BANKRUPTCY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXVIII, Issue 155, 5 July 1894, Page 2

BANKRUPTCY.

A meeting of creditors in the estate of Charles John Bartlett, lately hotelkeeper at Appleby, was held yesterday afternoon in the office of the Deputy Official Assignee. Seven creditors were present or represented by proxy. Mr Pitt appeared for the bankrupt, and Mr C. J. Harley for Mr J. A. Harley, ono of the creditors. The Deputy Assignee said that he valued the assets at Appleby for _3145, out of which the bankrupt was entitled to ~25, Mr Pitt said that he was informed that when the bankrupt went into the hotel he had assets of about £120. He also understood that the arrangement was that bankrupt was to pay the landlord the usual price charged to bound houses for beer, but waa to pay no rent. Afterwards distraint was, however, made for rent. The charge for beer was also too high; to be sold at a profit. Such disputes were not uncommon fn the case of bound houses. Mr J. A. Harley said that the statement made on behalf of the bankrupt was incorrect. ■ The bankrupt in examination said tbat he bad been in business at Appleby for sixteen months at the Traveller's Best Hotel. The re_t_l wa3 £20 per annum, on oondition tbat he purohased his beer from Mr J A Harley, tbe proprietor of the house, No prioe was mentioned, it wa. to be that generally oharged to customers. Wifc.eas agreed to do oertaia work for Mr Harley amounting t£Bs llsßd and this was to be a set off against the brewing aosount. He believed that he had done the work to within £31 13s 4d of the the t.tal amount. He Bhould reoeive credit for the difference. ' When he took the hotel he was perfeotly solvent, with £100 at. his baok at a few weeks' notioe. He thought that he was £200 to the good after paying everything. His books showed how he had paid almo.t every sixpence. He oollected almost all his old book-debts. He put the whole of his his money into the business. His hotel takings while iu the hotel were £780 7s sd. He had paid away £771 9 _ 9d. The amount reoeived from liquor and the hotel business wrb £540 7s 61 aid from other sources -6239 18 ». The other sources were labour, materials, bees aud honey, and old debts collected. He had got iut. debt t. tbe amount of £310 13a lOd in addition to the amount paid away. He paid away money as fast as he reoeived it, and never oould keep any iu hand. There had been no extravagance. The house expenses were heavy, between £5 and £6 a week. He had never m ide a penny out of the bear. The ; draught of beer was under two hogshe_dß a i month. The price was 2. 3d per gallon. There was very little bar business, the chief fcraffio being by the bottle. Tho selling , prioe was 3s a gallon. The average takings for beer were about 24s or 25s a day. He i had done work on the plaoa to the value of i £60, and nl <o work to the value of about i £74, besides other little jobs. He spent very ' little oa wages, The debt due t_ Mrs i Bartlett of £45 was money advanced by her. i It was proceeds of sale of property. He i used the money ia his business. Latterly i owing to hard times few people stayed in , the house* All the money had been s t .ent on the hotel, as he had had no other lia--1 bill ties. Ha first considered himself insol* vent oa the Ist of laßt June. He only knew i thab something was wrong when be saw the bailiffs. He then oame to town and found that the only wny to protect himself was t j | filt*. Mr Harley hai promised to refrain from charging rent if bankrupt did not . raise the prioe of drinks to sixpence. He had bought beer from one of Mr Harley '_ bound bouses at 2a a gallon. It was resolved on the motion of Mr Baigent that the estate be wound up in the usual way, A motion proposed by Mr Hall that the bankrupt be allowed wearing apparel, furniture, and tools to the value of £35, instead of the £25 allowed by law was lost.