COMMERCIAL AUCKLAND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 29 October 1928, Page 8

COMMERCIAL AUCKLAND

A "CLEANING DP” PROCESS

SPEEDY BANKRUPTCY

(By Telegraph—Special to “The Mail")

AUCKLAND, 271 b October

Remarkable zeal on the part of a trading lii'm lb “clean up” the commercial condition of Auckland, was express-, ed in the course of a case dealt with by Mr Justice Smith in bankruptcy .jurisdiction of Ihe Supreme Court yesterday. The case was one in which Builders’ Supplies, Ltd., petitioned for adjudication of J. A. Mason, builder, as bankrupt- , Evidence was given by Charles Booth, accountant to the petitioning creditor, proving the existence of an unsatisfied judgment, of £35 5s against the respondent. In cross-examination the <wilness said that it was the usual practice of his firm in the recovery of debts to petition for the bankruptcy of the debtor when the judgments were not met promptly and no security was available. His Honour: “How long has . the debtor been dealing with, the petitioning creditor?” Witness :“About seven years.” “And do you say that when anybody owes you money and you are not paid promptly you proceed to have that person made bankrupt?' “Only when judgment has not been satisfied and there is no security.” Mr Purser, for the petitioner, said that his client's idea, was that such people were a menace to the hardware merchants and timber millers. They went on getting deeper and deeper into the mire and finally “staged one magnificent crash.” Were they put out of business earlier a lot of money'would be saved, to the general merchants of the city. His Honour: “You arc acting, so to speak, in a sanitary way?” Mr Purser: “Yes; something on the lines of Commissioner Hay.” His Honour: “In that he meant to clean up Auckland?” Mr Purser: “Yes. Htj, is doing it morally; wo are doing it commercially.” llis Honour reserved judgment