WITNESS WARNED.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 17 August 1928, Page 6

WITNESS WARNED.

RELUCTANT TO GJVE EVIDENCE,

EXAMINATION IN BANKRUPTCY. Warnings that failure to give evidence as required would result ni committal to prison were given by Mr. J • S. Barton, S.M„ in the Hawera Court yesterday afternoon, when the public examination was resumed' concerning financial affairs of John August Borchart, formerly engaged in terming at Ngaere, who was adjudged bankrupt on May 19. The examination had been adjourned from August 2 in order to give bankrupt s _ wile. Harriet Borchart, an opportunity ot presenting a statement showing the disposal of £343 which she was said to have received at the end of April. When the examination of bankrupt’s wife was resumed yesterday by Mr A. T\. NoTth on behalf of the D.0.A., M's. Borchart appeared reluctant to give answers to counsel s questions. , ••It’s my own hard-earned money began witness, who was interrupted with an intimation from the magistrate that if the questions were not answered he would have to certify that satisfactory explanation had been lacking and bankrupt would then have to go to the Supreme. Court. “If you refuse to give the information it can only end in your going to gaol till you do so,” said the magisWitness: I have about £IOO left. Mr. North: Where is it? —Witness: It is in safe keeping in my possession. Answering further queries as to the balance, witness said slm had paid away one sum of £6O. . Mr. North: To whom did you pay that?—Witness: I promised I would not give the name of the person. Its quite enough having me here without bringing my friends into it. Under further pressure from Mr. North and the magistrate, witness finlly stated the £6O had been given in repayment of a loan made by Airs. Brisco. • Bankrupt was recalled, but was dismissed from the witness box aftei stating: he had no knowledge oi what his wife did with her money. “I have paid £lO to my son,” said Mrs. Borchart in further evidence. “The rest went in living expenses. The magistrate: Can you' recover anv of the money paid away ? » itness: No. We’ve paid £IOOO off the farm, and now you want us to account for every pound. Replying further to Mr. North, witness said the £6O paid to Airs. Brisco had been to repay a loan made to witness late last year and early this year. A portion of the loan had been used to pay £35 to the State Advances Department. Airs. Brisco was the wife of the man to whom her husband had sold the stock mentioned in earlier evidence. No interest had been paid on the loan. Other payments of £69 to her husband, £2O to the hospital, and £6 for moving expenses were admitted by witness. Examined by bankrupt’s counsel, Air. E. S’. Rutherford, witness said that living expenses for herself and her husband for three months had come out of the money she received. A number of small accounts had been paid. It would cost about £l2- a month for them to live. When the evidence was read over to her witness said that on. the nrevions court day she did. not willingly make the statement that she had spent the £3OO in three weeks.