BANKRUPT BUILDER.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1924, Page 10

BANKRUPT BUILDER.

DEBTS TOTAL £1644,

CAN MAKE NO OFFER, MORE DETAILS ASKED FOR. With financial obligations amounting to £1644 9s Bd, which he could not meet, Albert Lionel Hains, builder, of New Plymouth, appeared before the Deputy-Official Assignee (Mr. J. S. S. Medley) yesterday afternoon, having filed his petition in bankruptcy. After bankrupt had been examined by the D.O.A. and cross-examined by counsel for some of the creditors, it was resolved to adjourn the meeting pending the lodging of a more detailed statement of accounts and contracts. Bankrupt attended the meeting in person and was represented by Mr. A. A. Bennett. Creditors present or represented were: Messrs. A. Cassie (Smith and Cassie), W. G. Reid (Sash and Door C 0.),, E. Clow (Clow and Buckley), W. N. Stephenson, A. K. Smart, L. M. Moss (C. Moore) and F. E. Wilson (Smart Bros.) THE CREDITORS. The unsecured creditors, as set out in bankrupt’s schedule, were as follow, all being from New Plymouth except where otherwise -stated: New Plymouth Sash and Door Co. £426 14s fid, C. Moore, joinery works, Stratford, £303 12s; Boon Bros., builders, £lBl 4s 9d; Smart Bros., plumbers, £150; Bellringer Bibs., ironmongers, £100; Clow and Buckley, painters, £80; Hawera -Sash and Door Co., £284; Smith and Smith, merchants, Wellington, £11; H. Wise and Co., Ltd., printers, Dunedin, £5 16s lOd; W. T. Hookham, clothier, £lO ,7s sd; A. L. Logan, dentist, £l4; Goldwater Bros., merchants, £7 10s; W. N. Stephenson, architect, £43 3s 6d; Smith and Cassie, concrete block makers, £lO 18s 2d; Darby and Hannan, painters, £I3AJs 6d; J. A. Carr, milkniin, Spotswood, £2 19s Bd.

He was a married man with one child aged 13 years, said bankrupt in his written statement. He started as a builder in New Plymouth in November, 1920, and was quite solvent. - The business prospered until the beginning of 1923, and as he had at that time a 100 of work on his hands that required his personal supervision, he was compelled to employ a considerable amount of labour. In August, 1923, his health commenced to fail, and from then until November, 1923, he was continually under a doctor.. During that period .he could only attend to his business at intervals, and was unable to work himself. Finally, at the beginning of December, he was compelled to enter the hospital, where he remained for some months. CONTINUED ILL-HEALTH. In June of the present year he recommenced work as an employee on wages, but with his present state of health had been unable to carry on. Up till the present he had managed to work on the average only two days a week. During the whole of the present year he had been, and still was, under a doctor. All his debts had been Incurred in connection with his business as a builder, and he wished to state that since November, 1923, he had Incurred no further debts. He attributed his failure to his continued ill-healtn during the past eighteen months. In view of his present ill-health he very much regretted his inability to make any offer to his creditors.

Examined under oath, bankrupt stated that he had no shares in any company, had no landed property of any kind, and his life was not injured. His vife had no property or money. He had not kept liis own books, but a clerk in the office kept them. He had lost £BOO on two jobs. The payments to Hie insurance, referred to in the bank book, were on behalf of another man, and he would make a written statement of this to the D.O.A.

To Mr. Moss: While in hospital he had determined to file, but his friends persuaded him not to do that, for it his health improved he ifiight be able to recover his financial position. His continued ill-health precluded him from retrieving his position. Mr. Coleman had bought from him for £2O some scaffolding and a wheel-barrow. Mr. Moss had also bought some office, furniture for about £l2 or £l4. All the wages with the different jobs had been paid up. The contracts would be handed to the D.O.A.

To Mr. Wilson: The furniture was Mrs. Hains’, as she had bought it. It was insured in her name and was probably worth about £5O.

Mr. Moss then moved that the meeting be adjourned pending the lodging of the contracts and statement. This was seconded by Mr. Smart and carried.