MEETING OF CREDITORS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11870, 20 April 1899, Page 2

MEETING OF CREDITORS.

RE BENJAMIN WINN. A meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of Benjamin Winn, photographer, Sydenham, was held at the Official Assign's office yesterday. Mr Bruges appeared for the debtor, and the petitioning creditor, Mr Thomas Ritchie, was represented by Mr Fisher. Mrßitchiewas the only unsecured creditor, the liability being £2lo. Besides this there was a debt ot £IOO to Mary Johnson, secured on certain property in Sydenham, the debtor s interest in which was put down as mj. Otner assets consisted in £56 worth of furniture in excess of £25 allowed by the act. ihe debtor“ in bis sworn statement, said that no was a travelling photographer, and that his apparatus was destroyed by fire three years ago, since when he had been obliged to borrow apparatus from his son. He had made over the property in Sydenham to his wife for her lifetime, after which it r verted to him if he should outlive her. About five years ago he joined and put considerable sums into a syndicate to take up and work a coal lease at Waxrere, Glentunnel. This venture, the Wanere Coal Company, had turned out a failure, although up to the time it went into liquidation he had been led to believe that it was prospering. Mr Ritchie was one of the guarantors to the Bank of New Zealand for an overdraft of £SOO. and, being the only substantial man, bad to pay it all. Mr Ritchie sued the debtor for bis share, and then made him a bankrupt on it. The bankrupt Was cxslmmcd by Air Fisher at considerable length, as to his connection with the Coal Company, and the moneys he had spent on it. his evidence, all lid had and could raise lor the last three years, had been put into the concern. The matter was finally left m the hands of the Assignee to make inquiries, and the meeting adjourned sine-die.