BAKER’S TROUBLES

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 June 1927, Page 9

BAKER’S TROUBLES

MEETING OF CREDITORS

William Turnbull Sharp, who lias been in business as a baker and confec tioner, since 1921, called a meeting of his creditors this afternoon, at the office of the Deputy Official Assignee, Mr A. Naylor, who presided. The fallowing .creditors were represented: F. Williams, A. S. Paterson and Co. (Wellington), Griffen and Smith Ltd. (J. Procter), P. Blanchfield, Greymouth ‘Evening Star’ (A. J. Wilson), Overland Dairy Co. Ltd. (T. Topliss), E. McDonnell, Kettle Bros. (Mr W. R. Kettle). Bankrupt was represented by Mr W. J. Joyce. The list of unsecured creditors toalled £462 1/-, the details being: Temuka Flour Milling Co., £B9; A. S. Paterson and Co.. £64; Royds Bros, and Kirk., £l6 10/-; Aloss Advertising Co., £11; Overland Dairy Co., £45; West Coast Farmers’ Co-op. Dairy Co. Ltd., £5O; Griffen and Smith, £45; Hodgson and Son, £23; Kennedy Bros., £23; Fred Williams, £23; Kettle Bros., £5; Bdanchfield and Quinlan, £54; M. McDonnell, £3 11/-; Rattray and Co., £lO. Book debts, £2O, were the only assets set down.

Bankrupt, in his statement, said: “I had been in business as baker in Greymouth for some years prior to October 1920, when I went to the Old Country, and returned in December 1921. I recommenced business in Greymouth about February 1922, in the"shop until recently occupied by me, with £320 stock supplied by Mr P. Blanchfield to start with. I took the shop, fittings, baker’s troughs, tins, scales, and all other bakers and pastrycook’s plant for a term of five years from Feb. 20, 1922, at a weekly rental of £4 10s. I employed two men, (1) Carter (half wages), and one shop girl at total wages of £l4 2s 6d per week. The illness and death of my wife was a great blow to me, as she assisted to a very material extent in carrying on and conducting the business, looking after the finances, and taking care of the distribution and shop work. In addition, I was seriously ill. and incapacitated from doing any work, or attending to any business for a very considerable time, and in consequence of this, the business commenced and continued to deci ease, and I experienced great difficulty in obtaining supplies, and eventually had to purchase my materials etc. in very small quantities, and had my credit stopped. I estimate that I was making a loss of over one penny a loaf on bread delivered from the cart, and this added to my difficulties. Finding I could not possibly carry on any longer I had to give up the business, and Air Blanchfield took it over from me on Alay 1, 1927 on behalf of the estate of Mr P. Quinlan, deceased, so that the shop need not be closed down, and has continued since, employing me at a salary of £6 per week. When taken over. I owned none of the plant, tools or appliances, used by me as a baker and pastrycook, as these had all along belonged to the landlord, and had been rented by me with the shop. I have four of a family all of whom are dependent on me, and regret that I can make no offer to creditors at present. Mr Kettle asked why bankrupt kept on selling bread when he was losing one penny per loaf. Bankrupt explained that he had to keep going, the loss was caused through having to pay for a man to deliver the bread. (Proceeding.)