NURSE WENT FARMING.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 250, 21 October 1924, Page 11

NURSE WENT FARMING.

UNSUCCESSFUL VENTURE. NO BOOKS KEPT. COMMENTS BY D.O.A. (By Tdesrapb.—Owu Correspondent.) HAMILTON, Monday. A meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of Elsie Maud Pedley, maternity imr.-e, of Hamilton, was held at Hamilton this morning. The schedule showed amounts owing to secured creditors .0371, less estimated value of securities .€4400. Book debts were stated at £31, with a surplus in the hands of secured creditors £1000. Tlie total debts were given at £9_l, with an apparent surplus of £112. iii a written statement, bankrupt said that in March, 1!J_0, she purchased the property situated at the corner of Norton Koad and King Street known as "Kelvin (irove," which she conducted as a maternity hospital until March 1, 1023. Although she always had plenty of patients, most of the money 6he earned went into permanent improvements. She estimated that she had spent at least .iJSOO on the property. Her poor state of health compelled her jn March, l'J-.'J, to relinquish active participation .in the management, and she leased the property for £10 per week. As she had then to tind a house for her invalid husband and four children, she entered into a contract, by way of exchange, for the purchase of a farm at Te Awamutu with one Laurence Wells. The Te Awamutu property was taken over as a going concern, but after being in possession a few months she realised that the farm was not what it had been represented to he. Following a Supreme Court action tlie contract was cancelled, and she took back Kelvin Grove. The lease of the latter place had in the meantime been abandoned, and the house was empty for some time. In the meantime she had lost her connection, and she eventually let tlie place at £6 a week. She was again faced with the problem of finding a hoiue for her husband and family, and purchased another property at Te Awamutu from Air. Kidd'No cash was paid, but Mr. Kidd took a mortgage and a bill of sale over the stock at Te Awamutu, aprl a collateral mortgage over the Kelvhi Grove property. Finding she could not pay 'her way, she agreed to a transfer back of the Te Awamutu farm, leaving a mortgage to Mr. Kidd of £790 on the Kelvin Grove property, which already carried two other mortgages of £2000 and £500. Her husband was a chronic invalid, and she had a family of four children whose ages ranged from 12 to •20 years. !llr. F. A. de la Mare said he considered that, while bankrupt had not acted in accordance with, the provisions of the Bankruptcy Act, she had no doubt made a valiant struggle,- and he moved that the Deputy Official Assignee be asked to facilitate her discharge. A creditor asked ii this was wise, and other creditors opposed the motion. The Deputy Official Assignee said that, had bankrupt been a man, a prosecution would probably have followed. She did not seem to realise her duty under the Bankruptcy Act, and he felt quite convinced- in his own mind that she would enter into further transactions of a similar nature if permitted. She had acted rashly, and had .kept no proper books. Had she been a little prudent, and had she even had regard to her solicitor's, advice, things would not have been so bad, but she acted on her own initiative aril informed her solicitor afterwards. Mr. Sanson did not think it desirable that anyone should be allowed to continue to trade under such circumstances. . Tie trading community had a right to protect themselves. Mr. F. A. de la Mare said the position was no doubt as stated by Mr. Sanson. What he would like the creditors to do »'i«> express sympathy with the ba»Er_pt.- She was in bad health,' and it would at least show that the creditors "bore her no animosity. A motion of sympathy was passed as suggested.