BANKRUPT LABOURER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 58, 10 March 1933, Page 8

BANKRUPT LABOURER.

"GENUINE HARD LUCK STORY" CREDITORS EXPECT 5/ IN THE £. Victor Cyril Otto List, labourer, of Tuakau, who filed a petition in bankruptcy on February 28, met his creditors at the Pukekohe courthouse yesterday. The Official Assignee, Mr. A. W. Waiters, presided. Assets were shown nt £15 and proved liabilities £100 11/9, leaving a deficiency of £91 11/9. Debtor stated that he was 28 years of age and married, with three children. During the last five years he had been off work about nine months on account of injuries and sickness. His weekly earnings were £4 1/ a week, less the wages tax. He attributed his present financial position to illness in his family and the fact that in 1927 his first child died, the expenses running him into over £50, from which he was never able to recover. Since he became financially embarrassed , he had paid cash for the necessaries of life and had been able to improve his position during the past 12 months to the extent of about £10. The reason lie filed was that one creditor had threatened him with a judgment summons. He could not make an offer at present. Bankrupt was examined at length by the Official Assignee an dtwo creditors, and finally a resolution was passed to the effect that as he was earning an average wage for a working man he should be able to pay a little to the creditors before being granted his discharge. It was suggested that the discharge be not granted until he had paid at least 5/ in the £. Mr. J. J. Sullivan, of Auckland, who appeared for debtor, expressed the opinion that List's position wae due to a set of unfortunate circumstances. In fact, he had not in 30 years' experience seen a bankruptcy where there had been such a genuine hard luck story. He could not see how bankrupt could pay anything to the creditors out of his present wages after adequately providing for himself, his wife, and three children. It was stated that bankrupt was keeping his aged father-in-law, who was eligible for, but who was not in receipt of, the old age pension.