BANKRUPTCY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1163, 15 June 1894, Page 29

BANKRUPTCY.

District Judgo Kettle was occupied for some time on Thursday, at Palmerston North, in hearing the petition by the creditors to adjudgo Maurico Cronki, late hotel keeper, a bankrupt. After hearing voluminous evidence Cronin was adjudged a bankrupt. Mr Hawkins appeared for the creditors and Mr Bolton for the dobtor. A meeting of creditors in tho bankrupt estate of Messrs Bedell and Ward, plumbers and gasflfctcrs, was hold on Friday morning, the Oflicial Assignee presiding. Mr Bedell was not present. Tho Assignee's collector said a great many of tho book debts were worthless, some were repudiated, and in many cases there were contra accounts. Tho Oflicial Assignee said there was £l 3 17s 6d in tho hands of tho firm's solicitor, but thore were costs to come out of that amount. Ho referred to the absenco of Mr Bedell from the meeting, and said ho thought it was most insulting that ho should not be there. Mr Ward, the other member of tho firm, said there wero many things he could not explain. Mr Nowbold (Briscoe, Mac Neil and Co.) said ho did not think thero was ono penny in the estate. Ho wanted to know if Mr Bedell had any property, as he had told people he had some worth .£BOO. Eventually the meeting was adjourned until Tuesday, at 11 a.m., tho Official Assignee saying ho would summon Mr Bedell to appear. At the adjourned meeting there wore three creditors the Oiliciai Assignee presided. H. S. Bedell, examined by the Assignee, stated that the partnership began about 20 months ago, both being without capital. His hand was poisoned in March last, and ho was laid up for some time. When he got better ho was unable to get work, and he found the firm was in difficulties, so they paid off the men and called their creditors together, and offered them 10s in tho pound, spread over six months. No promises wero made to Mess<i Briscoe, Mac Neil and Co. when goods wero obtained from them in March, but subsequently ho told the firm's collector that ho would try and get some money which was owing on a contract. There was £3O odd to como to tho firm from the contract. This, with tho exception of £o still owing, was paid at the end of May, and was disbursed for wages, settling small accounts, and <£l7 was handed to Kirk and Atkinson. Tho bankrupt said that he had a wife and six children dependent on him. His wife owned a house, but the property was mortgaged for .£325, and .£4O was owing in interest. He had been bankrupt twice before. They had not kept any books. His partner tried to keep books, but could not, as the material Was so mixed lup in the different jobs. They used to i figure out how each job came out. He had never told anyone' that he had property worth .£BOO. His wife was willing to sell her property, and give the surplus over the mortgage to the creditors. R. B. Ward, the other bankrupt, said the evidence given by his partner was correct so far as he knew. He had tried to keep books, but could not get sufiicient particulars. His partner often acted independently of liim. Ho had no family. Tho Assignee thought that the debtors should pay at least 10s in the pound, and when the case came before the Judgo he would make a suggestion to that effect. The meeting adjourned sine die, Jame« Bagust, cab proprietor, was adjudicated a bankrupt on Saturday.

Amongst tho creditors in the estate of James Haig, saddler, Wanganui, are : Bank of New South Wales, £183; Butler Bros., Dunedin and Wellington, jEI7 ; Direct Importing Company, Wellington, JE2 Bs. Tho total deficiency is .£B7. The Official Assignee called a meeting of creditors in the estate of H. Rosenthal, tobacconist, for Monday morning for the purpose of considering whether he should take any action with regard to a sum of JBI7 refunded to Mr L. L. Harris after the bankrupt left tho Colony. Only one creditor attended, and the Official Assignee stated that unless a fresh resolution was carried that agreed to at tho previous meeting would have to stand, and he would therefore take no further action unless tho creditors, or a creditor, guaranteed the f>Bt». Georg© Rex, Bute street, compositor, was adjudged a bankrupt on Tuesday. A meeting of his creditors will be held on Tuesday next at 11 a.m.