THE GUTHRIE REPORT.

Evening Star, Issue 10783, 18 November 1898, Page 2

THE GUTHRIE REPORT.

TO BE FILED BY THE 24th INST, At the Chambers sittii g this afternoon, before Mr Justice Ptnnefathcr, Mr Honking, on behalf of the Bank of New Zcalani), moved for directions as to having a day fixed for the filing of the liquidator’s report re the Walter Guthrie Company. Mr Hosking said that the Bank was a creditor, with liberty to attend, and it was on the Bank’s application that tho order for a repirt was made by Mr Justio Williams, a condition being that the Hank should find tho liquidator’s costa of making tho report. Iho Bank gave the necessary indemnity, end the report had, he understood, been placed in the custody of the officers of the court, iut it was not yet available. The Bank was anxious that the repot t should be on the file of the court, so as to be able to make use of it, Uis Boner: Directly it is on the files of the court it is public. Mr Hosking said that whether it was publx or not was immaterial to tho Bank. If it was public It could not be helped. His Honor: It was handed to me some time ago. Mr Woqdhouse: By the liquidator, His Honor: I considered it fair that it should be shown to the parties interested before being made public. Mr Sim said that he appeared for Mr Guthrie, who had seen (he report, and was prepating a reply, which he proposed to file, so that it might be published at the same time as the re port. The report covered a largo atea, and it would take some time to prepare the reply. It would not be ready for a few days yet, Eis Honor: There should be some limit. I think the time has come, as I intimated a few days ago, when an applicat'on was made to me (on behalf of Mr Guthrie) to see it. Of course I knew it would take some time to go from Wellington to Invercargill, but at the same time there must be a limit, and I made that intimation again about a week ago in Wellington. Mr Sim ; Mr Guthrie recognises that. Eis Bonor : Mr Guthrie has had ovn three weeks. It is four weeks since I handed it to tho parties for him at Wellington; he has had it a good three weeks at any rate, Mr Hosking said that if Bis Honor thought it essential that the other side should have the right to file a document at tho same time, so that tho two should meet the public eye simultaneously, he (Mr Hosking) would mbmit that the time ought to be fixed in which the other side ought to file. Mr Sim : We don’t object to that. The cply question is what tipm. ' His Honor; I think it ought to be a question of days now, Mr Woodhcuse; Tho liquidator leaves himself entirely in the hands of the Court. It is immaterial to him whether it is published or not. Mr Hosking i One object of urgency is that there is so little time hefore the vacation begins, and there is very little time left in which to take whatever steps may be desired by the Bank in consequence of the report.

Bis Honor: I think it ought to be filed by next Wednesday. That will give Mr Guthrie over five week?. Mr Sim: If your Honor thinks so I will en* deavor to have it done. His Honor: Perhaps I had better say that it must be filed on Thursday, the 24tb. That will give Mr Guthrie till Wednesday to file. Order: That the report be filed by the b'quidator on Thursday, the 24th November.