Timaru. Mr. Russell, who appeared for Wilcox, said that he was 32 years of age. He was born at Torrington, England, and when 18 years of age he went to tho war with the Life Guards. On being discharged he joined the Transport Corps, and was commended in despatches. He came to New Zealand in 1920. After being in business as a taxidriver in Auckland, lie became bankrupt. In Wellington he was chauffeur to Sir Francis Bell, who gave him an excellent discharge. He came to this part of the Dominion as a salesmen for Dominion Motors, took over the Ashburton agency, and leased the Railway Garage. There was a large turnover in his business. All liis small Ashburton creditors had been paid, leaving only one creditor there. He owed the Vacuum Oil Company about £420. which represented only one month’s supply of oil and petrol. In 12 months he sold 72 cars for Dominion Motors. His trouble was that he had no proper supervision over his business. He was not dishonest in his trading. Mr. Justice Adams: His creditors are entitled to say that, as he must see that he trades honestly. That is the position. Mr. Russell said that it was not contended that Wilcox had traded dishonestly.

His Honour: That is the gravamen of the charge—that he carried on business and incurred debts without telling anybody that he was an undischarged bankrupt. Surely it is not very honest, is it?