BANKRUPTCY

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 July 1924, Page 7

BANKRUPTCY

REEFTON MINERS' FAILURE.

(Own Correipoiident.)

REEFTON, July 9. A first meeting of creditors in fhe estate of John Carter, of Reefton, gold miner, was held at the Courthouse, Reefton, yesterday, the Deputy Official Assignee presiding. Bankrupt and his solicitor (Mr E. W. Reeves) were present, also creditors representing £32 6s sd.

The bankrupt’s statement showed that he had debts amounting to £9'7 1/3, his only assets being furniture valued at £2O. He presented a statement as follows: —“About four years ago I commenced to beconie in debt owing to the way in which my wife was spending my wages. At that time I was getting £3 15/ a week at the Globe. Later I went to Big River, where lodgings cost me 25/ a week. I was then getting about 13/ a day. My wife was then spending a lot of money during my absence, in spite of my requests to her not to do so. Many accounts I knew nothing about, as often I did not see the bills. About three

year sago I adevtrised that I would not be liable for my wife's debts, but many shopkeepers still charged her'jic,counts to me, stating that they did not see my advertisement. I am now getting 17/6 a day at the Reefton Coal Co., and am unable to make enough to repay back debts. I have no property or assets at all except my furniture, no money or savings bank account, and I had to borrow the filing fee. I have a family of three, of whom the eldest is aged five years, and am shortly expecting a further addition to the family. The bankrupt was sworn, and staled as follows : —My statement produced is true in every particular. About two years ago I advertised that I would gahua Times” that I would not be re-’ sponsible for any debts contracted without my written authority. I did

not mention my wife’s name in the advertisement. I thought that by so advertising I would not be responsible for any debts contracted in my name. I was in steady work four years ago, also three years ago; I was working at the Big River then. About ..two years ago my worje -slackened 6H'. Work was very intermittent. During the past year I have worked six months at Big River and six months at the Reefton Coal Co.’s mine. The last six months I worked at Big River on contract. My monthly ekrni’igs were from £23 to £3O. My furniture cost me £26 new. 1 gave my wife an average of nothing less than £5 a fortnight. It was sometimes £7. With the balance over I paid back debts. I do not gamble, and I have not lost any money in that way. I play billiards, but that costs me practically nothing. I will produce a statement showing my receipts and expenditure for the past two years, and will also produce the receipts for such expenditure.. _I will produce to the Depunty Official Assignee this day week. My general state of health is pretty goodjmd does not interfere with my working. My reason for filing was that I was sued by Mrs Osbourne. I was afraid othercreditors would do so also. About week before filing I went round and gathered up the accounts owing by me. This was the first time I had done so. The money owing to Smeaton is for money lent me by him. I can make no offer to my creditors. The meeting adjourned sine die.