HORATIO BOTTOMLEY

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1042, 5 August 1930, Page 14

HORATIO BOTTOMLEY

LECTURE TOUR ABANDONED HEAVY LIABILITIES “At the age of 70 I have to start practically all over again,” said Mr. Horatio Bottomley in the course of a statement at the London Bankruptcy Court a few weeks ago, when he attended for his resumed public exam ination before Mr. Registrar Warming ton. Mr. Bottomley said in his statement:

“I have been approached from several quarters with a’view to undertaking an extensive lecture tour through the United States and British Dominions, and at least £IOO.OOO had been assured to me.

“The tour was to be organised under the directions of a near relative of Lord Birkenhead, and matters bad so far proceeded that a conference of my creditors was held to meet this gentleman. when with practical unanimity arrangements were agreed on whereby he undertook to discharge all my obligations by weekly remittances from the proceeds of tho tour. "I was, of course, aware of the stringent provisions of tho American immigration law. But as a rejult of correspondence 1 bad with the American Consul. I had been promised a non-immigrant visa. At this stage, however, it came to my knowledge that Canada had practically adopted tho Immigration law of the United States. I therefore at once approached the High Commissioner, the late Hon. Peter Larkin, and was gratified by the receipt of a letter from him warmly welcoming my proposed visit, and promising to pass on the suggestion to the Canadian Minister and expressing the opinion that ho would doubtless take a similar view “1 thereupon proceeded with the ar rangements for the tour, which were well on the road to completion when I learned that certain political influ ences were being brought to bear with a view to frustrating the scheme, and in due course the High Commissioner informed me that, after all, the Can adlan Minister of Labour did not see his way to waive the provisions of the Act. In these circumstances I took no further step in regard to the pro posed tour.” Mr. Bottomley added that ever since his return homo he had to fight a cruel boycott. The Australian Federal Government had granted him special permission to visit the Com monwealth, and he might therefore shortly undertake a lecture tour there and possibly in South Africa and Rhodesia. He left the court full of of determination to discharge all his just obligations. The examination was concluded. Mr. Bottomley’s amended statement of affairs showed gross liabilities £116,760 ranking at £115,899. Assets were estimated at £I,OOO, apart from a bad book debt of £1,500 and a doubtful one of £5,000, the value of which was uncertain.

In Mr. Bottomley’s original statement of this debt was returned at £IO,OOO