Bankruptcy

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 5091, 29 September 1891, Page 1

Bankruptcy

IN RE JONAS HARTLEY. A meeting of creditors in the above estate was held in tlie Courthouse yesterday afternoon. The Deputy-Official Assignee presided. Mr Harvey appeared for bankrupt. To the Assignee, bankrupt (sworn): There was a transaction between myself and Messrs Barclay and Foot, auctioneers (Waimate), with reference to some sheep. I bought 120 head from that firm. I paid 8s 4-id per head. The date was about the 16th June, 1891. I sent 80 odd of the sheep to Dunedin through the medium of the N.Z.L. and M.A. Co. The remainder, less five lost, were sold to Mr D. Dunn through Messrs Fleming and Hedley. I owed the Loan Co. money, and a portion of the proceeds went to pay their account. I lifted a balance of LIS. I received no money for the sheep sold to Mr Dunn, as I owed Messrs Fleming and Hedley money and the proceeds went towards liquidating that debt. I received no account from Fleming and Hedley till about a fortnight ago. There appears from their account now rendered to be a balance of LlO against me. I have only received Lls cash for the sheep received from Barclay and Foot. I scarcely know what 1 did with the LIS. I did not pay accounts with it. The sheep sold in Dunedin averaged about 9s per head. It costs about 6d a head to send sheep to Dunedin. I bought the sheep from one firm and allowed other firms to sell them and apply the proceeds to the liquidation of tlieir accounts, but gave no instructions to do so. I never received any offer for the sheep after they were purchased from Barclay and Foot. I received a letter from a man in Waimate asking what I would take for the sheep, but took no notice of it. as I did not consider he would give a price for the sheep. I do not know where the letter is. Ido not keep correspondence. Mr Barclay : The man was prepared to offer 8s 6d for the sheep. Mr Scott and myself bought 400 sheep from the Loan Company, at 12s sd, about a month ago, at the special Elderslie sale. Scott negotiated the transaction. Half the sheep were bought at auction and half privately. The sheep were to be held to the order of the Company. We were to go "halves." in the profits. Scott agreed to pay lid per head per week on 200 sheep for grazing ill my paddock. An agreement was signed about the sheep before they lefttlie yards. I have signed no other document. The sheep were sent to Pukeuri Point. We kept the sheep for about a week and Mr Burbury then said he had been advised by his solicitor to remove them. I assisted J. Johnstone to drive the sheep over to Mr Burbury's farm. I signed a document that day before delivering the sheep. I have not seen Scott since the sheep were taken away. I have had a conversation with Mr Burbury. I started to drive the sheep away in the afternoon, about 4 o'clock. Ido not know what induced me to go and see Mr Burbury at his office. Ido not recolect if anything was said about the will case. I never told anybody that Mr Burbury had said he must have the sheep back as I had lost the will case. I might have told Mr Burbury that I should have to file. I was sober at the time. I arranged with Scott that the sheep were to be sold in a month's time. I do not know where the sheep are now, nor who has bought them. I do not know to whom I am to look for payment for grazing. 1 made no charge for driving or paddocking the sheep, and gave them up without demur. I leased the paddock to Mr Burbury for a month for LlO on the day the sheep were removed. Mr Newton stated the Company would submit all the documents in the case to the Assignee, in order to show the nature of the transaction. Bankrupt continuing : I owed Mr Schluter about LBO this year. Ido not know when nor how the account was squared up. I owe Schluter something more, but do not know how much. At this stage the Assignee announced that he would go no further with the examination. It was impossible to get anything out of bankrupt, and he would take the matter to another place. In answer to Mr Crawford, bankrupt said : I have not put the leasehold at Pukeuri in the statement because no one can touch it. I have to receive L3<> for rent, which is not in the statement. To the Assignee : Mr Gray had given Messrs Fleming and Hedley a bill for rent for cropping. It was held on their own account, and 110 agreement was signed. To Mr Crawford : There is still something owing from my mother's estate. To Mr Harvey : About LOO had been left out of his statement of assets, and about L2O had also been omitted from the list of amounts owing. The meeting was adjourned sine die.