BLIND MAN’S SKILL

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 18 January 1935, Page 4

BLIND MAN’S SKILL

WIRELESS STATION OWNER SUIT AGAINST MONEYLENDER “NOT A TALK TKIANSACTICN. ’’ SYDNEY, Jan. 11. The only blind operator in the world of a wireless transmitting station is Erancis Bridgewater, of Moore Dark, Sydney. Ill's station is VK2ZO, and no designed ami built it and now owns and controls it. He turns a switch here and there and selects records fiom a large stack with the deftness of a mail in possession ol lull sight, lie came into prominence recently because he was the claimant in a moneylending suit, judgment in which was delivered this week. Probably there is no more cheerful blind man than Mr. Bridgewater in the world. His philosophy is : ‘'l don t give myself a chance to miss anything L don’t want to.” • He has travelled the world, slaved in poverty, and enjoyed life in affluence. He is only 25. At 1(1 he came to Australia from London, where his people were well-to-do. to learn farming. He became ail expectant heir to more than £5600 from his grandfather’s estate, and a smaller sum from his lather s. Both his grandfather and father have been associated in the ownership of a London financial newspaper. At the end ol his resources, he borrowed £2002 from Mr. Bertram Murray, a Sydney moneylender. and had an extravagant trip abroad. Two years ago an ammonia explosion blinded him. Within a fortnight of coming out of hospital. Mr. Bridgewater was engaged in many afwhich he had dene when he had his .sight. He performed the complicated construction of his wirojess Station. and fur a living built and sold radio sets. INTEREST IN TWO ESTATES. Evidence was given that Mr Biidgewater gave one Murray, a moneylender as security, his interests .amounting to more than £7000) in the two estates in return for a loan of £2160 (including 30 per cent, interest for six months). Six months later he assigned, 1‘ for £l2-5 cash and release from certain charges, his equity in his grandfather s estate and his interest ill his father s estate up to £IBSO. Ihe total actual cash received from Murray was £lB7-5. Mr. Bridgewater sought to set aside as unconscionable certain of the transactions with Murray. The Judge. Sir John H irvey, said that by March. 1925, Mr. Bridgewater owed Murray £2160. Murray had received advice from England which must have shown that there was considerable doubt - about the construction of the grandfather’s will, and that any interest under the father's will, was contingent on Bridgewater surviving the age of 27. The latter went to Eng-' land and on his return asked Murray for more money. Having become anxious about the security. Murray refused, but made an offer for Mr. Bridgewater’s equity. He gave him £125 in cash, and released him from the existing mortgage of £2160 and charges.

REMARKS BY THE JUDGE. The total consideration was £lB-1 in exchange for Mr. Bridgewater’s equity in the grandfather’s estate, in addition to his interest in his father’s estate up to £ISSO. The principal question, said the Judge, was whether the securing of the assignment of the equity could be set aside a s an unfair dealing with an expectant heir. His conclusion was that the transaction could not stand. The sum of £lB4 was insufficient for Air. Bridgewater’s equity, and the transaction was not a fair deal. Sir John Harvey did not think any case could have been made for a reduction of the interest at 30 per cent, in view of the nature ol the interests, the fact that Mr. Bridgewater’s home was in England, and that the loan was to enable him to return there, and that, l’or all Murray knew, he might never see him again. The Judge decided that- Air. Bridgewater was liable only for the sum which Murray, now dead, had advanced to him, with interest fixed by the Court. The decision meant a difference of several thousand pounds to Air. Bridgewater.