FARMER’S FAILURE.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1925, Page 13

FARMER’S FAILURE.

DEFICIENCY OF £1194. DEBTS IN SOUTH TARANAKI. AN EXPENSIVE COLLISION. » An accident at Manilla in May, 1022, as a result of which a judgment for £5OO and costs was awarded against him on behalf of a lady with whom the ear he was driving at the time had collided, was considered by Allan Robertson, an Oaonui farmer, who appeared in at New Plymouth yesterday, to be the ill-fated event from which hie failure dated. Robertson's schedule showed that there was a deficiency of £1194 10s Gd, in hie estate. A total amount of £1213 Is (id was owing to unsecured creditors, most of whom are from various parts of South Taranaki, and the only assets were £23 5s worth of chattels at Oao-

11U1. The Deputy Official Assignee (Mr. J. S. 8. Medley) presided at yesterday’s meeting. Bankrupt was present and was represented by Mr. P. M. Brooker, but no creditors attended, and the meeting was. accordingly adjourned sine die.

THE UNSECURED CREDITOR'S. The unsecured creditors were:— Mrs. Tyrrel, Hawera, £.500; Kaupokonui Dairy Company, storekeepers, £260; Treloar Milking Machine Company, Hamilton, £B5; O’Dea and Bayley, solicitors, Hawera, £B2; T. W. Armitage, draper, Manaia, £4 10s; J. M. Boyd, surgeon, Kaponga, £7 7s'; J. Blake and Sons, motor engineers. Hawera, £l4; R. Carroll, Manaia, £22; Criterion Motor Garage. New Plymouth, £10; J. A. G. Cosgrove, saddler, Manaia, £2 15s; S. Campbell. Hawera, £3O; H. J. Eaves, storekeeper, Otakeho, £3l; Farmers’ Co-op, Hawera. £26 ss; Kenneth Fraser, farmer, Oeo, £5; Hawera General Transport Company, £7 3s; 0. Hunger, blacksmith. Manaia. £3 10s; Hawera Hospital Board, £5 16s; N. Jones, saddler, Manaia. £1 10s; Kaponga- Nursing Home. £lO 10a; T. Kennedy, blacksmith, Otakeho, £5 10s; W. A." Lind, storekeeper. Awatuna, £10; Dr. McArthur, late of Manaia, £lO 10e; Dr. T. A. Milroy. New Plymouth, £5 ss; Mortlock .and Company, motor engineers, Hawera, £42; Newton King, Ltd., merchants, New Plymouth. £1'1; New Plymouth Hospital Board. £5 12s fid; W. H. Parkinson and Company, printers, Hawera, £10; J. Pettigrew, butcher, Otakeho, £!): George Syme and Company, Hawera, 16a. FARMING NOT A SUCCESS. In a written statement, bankrupt said that he and his father took over a farm of 277 acres at Oeo in 1917. His father’s health failed, and in 1919 bankrupt discontinued partnership, subleased 60 acres of his father's farm, and started milking on his own account. For four years he worked on this farm under the Manaia Loan Co., who received all his cheques and allowed him £lO a month on which to live. In May, 1923, his father, who had been unable to make a success of the farming, was sold up., and as bankrupt was extensively involved, he had to walk off his farm with nothing. It was about this time he got seriously into de'bt owing to his low income. In May, 1922, when driving a ear belonging to bis wife, he met with a motor accident as .a result of which a Mrs. Tyrrel had her leg broken. He was sued for damages, and Mrs. Tyrrel obtained judgment for £5OO.

Since leaving the farm at Oeo he had been for Mr. Rua Bishop, at Oaonui. He was paying his way, but as he had a family of five children to support, and also had to contribute towards the support of his father, who was an invalid, he was only just able to do so. He regretted that he was unable to make any offer to his creditors. He had no assets other than a plough, a set of diet harrows, some swingle trees and three milk cane which were essential to enable him to carry on his present share-milking work.

REDCtED TO SHARE-MILKING. Examined under oath, bankrupt stated that his eldest boy was the only one of hie children who helped hint with his milking at Mr. Bishop’s farm at Oaonui. This boy was paid 10s a week. He was milking Ou cowi. and in the past season had made about £320 out of the share-milking, which was 40 per cent, of the gross returns. Out of this, however, he had to pay a farm hand £2 Kte a week to milk, and had to provide half the manures, etc., for improving the farm. The past eeaaon had not been a good one for him, ae the cows came in late. He was at present milking 37 cows, and expected to milk (10 throughout the coming season, but about half of these would be heifers so the returns would not be very great. He had not kept hooks, and therefore could not give the details of hie recent transactions. The furniture belonged to his wife, who had purchased it with a little capital that she had had left to her. This furniture was injured. -Beyond this furniture. his wife had no money or property. His wife had had a motor-ear, but it had been disposed of two years ago. He was forced to file on account of legal action taken against him by the General Transport Company and the Farmers’ Co-op., the latter having issued a judgment summons against him. Messrs O’Dea and Bayley had also threatened to take action against him to obtain their coots in the Tyrrel case. His position had really been hopeless since the time he had accidentally run into Mrs. Tyrrel with the car, as a result of which he was sued and judgment given against him for x-500 and costs. The majority of his debts had been incurred two or three years ago. He did not drink heavily nor gainbio on the racecourse.