BOTTOMLEY'S PLANS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 261, 18 August 1930, Page 8

BOTTOMLEY'S PLANS

"CRUEL BOYCOTT." ' CANCELLED CANADIAN TOUR. "At the age of seventy I have to start practically all over again," said Mr Horatio Bottomley, in the course of a statement at the London Bankruptcy Court on May 21, when he attended for his resumed public examination before Mr Reginald Warmington. Mr Bottomley. said in his statement: "I had been approached from several quarters with a view to undertaking an entensive lecture tour through the United States and British Dominions, and at least £IOO,OOO had been assured to me. • t, i "The tour was to be organised under the direction of a near relative of Lord Birkenhead, and matters had 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 the tour. "I was of course, aware of tlie stringent provisions of the American immigration law. But as a. result or correspondence I had with the American Consul I. had been promised a nonimmigrant visa. "4t this stage, however, it came to my knowledge that Canada had practically adopted the immigration lav/ of the United States. "I therefore at once approached tlie B]i"-h Commissioner, the late Hon.' Pe+er Larkin, and was gratified by the receiot 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 he would doubtless take a similar view. "I thereupon proceeded with the arrangements for the tour, which were well on the road to completion when I learned that certain political influences 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 Canadian Minister of Labour did not see his way to waive the provisions of the Act. _ . . "In these circumstances I took no further steps in regard to the proposed tour. , "Mr Bottom! ev added that ' ever since his return'home he had to fight a cruel boycott. The Australian Federal Government had granted) him special oermission to visit the Commonwealth, "and he ?night therefore shortly undertake a lecture tour there, and possibly in South Africa and Rhodesia. He left the court full of determination to discharge all his just obligations. The examination was concluded. Mr Bottomley's amended statement of affairs showed gross liabilities £116,769, ranking at £115,899; assets were estimated at £I,OOO apart'from a bad debt of £1,500 and a doubtful one of £5,000 the value of which was uncertain. The doubtful book debt was stated to bo due from the Phoenix Press, and in Mr Bottomley's original statement the amount was returned at £IO,OOO.