STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 February 1922, Page 7

STRATFORD.

STRATFORD AGENCY. Advertisements and items of news fur publication in the Taranaki Daily News should be left at the office of our local representatives, Wilson Bros., Broadway, Stratford. Orders for papers may also be left with thea? IN BANKRUPTCY. CASE OF W. E. DE RIDDER. Jan. 31. A meeting of the. creditors of W. E. de Ridder was held at the Stratford Court to-day. Mr. J. S. S. Medley, D.0.A., presided, and there were also present Mr. Lawrence (representing Wilson and Co.), Mr. Young* (representing On Kee), and Messrs. G. T. Walters and A. L. Rawles.

The bankrupt stated that his personal debts were owing to one creditor, his mother, and amounted to £lBB 5s Id. As assets he had a property at Foxton (a house and 2 A acres) valued at £9OO. On this there were three mortgages, one to the State Advances of £275, one to Mrs. Thyne, of £l5O and one to his mother, Mrs. E. S. de Ridder, of £450.

The D.O.A. said that the position was that de Ridder was a partner with one Nicholas in a tailoring business. The firm owed £529 17s 2d, and there were debts owing to the firm amounting to £145 13s. The bankrupt had only one personal debt, that of £lBB 5s Id which he owed to his mother for the board of his four children at £3 par week from March 16 till January 27, and for clothes for the children.

In answer to the D.O.A. the bankrupt stated that, including the debts of the firm, he owed the sum of £572 9s 3d. ■ His only assets were his share in the debts owing to the partnership and a property at Foxton on which the equity at present was worth nothing. 'To the D.0.A.: He had given his mother a mortgage on part of his property at Foxton and had received £45.5 in cash. With some of his money he bought the remaining three lots. He also had a lot of other expense. Mrs. Thyne was a retired lady who lent out money and was no relation to bankrupt. He lived on the £l5O he got from Mrs. Thyne on the third mortgage

Mr. Young: Was there not some settlement on that property?—Yes. The property, comprising the house and three sections, was settled on the children about three years ago, but was not made over to the children.

Mr. Young: What was the reason for settling the property on the children?—l got .a divorce from my wife with custody of the children, and settled the house and property on them so that they would have it should anything happen to me. The D.0.A.: How he came to give a mortgage to his mother after he had settled the property on the children is •what I can’t understand. The deed of property to the children cannot have been executed or he could not have mortgaged the property. Mr. Young: At a meeting of creditors held in October an offer of 10s in the £ was made.

The bankrupt: The offer was made by Mr. Moss on behalf of Mr. Nicholas. Mr. Rawles: Was it with your sanction that the offer was made? —Yoe. Mr. Young: Your mother was to'have helped you to the extent of £l5O, and that, with the partnership assets, was to have paid 10s in the £. The bankrupt stated that he had been to Wellington to see Mr. Hodgsoh, who represented the Combined Buyers, with reference to this offer. His mother was then taken seriously ill. Mr. Young: Were you aware of any legal proceedings going on against the firm at Stratford when you signed that mortgage?—l don't remember. Mr. Young: Was the mortgage signed after the meeting was held ?—Yes. To Mr. Young: He had lived in Stratford for about eighteen months, staying at the Empire Hotel. He followed no occupation. The D.0.A.: How did you pay your hotel bills? —I had a small banking account in the Post Office Savings Bank and liyed on the £l5O. Mr. Young: Have you that bank book now ?—Not here.

Mr. Young: I should like to see that bank book. Have you never had a banking account with any other bank? —-No.

Mr. Young: Then you have not earned anything for the past twelve months and have lived on loans you have raised?—No. I had the £l5O and earned money contracting.

Mr. Rawles: Nicholas has told me that you never put a penny into the business. —He wouldn’t say that before me. Mr. Rawles: One of the reasons Nicholas attributed to his -failure was that you had not put a penny into the business. Have you never drawn any wages from Nicholas? —No. Mr. Rawles: It is a pity Nicholas is not here. He gives a complete denial to what you say, and says he paid £4 a week wages. To the D.0.A.: He had filed because he did not wish to go to prison for partnership debts for which judgment had been obtained.

To Mr. Young: The present tenant of the FoXton property paid 15s per week to his mother.

To the D.0.A.: His mother had been paying the rent to him. Mr. Young: Why is your mother sending you money when you are owing her money? —She knew I was pressed for money and said she would keep me going. ‘ To Mr. Young: Rent was paid til’ January 31. Bankrupt paid interest on the mortgages. He had been receiving the rent for twelve months. He had money in the bank twelve months ago. The money which he had paid his mother for maintenance of his children was drawn out of his banking account. He had not paid anything since last March.

Mr. Young said the title deeds of the Foxton property should be searched. He doubted if the third mortgage eomd stand, and also if the proof of bankrupt’s debt to his mother could stand, in view of the fact that she had be*?n sending him money when he was alleged] to be owing money to her. A thorough investigation of the Foxton property should be made. The D.O.A. said that it would be much ipore satisfactory if Nicholas w<**’e present. It seemed to be really a matter for the creditors to make Nicholas a bankrupt. Messrs. Walters and Rawles were creditors of the firm. It was decided that M”. Young should search the title deeds of the 'property at Foxton, and that the D.O.A. should call a further meeting when he was in receipt of information regarding this property. GENERAL ITEMS. Members of the Stratford Fire Brigade gave valuable assistance -at the big fire at Eltham last night. The brigade Received a telephone message asking «*vr

assistance in the early hours of the morning, and eleven members of the local body went to Eltham by motor - nr, returning at about four o’clock, -lad the fire occurred during the day time Stratford assistance would probably not have been forthcoming, because it is very seldom that a ring through to the fire brigade station in the day time is answered, as there is nobody at the station. It must surely be necessary to make some arrangement by which the brigade can be called quickly in the event of a fire breaking out. The natural thing to do when calling the fire brigade is. to ring up the station, and much time might be lost and much damage done before the brigade is communicated with under the present conditions.

The Stratford Musical Society is commencing practice again early in February, and their next public appearance will be on Good Friday, when the society will give a sacred concert at the Ngaere Gardens. Mr. IT. W. Boon, chairman of the Stratford School Committee, has received a telegram from Mr. R. Masters, M.P., stating that Cabinet has approved of an additional £6OO being spent on furnishing the new Stratford Technical School. The sum of £4OO has already been granted, so that the additional money will bring the total for the furnishing of the school up to £lOOO, and will enable the Education Board to furnish both the science laboratories and fit the school throughout with new furniture.

Mr. T. E. Bridger has returned to Stratford after an enjoyable six weeks’ motor tour through the South Island.

Business men of Stratford and district are reminded that their stationery requirements for 1922 can be filled satisfactorily at Wilson Bros., the Commercial Stationers and Printers, Stratford. Account books, duplicate books, letter files and typewriter supplies fully stocked; paper and envelopes a speciality.