ELTHAM.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 April 1918, Page 3

ELTHAM.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Eltham, April 20. Something more than a ''hard-luck" story was unfolded at the bankruptcy meeting of creditors in the estate of 11. H. Blake, agent, held here 011 Tuesday afternoon by the D.0.A., Mr. J, 8. (i Medley, of New Plymouth. Bankrupt was represented by Mr. J. L. Weir, while Mr. G. D. Gow represented some of the creditors, Mr. W. Thorpe being also present. The statement put in showed unsecured creditors totalling £IOSO 3s 2d,! the principal items being, (}. 11. Buckeridge £lOl, L. 11. Wilson (Wellington) £3l 2s Gd, Reid and Gray (Palmerston North) £IOO 15s, Universal Film Co. (Auckland) £lO2 19s, Anderson, Ltd. (Christcliureh) £65, Bristol Piano Co. £SO, Dr. Tovey £SO, South Taranaki Amusements Co. £lls Gs sd, A. E. Rogers (music) £29 14s. E. Carlyle, formerly of Eltham, was the only secured creditor, £l5O, less estimated value £IOO. Assets were shown as cash in hand £5, in bank £7, furniture £IOO, paid up shares in Taranaki Amusements Co., £125, and 334 shares in Taranaki Motors, Ltd., value not estimated, making a total of £237, and a deficiency of £81! l .'!« 2d. Blake came from Petone, and, believing there was money in pictures, got a partner, E. C. White, an elderly farmer at Bunnyt.horpe, to go into the.vcnture at Eltham and district. The manager was S. Lewis, and later 011 the latter left for Australia. Bankrupt and others brought Lewis back to Eltham, but proceedings had to be abandoned, owing to Lewis having got his own private money so mixed up with Blake's that the tangle could not be unravelled, the actual position not being ascertainable. Blake and White were called upon to "foot the bills" in connection with the pictures, hence the meeting of creditors. After a little questioning Mr. Medley stated there was little prospect of a dividend, and that bankrupt was a most unfortunate man. On the motion of Messrs. Gow and Thorpe, bankrupt was allowed to keep his furniture, and the meeting closed. ■ The fancy-dress ball held here on Wednesday in aid of the Soldiers' Appeal Day proved a great success, and the ladies were arrayed in quaint, comely and handsome costumes. Not so the men, very few harnessing up for the prizes. Miss Glentworth made a picturesque cowboy, and landed a prize and congratulations, while Mrs. Syme, as an Indian squaw, secured a prize. Dancers were present from Hawera, Stratford and Mangatoki and all footed it merrily to the playing of Kirk's orchestra. The M's.C. were Groynue' Lewis, Frank Death and J. Kilbride, who also acted as judges in a waltzing competition, which went to Mrs. and Miss Green. Visitors to Eltham by train on Tuesday hurriedly left the railway station, and tried to get south in record time. The need for sprinting was not through a lire, but the abominable smell coming from a fertilising store. It was certainly a strong, healthy smell while it lasted, and those who ran into it are not likely to forget the experience.