PETITION IN BANKRUPTCY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3098, 30 July 1913, Page 53

PETITION IN BANKRUPTCY.

A STOXT SHIXG ADM ISBIOX. UXIOX OFFICIAL’S ATTITUDE. AUCKLAND. July 28. James Collet, late secretary of the Water* side Workeis' Union, has tiled a petition in bankruptcy, and a meeting of creditors was hold to-day. In the statement made to the official cssgme the bankrupt said: “I have filed a petition in bankruptcy owing to the fact that I am unable to pay my debts, and that, two writs of sale have been issued against me in connection with two unsatisfied judgments obtained against mo in the Supreme Court ar Auckland a few weeks ago for £97 13s and £72 respectively. I lave no means of paying these judgment* o: the costs (£73 18a sd) claimed by my solicitors over these cases, and I can make no offer. I am a wharf labourer, 46 years of age, and it lakes me all my time to earn enough to pay for food and clothing for myself and those dependent on me.” Judgment against Collet was obtained by two men who were Jim d by the union aud then prevented from obtaining work a* waterside workers because of alleged irreg'Jlaritis in obtaining employment Collet was secretary of the union at the time, and judgment went against him in the Supremo Court for the sums mentioned Bankrupt, in answer to a question, admitted that he did not wish to see the two men paid the amount of the judgments, and only filed in order to escape the payments. This was the reason, also, why he had made no effort to get the union to accept the liability. When lie was served with the writs he did not mention the mat ter to anyone on the union executive At tills stags t’ne meeting was adjourned sine die.