A LEAGUE FOOTBALLER.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 64, 17 March 1925, Page 5

A LEAGUE FOOTBALLER.

BECOMES A BANKRUPT. . '. HIS FILED STATEMENT. George Gardiner, tbe hefty native who formerly played tor the Maris. Bros.' League football club cither as a forward or live-eighths, was present as a bankrupt at the ollice of the Ollicial Assignee this morning to meet iiis creditors. It happened that no creditors put iv an appearance and the meeting lapsed.

The schedule setting out his position showed that his total debts were £17!> 12/11, and against this be showed interests in native lands which he valued at £IHOU. Bankrupt Statement. Tn his statement tiled with the Ollicial Assignee, bankrupt said that si.v months after he returned from the war be entered into a billiard room and hairdressing partnership at ie Puke. He got an advance ol £'100 from the Repatriation Department, but after being in business nine months, he found it was not paying. Ho then sold his interest in the business to his partner, and took on work at bush clearing. This was not a success and he went "broke.*' He tried other work and eventually was offered a job in Auckland and a bouse to live in. provided he played football lor a certain club. He was advanced some money and came to Auckland to see what llie proposition was thai had been made. He saw some of the club's oilicials anil was satislied that all was well. His father-in-law provided him with money to come to Auckland witli the family. Promises Not Fulfilled. On arriving at Auckland tbe promised him was not provided, but the officials of the football club put him up in a boardingliou.se. he being under the impression that efforts were being made to find him a house. There was '•nothing doing.*' and the permanent job promised him turned out to be on the waterfront. He understood he was to be guaranteed £(i a week and rented a house at £2 13/ a week. He received an account for _8 12/ for board and lodgings.

"Of course by this time," said bankrupt in his statement, "i found I was in the soup again. However, the club had to fork out. They advanced mo furniture to the value of £30, this to be paid back at a few shillings a week. I complained that I was not averaging more than £3 a week wages. "Anyway I played the game and the team I played for won the championship. I complained of my rent being too high and got it reduced £1 5/ a week, and then signed an agreement for the lease of the house for two years. At present I have a family of 'three and earn on an average £» 10/ a week.