THE "SMART SET."

Mataura Ensign, 16 January 1914, Page 5

THE "SMART SET."

FIGURE IN COURT. PEH UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION WELLINGTON, Jan. 15. Walter George, a public entertainer and partner with Mr Maynard Dakin in the company of travelling entertainers known as "The Smart Set," was | proceeded against_ before Mr J. S. , Evans, S.M., on a judgment summons by J. and N. Tait. The amount of the 1 claim was £143, for the balance of J passage money from South Africa to J Australia. The creditors set out that the defendant was "about to leave New Zealand without paying such debt, and with the intent to evade payment. Mr M. Luck in appeared for the judgment creditors and Mr T. M. Wilford for the defendant. In his statement the defendant said that Mr Dilkin had financed the company's passage from Australia to New Zealand. Up to the time of the judg- . ment he had drawn £5 a week; since J then he had received £7 weekly. After ] the "judgment, witness had paid £2 1 weekly to the solicitor at Dunedin for J. and N. Tait. Since October 14 he had drawn £122. On October 13 he sent all the money he had in hand to his wife and daughter in England. Since that date he had sent £26 Home. Altogether, lie had paid out £64 to his family and J. and N. Tait since the judgment, leaving him £57 to pay his , living and travelling expenses. The company was working its present sear 1 ; son with the Wellington Opera House t Company on the basis of two-thirds' of the gross receipts. On Monday he and Mr Dakin received their share of the proceeds some £36, on Tuesday £37, and on Wednesday £3B. Anticipating that evening's receipts, their share of the season's receipts would amount to | about £146, out of which expenses to I the amount of £lO6 had to be paid. They had been in New Zealand 301 weeks, and had paid every single debt contracted during the tour. The deibt was incurred as money advanced as fares for the company from South Africa to Sydney. He had not the slightest intention of leaving New Zealand with the intention to defraud his creditors. He was returning to Tasmania to-morrow. It was a lie and a canard that the company intended to visit Japan or China. The partnership between" himself- and Mr Dakin would cease at Wellington. To Mr Luckie: The tour at Christclrarch had resulted: in a loss. Excluding himself and Mr Dakin, the weekly salary list totalled £65 for a company of eight. Mr Daktn, in the . course of his evidence, stated that the • company had an agreement to convey : its members back to Australia, and t there was sufficient money for the purpose. No order was made.