AN UNFORTUNATE DEBTOR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 148, 17 March 1908, Page 4

AN UNFORTUNATE DEBTOR.

i;— " " . MEETS OFFICIAL SYMPATHY. A '.first meeting of crcdit-ors ; was to liavo boon held'in tho Official; Assignee's office yesterday in tho estate .'of William Henry Belfit, of TJppor Hutt; .ssddler, but no. creditors appeared.' - • ■ , ■' The . bankrupt's, debts, were under' £80, and thero- wore, no ; assets. The- principal unsecured .creditors', wore Messrs. Hirst' arid Co., of Kaiwarra, tanners, for £10, and. Dr. Sorlby,. of Foilding/- ; '£10 • l-7s;' The' bankrupt's written statement showed that he hid been;put to heavy exnenso. throngh illness in'.his family, and had sold his interest in' some, building sites, and nearly all, his furniture- to meet, his:, debts. ; He had Centered into, business at, Potono, and fifteen months ago, at Upper Hutt, and had reduced a number'of old accounts, but owing' to expenses : for illness ho was unable to do more. 'His "shop was now being closed down. ; - -, ' ; : ■ '

Mr. "Wobb appeared for the debtor: Tho Official' Assignee : (Sir. A. Simpson) said that ho was fairly well acquainted'with tho . caso,,, considerable correspondonc'o asking for' advice having been received from the debtor. It had beon, v witliout'doubt, 'a case of. misfortuno,, and ho thought 'that the creditors had recogiiiscd tliis in, hot appearing.

.' Several questions, wero put to tlio'bankrupt, and satisfactorily answered. , -. 1

Mr. Simpson said that, for a long time the debtor had been fighting against fate, and paying off all tlie debts he could, and it w*s very creditable to him to have paid them .off.. He wished that he; could say as much of all the, dobtors whoso affairs had oome under his notice during tho past fei?l years. In his new position of Official Assignee ho did not mean to b« sorore in casos of thio kinc]. It. was only--.iu 'cases ,whore th® law domaudod it that ha intended ta exorcisa his, powors. Mveruly. Ho had us objection to tho bankrupt applying for his dischargo at tho ond of two months. Mr. Webb thanked tha Official Assignee, on bohalf of tho debtor, for his considerate attitude towards tho case.