BANKRUPT SHAREMILKERS

Taranaki Daily News, 23 May 1928, Page 10

BANKRUPT SHAREMILKERS

DEFICIENCY OF OVER £2OO. MEETING ADJOURNED SINE DIE. With a total deficiency of £2OO 15s •id, all of which was owed to unsecured creditors, and with no assets whatever, Joseph Hocking Allen aid Henry Matthews Waller, sharemilkers of Oaonui, appeared in bankruptcy before the Deputy Official Assignee (Mr. J. S. S. Medley) at New Plymouth yesterday. As there was not a quorum present, Mr. Medley adjourned the meeting sine die. He examined bankrupts under oath. The only creditor present was Mr. R. A. Palmer, storekeeper of M< turoa. In their sworn statement, bankrupts said they commenced sharemilking in July, 102’7, for Rua Bishop, milking 64 cows. They received one-third of the cheques. Both owed back debts when they commenced the partnership, and all through the season Mrs. VValler and Allen's children were ill most of the time. Thora Waller, aged 13, was ! n the New Plymouth hospital a few weeks ago, and sickness brought them still further into debt. Mrs. M ailer was still under the care of a doctor and should undergo an operation as soon as possible.

Neither bankrupts had any assets « all. Several judgment summonses had been issued against them and they therefore felt compelled to file.

Examined by the D.0.A., Allen said In. was a widower with three children, the oldest of which was 12 years. Waller was married and had two children, the older being 13 years. They had not kept any record of the cheques received. Tho highest. Waller 1 bought, was for about £lO, but they had to pay out for benzine arid other expenses. Allen stated that, they had previously

worked at a timber mill but. with other hands, had been paid <ll The sharemilking was the only job offering. To the D.0.A., Mr. Palmer said that when oankrupts had approached him for t.torcs at first they had “spun a very different story.” Prospects then were rosy and they ting for a good

The D.O.A. remarked that it seemed queer that they should come from Oaonui to Moturoa for their supplies. Mr. Palmer explained that they had been introduced through a relative living at Spotswood. He had taken them oil their face value and given them credit.

Asked by Mr. Palmer what interest they had in a car he had seen them using, Waller said that it had belonged to his wife. It had rince been burnt, but had not been insured. Mr. Palmer, in referring to orders, considered that they “went strong whi'e the going was good.” Waller stated that they had done 16 acres of ploughing but had not received any remuneration. They had had to borrow money from Bishop during the winter of 1927.

Tho creditors were: Dr, Hot-ken (Kaponga), £6 6s; S. Lissiman (Kaponga), Us; Richards and McKinley (Opunake), £l4; VV. A. Lind (Awatuna), £5; E. J, Hodge (Te Kiri), £l7, E. A. Poole (Opunake), £8; Lightband and Wann (Hawera), £23; Farmers’ Co-op. (Hawera), £9 12s ad; E. F. Loesch (Opunake), £1 Is fid; H. W. Barracbugh (Opunake), £l4 12s Cd; Dr. Church (Opunake), £7 7s; J. Feaver (Opunake 1, £5 10s; Reginald Co'lins, Ltd. (Wellington), £3 las; E. Maxwell (Rahotu), £l6; E. M. Reynolds (Oaonui), £3O; R. A. Palmer (New Plymouth), £33; J. Wilson (Opunake), £J.