MEETING OF CREDITORS.

Evening Star, Issue 7362, 7 November 1887, Page 3

MEETING OF CREDITORS.

KB A. T. ANDBBBON. An adjourned meeting of creditors in the estate of A. T. Anderson was held this afternoon. Mr D. M. Stuart appeared for the debtor, and the Creditors present were— Messrs Crußt, Burt, Watson, S. Solomon, Gilmour, and Swan (representing Mr A. Lees). The Assignee said that the reason why he had held over the matter so lons was to give the bankrupt an opportunity of paying the LIOO whioh the oreditorsat last meeting had decided to accept for the estate. He understood that Mrs Anderson was in delicate health, and he was therefore unwilling to proceed to take the furniture, whioh was the only asset. The debtor had been unable to raise the LIOO asked, but with the assistance of friends he would be able to raise L3O, which was just the value of the furniture, less the piano, Shioh was. claimed by Miss Anderson, e (the Assignee) had examined Miss Anderson, who stated that the piano had been given to her by her father nine years ago. He might mention that Miss Anderson was still a minor, and her claim was therefore liable to be upset. Mrs Anderson also claimed a sewing machine Valued at L 3, and the same remark applied to this claim. He had settled with Mr Haggitt that he should make no claim on the estate, but would take the plant on the ground in satisfaction of his claim for rent. The L3O would of course be money down ? Mr Stuart: Yes; in cash. The Assignee : Of course, the wife makes no claim on this L3O. The Debtor : No. Mr Burt said that in the absence of Mr Lees he did not feel justified in consenting to the alteration of the motion carried at the last meeting. It was arranged between Mr Lees and himself and agreed to by the other creditors, and he thought that Mr Anderson was getting off very easily. . Mr Stuart said that that was hardly fair. Mr Lees had told him that he would not take any active steps in the matter, because he had not voted at the meeting. Mr Burt asserted that Mr Lees had voted at the meeting. Mr Solomon said that the question was how they could realise to the best advantage, and on the Assignee saying that it was unlikely that more than L3O could be got for the furniture, Mr Solomon said that it would be better to take it than to put the goods into auction. Mr Gilmour was also in favor of adhering to the resolution carried at the last meeting. Mr Burt said that if he were fully satisfied that the debtor could not pay more than L3O, he for one would be quite content to take that, but he was not so satisfied, and wanted to be convinced that Mr Anderson could not raise the LIOO. Mr Swan, who appeared as proxy for Mr Lees, said that he was of the same opinion as Mr Burt. There was far too much sentiment in these cases. The Assignee objected to that. When it was a question seriously affecting a woman's health," sentiment did honor to a man, and he would not proceed to extremities. Mr Burt thought that the Assignee had no right to say that he would not carry out any resolution the creditors arrived at, so long as they acted within the law. Mr Swan explained that he did not mean to imply that there was too much sentiment on the part of the Assignee, but on the part of the creditors.

Mr Stuart said that what was proposed was simply persecution, and if the creditors proceeded to a seizure he would advise the daughter to claim the piano and the wife to claim clothing to the value of L 25, and defy any Assignee to sell it. Mr Solomon : We would very soon stop that game. The debtor was asked how he came to be possessed of the L3O with which to make the offer, and he replied that he had obtained it from friends. If they wanted to know all about it, he might tell them that he had borrowed LlB from his servant girl's mother. [This was said with some warmth. 1 Mr Swan: Very well, this debtor is getting his back up. I will ask him where he gets money to go to the dress circle of the theatre with ? The debtor denied emphatically that he had been to the theatre. The Assignee suggested that they should adjourn till Friday, when Mr Lees would be able to attend himself. This proposal was not favorably received by some of the creditors, and the Assignee remarked that he would settle it in this way if they liked : he would sell the furniture to Mr Lees or to Mr Burt for L 35, He objected to go to that house and proceed to extremities. Mr Swan said that he was not there to buy. The Assignee: Then I will offer the furniture to either of these gentlemen for L3l. Mr Burt said that he was not in the furniture trade. Mr Watson thought the sum offered by the debtor should be accepted. The Assignee's bailiff had valued the furniture at what was offered, and it was a pity to hang up a small estate in that way. The Assignee said there was still a little soreness in his mind in reference to what had been said about his sympathy with debtors. No man in this town could accuse him of letting his private feelings interfere with the duties of his office. As to this estate, if no offer were made by to-morrow he would accept the L3O offered by the debtor. But it might be as well to have a resolution from the'creditors. Mr Watson proposed, and Mr Crust seconded—" That the realisation of the estate be left in the hands of the Assignee." Mr Burt proposed as an amendment that the resolution carried at the former meeting be adhered to. This was seconded by Mr Swan, on behalf of Mr Lees. On being put to the vote Messrs Burt, Gilmour, and Swan supported the amendment, which was declared carried. The Assignee said that it would be no use now to have an adjourned meeting. He would carefully consider his position, and would undertake to hold over further action for a week.