PAINTER'S BANKRUPTCY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20628, 29 July 1930, Page 7

PAINTER'S BANKRUPTCY.

SHORTAGE OF WORK BLAMED. OPPOSITION TO DISCHARGE. " Bankrupt's statements are not altogether satisfactory and I think tile case is one in which he should not receive his discharge until lie has made a reasonable effort to pay his creditors," said the official assignee, Mr. P. W. Watters, when a meeting of creditors was held yesterday to consider the affairs of Allan Lawrence, painter, of Devonport. According to bankrupt's schedule his unsecured liabilities amounted to £7O 15s, while there were no assets.

Bankrupt stated that on May 19 an order was made against him on a judgment summons for £sl, and he suid his application for a rehearing had been refused. Apart from the order his other debts totalled about £2O. For the past three years ho had been unemployed mote often than he had been working. In. May, 1923, lie went to Paeroa on a contract to carry out painting, but after he had worked on one house for two, days it was burned and he lost all his materials. He returned to Auckland aik! since October, 1928, lie had obtained very little work. In February he. joined the Samoa police force, but was discharged on March 24, when it was disbanded. He was single and was at present working in the Waikato.

" 1 attribute my bankruptcy to hard times and a shortage of work in the past 12 months," concluded Lawrence. At present lie was working for £4 19s a week, but he did not know if he could return to his employment. " Yo;i are a single man and say you owe only £7O What offer can you make ?"• asked tlie assignee " Nothing." replied Lawrence. " I do not know if I t-liall be working in tho near future or not." " When judgment was given against yon, why did you not defend the action?" asked Mr. George, who appeared for one of the creditors. " The case was heard at Paeroa and I did not have the money (o go," replied bankrupt, who denied -that lie had rocived £6O in cash before he left Paeroa. He admitted that an account for materials supplied by an Auckland firm had been overlooked and was not in the schedule and that he owed a further £9. A motion that bankrupt s discharge should be opposed until lie was in a position to make an offer to Ins creditors was carried unanimously.