LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7376, 20 May 1887, Page 2

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

BANKRUPTCY COURT. THIS IXA.Y. Fbiday, May 20.— Before F. P. Corkill, Esq., D.O.A. A first meeting of creditors in the joint estate of Lever and Carter, storekeepers, Ingle wood, was held in the Deputy Official Assignee's office, this afternoon. Present: Messrs, J. T. Davis, Tribe (Sash and Door Co.), Moffiin, Downes (Bank of New South Wales), Todd (Colonial Bank), H. R. Richmond, Ellis (Mr. Samuel), J. C. Davies, and R. C. Hughes (bankrupts' solicitor) . The bankrupts 1 ! sworn statement was read. Mr. Corkill reported the steps he had taken to secure the stock-in-trade, &c, by patting in bailiffs, &o , and also na inspection he had made of the premises at -Inglewoqd. The stook, &c, was valued at £300, but h» considered that from appearances at a rather over-sanguine estimate. The book debts were valued at £500. Mr. Ellis: That sum may also, I suppose, be divided by three. Mr. Richmond pointed oat that in regard to the property mentioned in the statement, and in which he was interested} that it was only a verbal agreement between him and Mr. Carter. William Carter and Robert Lever, the bankrupts, were sworn. William Carter deposed, in reply to Mr. Todd (Colonial Bank), that the losses on batter had been very great, but there were also losses in the business which also assisted to make up the deficiencies. There were also losses shown in the property account in the ledger. He could not define the losses upon the latter to-day — they have been considerably heavy. In answer to Mr. Ellis, he deposed, on referring to the ledger, that the entry 'per stock list' was made on papers which he could not define. The papers were all seized by the bailiffs. [An unsuccebsf ul ssaroh was made by Mr. CorkilPs clerk for papers referred to.] The balance-Bheet was made up by Mr. Schumacher. It was the first stock-taking they had made. Some of the goods were paid for when they started ia partnership. The^accoante were put in the ledger. (Mr. Lever : I put the goods account in when we entered into partnership. I had a surplus then independent of the goods Bhown. There were other properties,) Carter, continuing, said be thought there was a stock in then valued at betweea £180 or £190. I had an interest in the equity of redemption of the property. (Mr. Ellis : We don't want to know anything about the equity of redemption. Tell ub übout what you were doing as storekeepers.) At this stage Mr. Ellis suggested that the meeting should adjourn, in order that farther enquiries might be made into the . deficiency. Mr. Tood said it seemed that the bankrupts knew nothing. The meeting should certainly adjourn. Mr. Corkill pointed out that an insurance had been effected for £650 upon the stock on March 29. That would mean stock valued at £1000. Mr. Richmond negotiated id. Mr. Richmond : I know notnmg ut a. figures except negotiating the cash part of the transaction. Mr. Carter deposed that tha stock would then represent a value of £800. The firm were agents for the Manchester office at the time. At this stage several creditors expressed the opinion that the books should be examined and a statement prepared. Mr. Todd iaquired when 6tock was taken, and was it net taken in December, as stated in a letter sent by Mr. Carter to him}? Mr. Carter replied that tbe books were balanced then and Bhowed what his stock was. Mr. Todd moved " That Messrs. Ellis and J. C. Davies be instructed to have access to the books and prepare a statement to submit to an adjourned meeting of the creditors." Mr. J. T. Davis seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. —The Assignee inquired what was to be done with the remaining available assets. Mr. Ellis moved, "That the available assets be disposed of as speedily as possible" by the Assignee, to the best advantage ; Mr. Lever's furniture to be undisturbed till after the next meeting." Mr. Todd seconded the motion, which was pat and carried without dissent. The mooting was then adjourned for a fortnight.

A notification which appears in our advertising columns in regard to the butter industry should prove of interest to our batter-makers. The New Zealand Frozen Meat and Storage Company, through their managers (Messrs. Glanville and Ellyett), announce that they will be cash buyers of choice fresb butter, at the highest current rates. Butter will be received in lump, less tho usual percentage for waste, &c, payable ia cash at time of purchase. The Company's buyers have opened a depot in New Plymouth, where they will attend on Saturdays at hours stated in the advertisement. Branch depdts have also been opened at Waitara, Okato, Tataraimaka, Oakuia, Ingle wood, and Normanby, and will be opened on daya that are also announced. The butter department of tbs Company, we understand, has achieved contiderable success in Auckland, and it is satisfactory to observe that the Company is extending its operations in tbis district. A brochure bearing the title of " Oronoa, a story of Paritutu " by Mr. A. Hood has been for warded to üb. It is a narrative of an occurrence which took place at Moturoa, in the early days, when the natives were the occupiers of the land there. It is pleasingly written and will be read with interest. It is printed by Mr. T. Avery and is turned out in the usual neat manner, which we are accustomed to see work that emanates from this printing office. At the Police Court this morning, before C. E. Raweon, Esq., R.M., two little boys, named Ernest Williams (11) and Fred Guy (8), were charged with maliciously injuring a barbed wire fence and posts to the value of 3s. at Vogeltown on May 3. Guy admitted the offence, but Williams denied the charge. Sergeant Duflin, who conducted the prosecution, placed Guy in the witness box. He said that both of tham were engaged in cutting tbs fence with a tomahawk. Mrs. Paget gave evidence, and Constable Henry deposed to muking inquiries as to tbe amount oi damage Hone U'httlad Williams guve evidence in defeute, and denied that he took part in thu alfair. The Bench dismissed tho case. — A stable, boy named Harry Inch was fined 3s, without costs, for driving horses through Devon-street during prohibited hours. There were to have been meetings of creditors tbia morning in the private eitates of John Robert Lever and William Carter, bat they lapsed for want of a quorum. The up-train from Hawera this morning was delayed at Stratford for Bearly three hoars b> a breakdown of the (

locomotive. Repairs were effected, aud the train came on, arriving here at two o'clock. The express passed at Stratford after the accident had occurred. Thoie were no passengers in the up-train at the time, but a number wore kept waiting at Hanganui. Tho strong south-eaßt galo blowing today did a considerable amount of trifling damage in and about the town. Two trees were blown down on Marsland Hill; a portion of the fence at the Police Station was levelled to tho ground, and an outhouse was carried away onto the railway line near Brougham-street. It was lying ncroßS the rails, and was removed before the delayed train arrived. Telegraphic communication was interrupted to-day sonth of Hawera, on account of the S.E. gale. Only urgent messages would be accepted at the telegraph office.