CONTRACTOR'S DEBTS

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 31, 5 August 1921, Page 3

CONTRACTOR'S DEBTS

HEAVY LOAD OF RENT.

The creditors of Leonard J. Murphy, contractor, met yesterday at the office r« r the Official Asnignee (Mr. S. Tansley). The debtor's liabilities were set out as £652 8e sd, none being secured. -The bankrupt explained Ihat his absence Mrom the previous meeting, which was adjourned in consequence, ; was due to his not having received notice of it till Ist August, three, days later. This was due to a change of address, and he had not seen the. advertisement. , Mr. H. H. Cornish appeared for the bankrupt, and said that.his failure was due to the rise in prices and the delay in delivery of materials. Last Christmas he realised that he was bankrupt, but he did not file his petition, because he hoped his brother would come to his assistance. It was not extravagant living that had* brought him into his present position. He had a wife and one child, and had never lived at the rate of more than £6 a week. He hadt contracted Ao liabilities since Christmas, 1920, having since that time been working for wages.: His only assets' were furniture and personal effects to the ■ value of £30. The .Official AKsignoe said that the: position looked lather hopeless. • The debtor was earning £6 12s a week, out of which he paid ;B2 17s 6d rent, leaving £3 14s 6d to live on. Mr. Slymon asked if he could not get . a place at a lower rent. The debtor replied that he had tried to do so, but without success. He did not see muchj chance of doing anything for his creditors at present, but he: \yould do hia best. The Official Assignee remarked that Murphy had. apparently lost on every contract ho had taken on. There were no assets at all, and the bankrupt could not make his creditors any offer.

THe meeting waa adjourned sine die.