SUPREME COURT. IN BANKRUPTCY.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7382, 7 August 1889, Page 6

SUPREME COURT.

IN BANKRUPTCY.

Tuesday, August C. (Before his Honor Mr Justice Deuniston. His Honor sat in bankruptcy at 11 a»m. RE JOHN RUSSELL. The public examination' of this debtor was not declared to be closed. re w. BURNIP. Mr Joynt applied herein for the discharge of the debtor. Mr Kippenberger appeared on behalf of Messrs xVlace and Partridge and Buddie, creditors, to oppose. xtfr Joynt called the bankrupt, who deposed that he occupied the Middleton Hotel at Kaiapoi. He kept a ledger and a day-book. He carried ou a skating rink business in the Volunteer Drill-shed at Kaiafjoi, and held the use of it from the threecrustees, Colonel Lean, Cap*". Whitefoord, und Lieut. Wilson. He was to put do wii a floor for rinking, and act as custodian, aud for this he was to have the use of the shed three days a week, when not required by the Volunteers, for three years. Wituess had sixty or seventy pairs second-hand skates, which he sold t>y degrees. He was unable to purchase the American ska,es, and rinking fell off in consequence, l'iie skates be bad were no use, and he sohl theni t > the Maoris. Witness bad been managing rinks for other people at Rangiora aud Amberley recently, since he had tiled. Mr Lacter applied to witness for the keys of the dallsnad, bat he could not give them up as lie was custodian for the Volunteers. There was no skating in the shed from the. time witness nled in Feornary till June of ißsd.

Cross-examined by Mr Kippenberger— The total value of the _kac.es was auout £70. Witness Had no account of the sale of skates. He sold them by dribs and drabs, sometimes getting ls aud sometimes 2s pr pair. 'Die llooring of the shed cose £100, and witness did not know that he could not get a title. Witness did not know ttiat Colonel Lean was in favor of the sale of witness' interest to Mr Archer. The third trustee told him Colonel Lean would not consent. Witness sold his old skates to boys aud Maoris. The statement of assets and liabilities showed tnaj the liabilkies were £341, and the a.sets £7i3.

By his Honor—An action for _100 went against witness for au .old purchase of laud, aud v. had to die. Tnat made this ■ ; x'oililijs larg-r. Witness had dealt with F.-uerty and Buddie, and Wood, S-iand and Co., for some considerable period. Witness lost about £100 by the catering for th.: Ritl_ Association meeting at Hillsoorougti. E. C. Latter, Official Assignee, deposed that the nooks were very incomplete, and while they contained some information they did not contain enough. There was no means of striking a balance.

His Honor said he wished to imp.ess on publicaus, as well as others, tbat they must, when doing business, keep books, however suiali it mi_,hc be. He thought it was necessary in this case, though no fraud was imputed, to impose some penalty as a warning to others. The discharge would bttsu-ip-uded for six months. DISCHARGES. Orders ot discharge wera granted as under:—Re. William Baxter (Mr H. N. Nalder), Mills (Mr Stringer', G. H. Pierce {Mr Stringer).