VENTURE FAILS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20361, 19 July 1934, Page 10

VENTURE FAILS.

Unemployed Start a “ Bristol Scheme.” BANKRUPTCY sequel. The attempts of a number of relief workers to start their own “ Bristol Scheme ” ended in failure and a sequel was the meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of William Dempster, which was hfeld this morning. The Official Assignee (Mr J. H. Robertson presided. Bankrupt, a married man, 27 years of age, was represented by Mr E. T. Laybourn. Dempster, with a nunjber of other men, started out in business as the United Woodworking Company. The Official Assignee described the whole matter as a lesson in practical socialism.” The financial statement showed that creditors were owed £o4B 16s lid. while the assets were £199 0s lid, leaving a deficiency of £349 6s. Organised Business. In his sworn statement bankrupt said that while on relief work in April. 1933, he started to organise what would now be called the “ Bristol Scheme.” the object being to place himself and others in permanent employment. It was decided to go in for furniture making. Bankrupt approached the Mayor to see if they could be taken off relief work and receive a subsidy from the Government until the business was paying its way. The scheme met with little encouragement, the Government’s answer being that they should either go on by themselves or remain on relief work. They decided to carry on. The Charitable Aid Board was next approached, but assistance was refused on the grounds that they would be going into an already overcrowded trade. Bankrupt attributed his failure to lack of co-operation amongst his associates; lack of executive ability and having to sacrifice goods to meet demands by creditors.

It was decided to leave the estate in the hands of the Official Assignee and a small committee.