WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9179, 20 April 1893, Page 5

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

[BY TELEGRAPH — OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Wednesday. THE PROTECTION OF CREDITORS. Mb. Justice Richmond has decided that in the cases of working men contracting largo debts, having no assets, and then coming for relief to tho Bankruptcy Court, tho bankrupts shall have the certificate of the Court suspended until they shall have contributed something towards the estate, to be divided among the creditors. The case which has supplied tho occasion for this decision was that of a night watchman at a factory, having a salary of £2 a week, who nevertheless contracted debts to the amonnb of nearly £150. Tho bankrupt said tho sickness in his family was the cause of his coming before tho Court. His Honor was of opinion that tho excuse might bo sufficient to account for the debtor being in difficulties, but it was not sufficient to justify his escaping from any payment whatever to hie creditors. Many cases of tho kind came before tho Court where people upon working wages not more than sufficient to support; them, got recklessly into debt, and came to the Bankruptcy Court) to be relieved of their obligations altogether. In tho present instance, the learned judge ordered the bankrupt to pay £40 to his creditors before his certificate could have any effect in relieving him. This is nob exactly a new rule, although it illustrates tho legal aphorism that " a good judge will enlarge his jurisdiction." The late Mr. Justice Gillies laid down a similar rule in such cases in the bankruptcy practice in the Supreme Court, but according to that learned Judge, the suspension was without condition, and the debtor had to make a fresh application for his discharge, showing cause that he had done his best to satisfy his creditors, and to furnish proof that they wore so far satisfied that they gave their assent to the order being made. INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS. The Minister of Education, considering the large amounts debited to tho parents of children in industrial schools (some of them up to £50 and £00), has resolved to appoint an officer to collect theso amounts. In the Kohimarama case, tho sum duo by the parents was over £90. It is known that several people shirk payment, although very well able to contribute. The aggregate sum of which default is made in these cases is very large. Tho ofltcor appointed to carry out the decision of the Minister is Mr. A. Thompson, formerly a police inspector at Oamaru. MRS. MAIR. Most people havo soon tho art works of this lady [nee Sperry) at the exhibition" of pictures in various parts of the colony. She is the wife of Mr. Gilbert Mair, ono of the native interpreters in tho House of Representatives, and daughter of Mr. Sperry, the lato Commissioner of Taxes. It is stated that she lies dangerously ill at Blenheim. She had to undergo an operation which, it is believed, has not had the favourable result expeoted. THE RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS. Mr. J. P. Maxwell goes South this ovening on a tour of inspection of tho Southern railways. I understand that tho Chief Commissioner, who has been invited by the Committee of Railway experts to visit tho Chicago Exhibition, is unable through pressure of his official duties, to accept the invitation. SALMON OVA. The largo shipment of salmon ova just arrived by the s.B. Kaikoura (180,000) is to bo distributed in Southern water?.