DEBT COLLECTING.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12866, 26 July 1907, Page 4

DEBT COLLECTING.

REFERENCES IN MAGISTRATE'S COURT. Before proceedings commenced at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, Mr Salter said that he would like to mention a matter which he thought should be brought before the Court, in the interests of the public. It was in connection with what appeared to be an official document headed, "Intention to proceed in the local Court without further notification." Unless payment of a debt was made to the firm mentioned a threatening announcement was made that the debtor would be dealt with under Section 87 of the District Courts Act. Across the document ■was printed in large red letters, "Registered G.B. 9163," while in the corner was a hieroglyphic, supposed to represent .the Court seal. The document etated that payment could be made to the '*Prade Protection Association," but he happened to know that the pirticular firm to whom the lady who had received this document was in debt, had not issued any instructions to the Trade protection Association to collect the debt. The document was sent to the lady's place of business, unsealed, and could have been read by anybody. She had been extremely annoyed about the matter, especially when lie had informed her that it was not a genuine Court summons, because she had already paid him a third of the amount owing. Hβ thought that it was only right that publicity should be given to the facts. Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., said that this was not the first time such a document had Wn brought under his notice. Some time ago the Chief Clerk of the Court received a suni of money, accompanied by one of ftheso summonses, in payment for the debt mentioned therein. The person who received the "summons" and forwarded it to the Court had evidently been under the impression that it had been a process of the Magistrate's Court. * * n acco . m P a nying the document stated that the sender objected to payingfcthe fees. He had on that occasion instructed the Clerk to return the money, as the matter was in no way connected with the Court. Another person called at the office, under the assumption that tho "documont" was issued by the Court, and had proffered money in settlement, but, of course, it wifs not acoepted ' Continuing, Mr Bishop said that unless Mr Salter inferred that some eoliJF* ros P° na 'ble for or connected with this matter, the Court could not deal with it. But if it oould be shown tnat c member of the legal profession was connected with it, it would be a m T J?? tho Law Society to deal with. Tins document woe a notice of intention to proceed in the local Court without further notification. Looking at it, the intention and motive app<>ered to be to convey threats to credulous people, and it waa issued in leeal verbiage to further this. Only for the fact that siraikr documents had given trouble to the Court officials before he would not have taken notice of it. ' Hβ did not think that any respectable firm wouJd have been a party to such a thing, as there vaa a proper and dignimfied way of recovering debts. He did not know whether the documents were stocked by some.printers or whether it was the work of some witless individual, probably with more time than brains.

In reply to a question Mr Salter said that no instructions were given to the Association to collect the debt duo to the firm, and he could not account for the Association taking action. ♦u" 1^ " V*7 i , ra P r °P« r thing," added the Magistrate, "and the document was sent in a very improper way, but no doubt you will have due publicity given to tie matter."