MEETING OF CREDITORS.

Evening Star, Issue 12843, 19 June 1906, Page 4

MEETING OF CREDITORS.

A meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of Henry Neel Mills, Henry Nee] Mills, jun„ and William Samson .Mills, trading as Mills and Sons, of Dunedin, and lately of Macraes Flat, was held this afternoon. Mr O- 0. Graham (Official Assignee) occupied the chair. Bankrupts’ filed statement showed the total indebtedness to be £lsl 14s 3d and the assets nil. The creditors (all unsecured] were Thomas Stanley, Macraes Flat, carrier, £136 18s 3d; J. M’Gregor and Co., Otago Foundry, £9 10s; and E. C. Cutten, solicitor, Dunedin, £5 ss. ; A separate statement filed by Hflmy Neel Mills, jure, showed an individual indebtedness of £44 15s and assets (furniture) £ls. In this case the creditors were 0. E. Stiffen, Macraes Flat, £3O Is 7d;. and R. B. Denraston and Co., Dunedin, £l4 Us 6dL Henry Noel Mills, sen-, made the following "statement as to the cause of bankruptcy : —“ Myself and four sons were j .working at Neathorn quartz mining and j crushing in 1897 with varying results. In | 1839 we shifted our plant to Macraes Flat to work a reef on Griffiths Bros.’ land, and wo got along fairly well until March, 1900, when the stoao gave out. ... In April, 1903, we made a verbal agreement with Mr Stanley, of Macraes Flat, about a share in an undertaking at Horse Flat, be agreeing to do all the carting and we to do the taking down and re-erecting of the plant. My credit in the bank at this time was £238 15s. We erected the plant, otc_, crushed about 200 tons of stone, washing up with result 9oz sdwt 20gr; crushed 260 tons more, resulting in lOoz lOdwt 20gr. Wc ceased operations nn November, 1903. Up till August, 1904J we tried a. few places with no better results, and in sluicing at Upper Shotover my son William and mysMf ran into debt for food to the extent of £2O. My son Henry went to Dunedin, gut an offer for the plant at Macraes, and sold it, and with the proceeds paid our debts except a balance of £9 10s due to M'Gregor and Co. We returned to Dunedin in January, 1905, and since then have sometimes been out of work for weeks. The first we heard of Mr Stanley's claim was about eight weeks ago. when X ixx»ived an account for £ISS, He pushed for it, and got judgment against ua for £136 19s 3d. " From questions put by the Assignee it was ascertained from Mr Mills, sen., that the sale of plant owned by the debtor firm realised £253 10s, while the disbursements were £253 7s lid. The sale of a house in January, 1905, brought in £125 18s 9d. Tbs figures given in both debit and credit accounts were verified by the bank book, bank receipts, etc. Mr Mills further stated, in answer to the Assignee, that the debt to Mr Stanley arose through the fact that he consented to do the carting in connection with the mining scheme at Horse Flat, while debtor and Ins sons undertook the erection of the plan*. The. labor was really an equal division. After the first washing up, Mr Stanley said they would try again. He did not put in his bill till two months ago. The Assignee: Then it was really a partnership. Hr Stanley said there was no partnership. He had paid about £BO altogether far railage and other expenses. Mr T. M. Gillies (MacGregor and Co.) said it was a peculiar thing Mr Stanley’s account had not been rendered before. The Assignee said it was hardly worth, while going into that matter. Mr Stanley had already got judgment for the amount of his claim. As the estate stood, the debts amounted to about £2OO and the assets were nib In answer to the Assignee, Mr Mills said he could not make any offer to his creditors. At the present time bo waa only earning 10s per week, Mr Gillies said his firm bad had a good many transactions with Mr Mills, and always found him honorable in business. Ho moved, to test the matter, that the bankrupt be granted his discharge. Mr Stanley dissented, and as his account was the heaviest claim against the estate, the Assignee declared the motion not carried.

Tho moating was then adjourned sins die.