CREDITORS OF J.B. BATCHELOR MEET TO-DAY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18547, 22 August 1928, Page 10

CREDITORS OF J.B. BATCHELOR MEET TO-DAY.

WANT INVESTIGATION INTO HIS AFFAIRS.

With the object of having a thorough investigation made into the af fairs of J. B. Batchelor, the young Christchurch solicitor who disappeared recently and for whose arrest a warrant was issued, charging him with failing to account for trust moneys, a meeting of Batchelor’s creditors was held this afternoon in the Builders’ Association’s rooms.

The question of arranging for one of the creditors to lodge a petition in the Supreme Court asking that Batchelpr be declared a bankrupt, was discussed, the creditors as a whole being asked to contribute towards the expenses of tho case. Since the warrant was issued Batchelor has not been found by the police, but it is believed that he is in the North Island. There was an attendance of about fifty creditors. Mr Angus Donaldson was voted to the chair.

Mr Donaldson said that he had been asked by a number of creditors of Batchelor to call a meeting. It was impossible to call the meeting by circular as he did not know who the creditors were, so he had inserted the advertisement in the papers. Mr Donaldson was proceeding to refer to the affairs of Batchelor when he was interrupted by Mr R. B. Ward, who said that he noticed that reporters were present. He asked whether it was intended that the meeting should be open to the Press or be held in private. Mr Donaldson said that that was for the meeting to decide. The meeting had been called in a public spirit, but if the creditors desired that it should be private they could decide the matMr Ward then moved that the meeting be private, and that the reporters be excluded.

_ The motion was seconded and carried on the voices by a large majority.