"BLACK" PAMPHLET

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1153, 14 June 1911, Page 7

"BLACK" PAMPHLET

ITS HISTORY.

TOLD AT A MEETING OF CREDITORS,

INTERESTING QUESTIONS, WHAT A SPIRITUALIST SAID 4 (By Tclceraph—Prosn Association,) Auckland, Juno 13. Tlio first meeting of creditors in tha bankrupt estate of Wra. Pierrepont Black, who for ssomo timo conducted a smolJ paper called "The Leader," and incidentally published what haTo becomo known as tho "Black" pamphlets, was to liavo boon held nt tho rooms of tho Official Assignee this morning, but tho only ono present besides tho debtor wi.e Mr, Richmond, representing Mr. E. J. Carey, of Wellington, tho principal creditor. Tho Assignee decided, for tho benefit of tho creditor represented, to put Black under examination. Bankrupt, being sworn, stated, in reply to Mr, Richmond, that up till about two years Ago ho was an auctioneer in Auckland and elsewhere. Ho was a licensed auctioneer, and hovelled with goods. Mr. KicWond: How did you couio to start n newspaper? Bankrupt: Well, I have been in tho Labour movement for over twenty-two years, and when a split took plaoo in tho "Now Zealand Worker" party—tho Political Labour League—l started tho "New Zealand Leader." Who backed you?—No one. Did you print anything besides th« paper?—Oh, yes. I printed a pamphlet abgut Ward, the Premier. I published tho matter first in the paper as a. serial. Have you any record to show what you made out of it?—Oh, yos. And showing what you have received in connection with it?— Yes. You will find' it in my books. About 20,000 copies of tho pamphlet were sold. In further reply to Mr. Richmond, bankrupt stated that ho got between X 8 and .£lO per thousand for the pamphlots. How ho came to publish tho matter was through going to Wellington, where a spiritualist and Socialist presented liim with a document, remarking in doing eo: "Black, if you aro truo to tho cause, you should publish this document." "I got a hit of a shock when I read the matter," went 011 tho bankrupt, "so I published it, and in a little while people used to como along and ask for back numbers of tho 'Leader.' I did not liavo enough in print, 60 I decided to bring it out again in tho shapo of a pamphlet."

Mr. Richmond: And you received absolutely nothing out of tho pamphlet except what you got by tho sales? —No. I did tho printing, and sold it in bulk for • about X 8 or £10 per thousand. Soma used to pay as much as .£l2 a thousand, but the averago would bo about or iljO.

Mr. Richmond: And you say that you' did not get any lump sum of money from anyono in regard to the salos of this pamphlet ?—No. I did not print them' to get any revenfle. I printed them first in tho paper. Tho Assignee: Was there any profit to you in that pamphlet at all?—No; I was giving them away in dozens. As a matter of fact workers out of work would come along and I would give them a few dozen copies of the pamphlet to sell on their own account.

"I am a canvasser for a little paper organised by my wife," continued tha bankrupt, and hp went on to 6ay thai: tho paper produced between J!2 ss. and X 2 10s. per week, of which he, as editor and canvasscr, got ss. a week for pocket m9ney. Whether his wife expected make wore than this out of tho paper he did not know.

Mr. Richmond: And do you intend to go on working for ss. a week for your wife?— Yes; I will Bo on for Iho take of the cause, but I do not say it will always be for ss. a vreok. Havo you any intention to work and endeavour to rcduco your I cannot 6co my way. Are you physically unfit?—No, but I am not used to manual labour. Then are you prepared to live on charity? The bankrupt: Look, Mr. Richmond, I don't wish to bo insulted, and I won't bo, whatever the consequences may be. You nre not entitled to ask such a question. I have mado my living in an intellectual manner, both as a journalist and as eccrotary to one of the chief lawyers in thi Dominion. The Assignee: I think, Mr. Richmond, it is a fair assumption that if a man. has arrived at middlo ago without boms accustomed to manual work ho is not fit for manual labour at that Mr. Richmond (to bankrupt): What can you offer your creditors ?-I can offer Is. a week. Before I was smashed up L offered .£lO or £15 down, and ss. a week, but the time for that has passed. Tho meeting was at this singe ad-i journod sino die, pending- instructions to Mr. Richmond from his principal. LABOUR PAPFR'S FATE, A BANKRUPT'S EXPERIENCE. Many of tho difficulties involved by all attempt to conduct a newspaper with inadequate plant and capital were experienced by William Piompont Bluok, who was adjudged a bankrupt last w<*k. Ilia liabilities incurred by the bankrupt (says the Auckland Herald") amount to X 155 18s. 2d., aud lie has sworn to having no assets. The principal creditor is Elijah J. Carey, trades union secretary, of « cllineton, whoso claim against tho estato is for XIOB. In his statement of m» position, Black soys that on July 3, 100., lie started a small weekly paper on a capital of .C2O, not as a business speculation, but as a means of spreading tho political propaganda of the Labour movement. Assisted by his wife and a friend, ho did all tho work of writing, printing, and distributing tho journal, an undertaking that involved almost super-human effort. They sustained a meagre exist* once, as the paper realised only about £a ss. per week for tho support of themselves and threw children, and finally Mrs. Black's health broke down finder the strain of the hard work, In ><ovcnibcr, 1910, while Black was in \\ aihi and Thames, an article was published that subsequently formed tho basis of a libel action, by which Mr. E. J. Carey obtained X7O damages and costs against Jj.net. This disorganised the paper. Mr. Carey executed a distress warrant, but thera was nothing to seize, as tho machinery was secured to the mortgage-holders, Messrs. Weitzcrt and Newtown. Tho liability to Mr. Carey, and the accumulation of arrears of rent, mado it impossible to carry on the paper, and Black offered to pay JtlO to .115 in cash, and tliis balance of his dobts in weekly instalments of ss. each. The proposal was not accepted, but eventually Mr. \\ oitzcrt introduced a buyer, who undertook the liability under the mortgage, part of tho arrears of rent, and some other liabilities, nnd paid Black JCI lis. Gd., as the balance of tho value of the plant. The bankrupt had no means of livelihood, so with the assistance of a few friends,, who paid for advertisements in advance, a small plant wis obtained for Mrs. Black, and a weekly paper started. A fow weeks later Mr. Carey's solicitor served another writ of sale, nnd as it was returned nulla bona, tho solicitor petitioned for tho adjudication of Block m & bankrupt. The failure of tho paper wn« attributed by tho bankrupt to the result of the libel action.