Bankrupt Vicar

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 175, 27 July 1938, Page 10

Bankrupt Vicar

DEBTS £397, ASSETS NIL LONDON, July 0. A clergyman who has been a New Guinea missionary, an Army chaplain and a Transvaal mining parson, found difficulty in living on £423, bis stipend and fees as vicar of St. Paul’s, Haggerston, London. After a time he gave up the struggle and lived at the rate of £I2OO a year. The Rev. Wilfred Henry Abbot suffered the usual fate of those who persist in spending beyond their income. Ho found himself in the Bankruptcy Court. The 71-years-old vicar explained to tho Official Receiver, his liabilities of £397 and his lack of assets. 4 ‘lt eo.st me about £I2OO a year to live there,” ho said. “Your personal expenses have been about £ll a week. You have lived very comfortably*” countered the Official Receiver. 44 0 h, yes, very delightfully,” boomed the vicar, who said he took in lodgers—young men from a London hospital—and charged them 28s a week. 44 1 looked after them too well and lo*t money,’* he said. Later tho vicar went to hospital for an operation. 44 1 was very ill at the time,” he said, 44 and was removed from tho common ward, where I was entitled to free treatment, to a private cubicle. When I came out I owed the surgeon £6O for fees.” Mr Abbot agreed that he had made no attempt to pay the surgeon, and that judgment was obtained against him in January. To this, among other 4 hings, he attributed his insolveaev.