AN IMMIGRANT'S TROUBLES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14133, 7 August 1909, Page 6

AN IMMIGRANT'S TROUBLES.

A LABOURER'S BANKRUPTCY.

A meeting of creditors in the estate of Francis Albert Collett, of Aria, labourer, was convened to bo held at To Kuiti yesterday afternoon. The liabilities to unsecured creditors amount to £58, and the assets, consisting of cash in hand, are £3, leaving a deficiency of £55. ' There arc only two creditors, William Hepry Collett, of To Kuiti, farmer, to whom is due £27 4s, and William Eiles Collett, of Aria, farmer, to whom the bankrupt owes £30 16s. The bankrupt in his statement says that some 14 months ago ho came to New Zealand from England without any money. He worked his passage out, paying no fare and receiving no wages, and went straight from Auckland to To Kuiti, and then to Aria. His brother and he agreed to work together, and took up post-splitting work. This, however, merely paid their way, and so after a fortnight they gave it up, and took on bushfelling. They worked in this way at different occupations until November, when the bankrupt left his brother, fully under the impression that he did not owe him more than four weeks' board, as they had always paid accounts out of their joint cheque, and then divided up the balance equally between them. .In December last bankrupt's brother sued him for 17 weeks' board at £1 per week, and obtained a judgment with costs, although bankrupt defended the claim. Bankrupt, at the same time, sued his brother for £6, money lie alleged was owing by his brother to him, on the last month's work, but judgment went in his brother's favour, with costs. Bankrupt was at this time contracting on the roads with another party, and continued to do so until the end. of February or the beginning of March. From that time up till the presont. bankrupt had been doing odd work. He had since his arrival in New Zealand been sending his wife £3 per month, and the amounts so 6ent, together with his expenses, both living and legal, amounting in all to £42, represented all the money he had earned. Bankrupt attributes his bankruptcy to the Court cases. He states that ho "was forced to file his petition owing to a judgment order against him for the payment of £3 per month, with the provisions of which ho could not see his way to comply. '