MEETING OF CREDITORS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2051, 25 July 1885, Page 2

MEETING OF CREDITORS.

The adjourned meeting Of creditors in the estate of George Bowles, of Carterton, butcher, was held at the old Courthouse yesterday afternoon. Mr W. Sellar, Deputy Assignee, presided, there were about twenty creditors present. The debtor, under examination by Mr Beard, said that both bills previously referred to had been met by Mr R. Hawkins, his brother-in-law. One was held back for a' time, because he had no money to take it up. He wanted the debtor to pay the other, but he could not do it. A portion of the sheep he gave to Mr Hawkins in return were Mr Wyett's, the remainder being culls. They were not all Wyett's and Bainbei''s. There were all kinds of earmarks. Hawkins and Moses Smith branded them, and witness paid them for doing it. He had not since been paid for having them branded. He gave the sheep because ho could not pay the bills. None of the sheep that came from Wyeth's that he had paid 12s 6d for' were among them. There was a ram, but it was not worth much. He had killed some cattle in Walker's; paddock, but had no other cattle, all having been killed. There were three horses; a bay may, which was at Kaiwarra, was sold to Hawkins in October last, getting £SO for her and a trap. The mare and trap were in his possession till May last, Hawkins having allowed him to use them until then, He sold a trap to Mr Burnett, and it was allowed off the amount he owed him. It was taken away about three weeks before, it might have been a month. Tho trap was new, and was the only one Mr Burnett took. Mr Burnett's account was credited £3O on account of it. His other trap, and heavy spring trap were at Carterton, and the light one at Hawkins'. He had some pigs, but no well bred pigs had been sent away ; he thought they were sold in Febuary. They were to go to Hawkins' and Bamber, who paid 8s fur them. The skins, hides, etc., were sent to[Hirst's. The furniture was made over to Mrs Bowles six years ago last April, and there had not been much added sinco he came to Carterton, and what there was had not been made over. Up to eight or nine months ago he could pay his way, and since then had been going to the bad. He could have paid his creditors in full up to a month ago. He could not tell when the land was made over to his wife, and he had done nothing lately towards it. His wife had borrowod £2OO to assist him in paying his debts, An,.offer of £7OO was made some time ago for the land...- The land was brought under the Land Transfer Act : in February last. The present mortgage was £4OO. Henevertold his creditors that ■he would pay them out of the proceeds of the sale of this land. He told them the land was in his riimo, bjifc did not tell

that he tyould. sail it. ■ Up- to the time that',the land (fas gaascd under the land Transfer Actit stood in liis name, and hethenowned £2OO upon it. 'There was also, a second mortgage of £350 to his wife's trustee, Mr James.,Taylor. He opened the butcher's shop with the consent of'his wife. He could not'say how muoh he waa in dobtin July 1884. Since 'then Mrs Bowles had executed a mortgage, for £4OO, the one covering the two previous: ones. Mr Ollivier's mortgage was paid out of the amount. £4OO was owing on the first mortgage, and there was now a second one to Mr Taylor far £365. He had used seventeen cows and a bull belonging.,to Mrs Bowles. The carts and harness ho had now were not the original ones. He had some 35 sheep, a few pigs and other odds and ends of the value of about £5. The seventeen cows were worth about £8 each, He sold these to the men that leased the place, Messrs Waters Bros., he wasnot certain for what. ' He had no. memorandum of what he received, but thought he got £5 for the bull, and for for horses, carts, and harness, about £BO. He was certain he did not get £2OO for the whole lot, That was the only money he had reeeived' for stock made over by deed to Mrs Bowles. He had only the one piece of land at Olareville, Some four or five years ago he bought a 1 pieco of 'land from Potts' eatate with Mrs Bowles own money for cash. It was vested in a; trustee. He bought a pico of land some time ago from 'Mr Snodgrass, and transferred it a month or six weeks age to Mr Andrew McKenzie, who, however, paid him nothing for it, simply payinp back, interest, which amounted to about £3O. It was in the market for some time, and lie wanted £450 for it. There was a' mortgage of £3OO. He had no property. of any description, except what he had stated. Ee-examined by Mr Bunny: His wife had money of her own, but lie could not say how much; she" got about £lO a quarter from Ohariu, which she has to pay interest, He had not given her money from time to time to put away as a neat egg, though he sometimes gave her pocket money. She did not want it frequently, Ho noticed about six or seven months ago that he was going back in business. He thought he must have been going back when he gave the mortgago to Mr Taylor. He closed his banking account about three months ago, because he was frightened that the Bank would usemoney paid into reducehis overdraft. The£sohegotfromMrHawkins in October last was not a loan, but for_the trap, He had been pressed pretty stiffly by his creditors, and had kept them quiet by telling them he had some property at Ohariu. He borrowed money from Mr Yickerstaff on certain sheep. These sheep he subsequently sold, and put others in their place, which he also afterwards sold. He never sold two cows belonging to Mr Broadbont in the early part of the month, but bought two from Mr Hercock for four pounds, for which lie paid Mrs Broadbent. Mr Burnett had them now, and he deducted £4 from his account for them, Mr Burnett, sworn, deposed that he was a creditor for £176. He got the promise of a trap, two cows, and a steer. He allowed £3O for the trap. His account must have been owing eight or nine months. The whole of the money was owing to him, and the last bill came due on the 28th of last month. The following resolution was agreed to: —That the. Official Assignee be authorised to strictly investigate all deeds, etc., in connection with the estate, and that Messrs Beard and Gray. be appointed solicitors to the estate, The meeting then adjourned for a fortnight.