AN OHAU BANKRUPTCY.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 22 May 1928, Page 4

AN OHAU BANKRUPTCY.

CHINESE MARKET GARDENER. Tlio affairs of Young Man, a Chinese market gardener, 'late of Ohau, and now of Wellington, occupied the attention of the Official Assignee (Mr S. Tansley) at Wellington on Monday morning. The total debts were stated at £237 16s 2d, and the assets, comprising tools and stock in trade, at Ohau, £2O. A horse and sacks were also mentioned as possible assets, but the value was regarded as doubtful. '-Mr J. MacDuff appeared for the debtor. The principal creditors (unsecured) were: W. Bull, Ltd., £2O 10s 2d; Parker and. Vincent, Ltd. (Levin), £46 11 3 7d; Market Gardeners, Ltd., £3O; D, Bowie and Co., £35 19s 3d; Wall On and Co. £52 3s 9d. ;

In his sworn statement, debtor said that for three years prior to May, 1926, he was carrying on business as a market gardener at Otaki. The last season was a bad one, exhausting his capital and leaving him only his tools and implements. Two firms, D. Bowie and Co., and G. Thomas and Co., each, advanced him £SO to enable him to take up the garden on which he was working at present, a five-acre ground at Ohau, at £l2 10s per acre. The first crop was mostly potatoes, which was not a good one, owing to the dry weather, and cabbages and cauliflowers were destroyed by moth. He repaid G. Thomas and and in the next year some of his countrymen advanced him small sums, and Market Gardeners, Ltd. gave him credit for seed. This year the potato crop was a failure, and he had to file his petition. His expenses for the garden had been kept’down to the minimum, and his living expenses were never more than £1 a week. His failure was due to losses on account of the bad seasons, land his age and health did not allow him to put the work into the farm. He was now working for relations for his keep. The services of an interpreter were called upon, and the debtor corroborated particulars as given and the examination was concluded.