THE DEBTOR'S COURT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 145, 25 July 1914, Page 11

THE DEBTOR'S COURT.

SCARCITY OF CASH.

COST OF LIVING.

The usual interesting, if pathetic, procession of judgment debtors passed before the Stipendiary Magistrate (Mr H. W. Bishop), this morning, and made .their excuses, acceptable and unacceptable, for not paying their bills. TWO HOMES. In the case R. D. Adams (Mr O. T. J. Alpers) v. W. Blake, the judgment debtor said that he was earning £2 10/- per week. He had a wife and three children to maintain. He boarded at Lyttelton, and paid £1 a week. The Magistrate: No order. Mr Alpers: There might be a small order.

The Magistrate: Not on £2 10/- a week and two homes and a wife and family. A PAYABLE PROPOSITION.

J. Henderson and Co. asked for an order against Henry J. Roberts, on a debt of £4 12/7. Mr Williams appeared for the judgment creditor. Roberts said that he was a labourer at Sheffield, and that his average earnings had been 25/- a week for the past three months. He was a married man, with two children.

The Magistrate: No order. The same debtor had been summoned by Ridley and Company, who wanted an order for £3 8/10.. Mr Williams did hot press the case. The Magistrate: Did this man get two sets of conduct money! Mr Williams: Yes. The Magistrate: Well, that seems to be coming it pretty strong. It will pay him to come to town on those terms. I don't think you have any remedy. A BIG CREDIT. J. and A. W. Munnings applied for an order against H. J. Gwatkins, the amount of the debt being £27 12/11. Mr Rowe appeared for the creditors. The judgment debtor said that he got 9/- per day off and on. He had no property; was married, with three children. The Magistrate: There is £24 17/11 here for groceries. How do they come to give credit to a labouring man to that extent? I would not have the cheek to ask for £24 credit from a grocer myself. Mr Rowe: The kindness of their hearts, I suppose. The Magistrate: Yet they call me hard-hearted when I don't make an. order. No order. * A DIAMOND RING.

Brown and Henton (Mr Rowe) asked for an order against George Waite, who owed £9 8/-.

The judgment debtor said that -he was a newsagent. He was not a married man, ,but he had to support the three children of his brother.

Mr Rowe: Do you possess a valuable diamond ring? —I don't think son.

Have you a diamond ring?—l have it on now. It is not valuable.

Could you not sell it and pay your debts?—lt is not my property. The debtor added that his average earnings were 30/- a week, and all his money went to the home. The Magistrate: No order. A TAXI EXCURSION. A. H. Finch, for whom Mr Salter appeared, asked for an order against Henry MeCausland. Mr Mosley appeared on behalf of a friend of Mc L Causland.

The creditor said that late on a Saturday night MeCausland engaged his taxi to take him to Leeston. He said that there -was plenty of money there to pay h}m, but on arrival at the destination he vanished, and left his, driver lamenting. MeCausland is very deaf. The oath had to be written out for him, and he read it

The Magistrate ordered the amount to be paid, iu default three days' imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended if payments were made at the rate of 10/per week. "A. TRIP TO ENGLAND. In the case of F. D. Kesteven v. C. W. Markham, Mr Leathern appeared for the judgment creditor, who wanted an order for £33 3/-.

The judgment debtor said that owned 24 acres at Marshland, subject/ff' a mortgage. He «had about £2OO in the property, and could not sell it. He explained that he did not personally get the money from Kesteven, and that the man for whom he signed the promissory note owed him a similar amount. The Magistrate said that he hail nothing to do with that. . Mr Leathern examined the debtor as to a trip to England, and finally asked for an adjournment for eight weeks, so that he could enquire into the position of the property. *,, Mr Rowe remarked that Mr Leathern would only be throwing his money away i if he expected anything from the property. The Magistrate said that he was not concerned about Mr Leathern's money, and he squashed a mixed discussion by granting the adjournment. * OTHER CASES. In the case Ernest Braid (Mr Rowe) v. 11. Flavell, claim £2 "3/9, an order was made for immediate payment, in default 48 hours' imprisonment. F. D. Kesteven (Mr Leathern) applied for an order against F. C. Hoole, on a debt of £3O 3/-. The judgment debtor said that he was earning 9/- per day, and was paying rent at 11/- per weeK. He had a wife and two children.

The Magistrate: There is no margin there. No order.

In the ease Bell Bros. v. F. Leskhe, Mr Cuningham appeared for the claimant on a debt of £l3 17/6. The debtor did not appear. "Mr Leathern remarked that there was a previous order out against the debtor. The Magistrate said that that had nothing to do with him. An order was made for immediate payment, in default 14 days' imprisonment.