SUSPECTED OF LEVANTING.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 2529, 11 September 1893, Page 2

SUSPECTED OF LEVANTING.

ARREST OF A. J. KIRK AND

NEWTON FAIRS.

On Saturday, at Auckland, A. J. Kirk, lately in business in Hawera, and Newton Fairs, a bankrupt, were arrested, it being suspected that they were about to leave the colony by the mail boat leaving for San Francisco that afternoon.

In regard to Kirk, tbe circumstances are, so far as we have learned, that on Wednesday he' suddenly sold off his stock to anotber^^asineßS man in Hawera, and cashed th^ cheque, and also another for a rather l^gej amount. In the afternoon, be left Efyw^ra stating that he was going to Eltham .rito purchase a public house; thence he weut to Stratford, having made a similar statement at Eltham ; from Stratford he went to Midbirst, and on Thursday took buggy to New Plymouth, not, however, before one Hawera creditor, having followed him up, got £40 from him. In New Plymouth, Kirk was free with bis money, and, after several attempts, at last got a £50-note cashed, which he had tendered in payment for a few drinks. It was remarked by the hotelkeeper, who changed the note, on Beeiog small noteß, that there was no necessity to have put him to the trouble to cash the big note, bat Kirk is said to have replied that he wanted the noto changed, though he had plenty of other money. On Friday morning he went off by the mail steamer, Fairs, who had arrived during Thursday night, being in his company. On Friday the general body of his creditors had begun to wake up to what they deemed an unsatisfactory state of affairs, especially as that morning a bill for £80 was dishonoured at one of tbe banks. The wires were, therefore, set to work, and, at tbe instance of a Wellington firm, an arrest was made on stated in telegram below.

Fairs, as stated, arrived in New Plymouth Borne time on Thursday night, and went off to Auokland in the same steamer as Kirk. Being a bankrupt whose public examination is unfinished, and having left without giving any notice to the Deputy Official Assignee, a warrant was issued for bis arrest, and he, too, was taken into custody.