SON’S ACTION

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 January 1934, Page 2

SON’S ACTION

MOTHER MADE BANKRUPT.

BRISBANE, January 3

“It seems a dreadful thing,” said lhe Chief Justice (Sir James Blair), when. Walter Charles Clifford, of Kar-toum-street, Brisbane, a. carter, applied for a. sequestration, order against lhe estate of his mother, Lena. Elizabeth Clifford, of Clayfield. The amount of the debt, was £556.

Mr. P. K. Copley, who appeared for the son, said that both he and the solicitor had had misgivings about accepting - the case.

The Chief Justice: The petitioner is actually making his mother bankrupt. Mr. Copley said he recognised that it was very undesirable for a son to take such action against his mother. The facts were that the petitioner had advanced the money to give the mother a home, but other members of the family were receiving benefits from his generosity, to which he considered they were not entitled. The Chief Justice: Then it is a family feud? Mr. Copley said it was more than that. The mother was originally prepared to sign a mortgage, but she had not done so. The Chief Justice: Was the £550 lent unsecured in one sum?

Mr. Copley: Yes, to pay a deposit on the home, and to pay other debts for the mother at. the time.

In granting the sequestration order, the Chief Justice said: “I have to do my duty under the Bankruptcy Act, butl urge the son to avoid, if possible, taking extreme or drastic action on this order.”