Chinese Gardener Blames Butterfly for Crop Failure

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 168, 19 July 1935, Page 10

Chinese Gardener Blames Butterfly for Crop Failure

NO ASSETS TO OFFER TO UNSECURED CREDITORS

Unsecured debts totalling £614, ■with assets of only £Bl, -were shown by So Wing, trading as Wing Lee, a Foxton market gardener, who appeared before the D.O.A. (Mr C. E. Dempsy) yesterday afternoon. Only one creditor, Messrs Barraud and Abraham, was represented. Mr J. M. Gordon appeared for bankrupt.

Tho creditors, and the amount of indebtedness to each, were: —Laory and Co. (Wellington), auctioneers, £215; Barraud and Abraham, Ltd (P.N.), £4O; .Palmerston North City Council, £45; Mr Robinson (Foxton), his landlord, £SO; Mr Barber (Himatangi), £l3; Foxton Meat Co., £l7; Market Garden Auctions (Wellington), £5; W. E. E. Chong Wing (Wellington), £l2; Teddy Wing, £10; Gee Wah Kec, £ls; ICeong Wah Chong, £S; Chen Yeng, £10; Joe Lee Wah, £2l; Chong Wah (Foxton), £7O; Mrs So Wing (his wife), £4O; Jack Irwin (Foxton), £2O; Newmarket Seed Co., £ls; Townsend and Paul (Wellington), auctioneers, £3; George Thomas (Wellington), auctioneers, £5.

The estimated value of the assets was: Three horses, £SO; three carts, £10; car, £10; plough, discs and harrows, £ll. In a sworn statement, bankrupt said: —“My name is So Wing, and I am commonly known as Wing Lee, and also as Hing Wing. I have been carrying on business for many years as a market gardener, and for some years I was fairly successful and could pay my way. In the last three years business has been very bad and I have gradually fallen into debt. In particular, last year tho wholo of my crop failed, largely duo to tho ravages of the white butterfly, and this has meant that I am not able to pay my creditors and I Lave had no option but to hi'o my petition in bankruptcy. Had my crops been reasonably successful last year, it w r ould not havo boon necessary for mo to filo my jjetition.”

It was that tho assets shown were really secured to Laery and Co., so that thcro was little prospect of a dividend being paid. Asked what ho was doing now, So Wing said he was still living on the garden, but tho garden had nothing on it. He was draining tho property in the hope that someone might give him the chanco of a fresh start. lie had two children in China and four in New Zealand; ho had sent no money to China for some years. Unless assisted back to business, he would have to look for work. Tho meeting was adjourned sine die.