MEETING OF CREDITORS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1904, 11 June 1892, Page 3

MEETING OF CREDITORS.

JAS. THOMPSON'S BANKRUPTCY. The adjourned meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of James Thompson, lute rabbit agent, now out o£ employment, was held in the courthouse, .Lawrence, on Wednesday afternoon. There was a fair attendance of creditors. The Deputy Assignee presided. The Deputy Assignee said that since the last meeting he had, at the request of the creditors, examined both Mrs Thompson and Mr Miller. The former said it took all the money her husband earned to meet the household expenditure. She could not say what it actually cost to keep the house going. She did not regard Mi' Miller as a boarder ;for he did all her husband's clerical work and also assisted her in the household work, as she did not keep a servant. Mr Miller, in the course of his examination, said if he had not done Thompson's clerical work — filling up the sheep returns and posting his diary — he would not have been able to hold his billet. He had paid both the bankrupt and his wife sums of money wheuever they asked him or required assistance. He never received a sixpence from the bankrupt : it was always the other way. He did not know what bankrupt's household expenses araouuted to weekly, but he was sure there was no extravagance. He was perfectly satisfied that neither bankrupt nor his wife was possessed of any money at the present time. Within the last four years he had given £50 to the bankrupt, of which be had kept an account, as well as smaller sums which he had not jotted down. There was really nothing of any consequence in either the statement of Mrs Thompson or Mr Miller. The sale of bankrupt's furniture, the surplus over the value allowed by the Act, came to £39 103. The bankrupt, who was sworn, said he had not prepared a further statement showing the whole of his receipts and expenditure for the past three years. Hs could not get all the tradespeople to give him statements of the transactions he had with them covering that period. The Deputy Assignee : The statement you furnished last week showed that your salary for the three years amounted to £555 Is 6d, and your expenditure to £604 19s Id. Since then you have admitted getting £10 from Mr Cotton on the sale of your horse, and £6 as wages earned by your son. Mr Miller swears that he has given you over £50 within the last three or four years. None of these sums appear in your statement. Bankrupt : I'm sure I never got £50 from Mr Miller. I only got a few shillings from him now and again. The Deputy Assignee : Your statement on the face of it reads as if your indebtedness at the present time was only £49 9s 7d, instead of which your liabilities are about £300, in addition to which there are several accounts which have not been included in your statement. Cannot you give some reasonable explanation of your position— how your moneys were actually expended ? Bankrupt : He could not give any further details. He gave all his money to his wife, who paid the tradespeople as well as she could. Sometimes she was abused because she could not pay the accounts in full. Mr Arthur grumbled a good deal and so did Mr Fraer. Mr Oudaille was always very nice. A Creditor : And you took advautage on account of his being good-natured ?—(Laughter.) Bankrupt : He was in a bad position before he went into the rabbit department. People - kept pressing him for money, and generally he gave orders on Mr Miles, the rabbit inspector. Mr Miles threatened to "sack" him if he didn't stop giving so many orders. It was true he borrowed money from Mr Livingston; it was £10— £5 of which was still owing. He got £10 from Mr Cotton when he sold his horse. The Deputy Assignee : What did you do with the money ? Bankrupt : It went to pay my life insurance, house-rent, and other things. Mr Skinner : Don't you think it would have been more honourable on your part if you had allowed your life insurance policy to lapse and with the money have paid off some of your debts? Bankrupt: Perhaps it might have been. But he didn't know he d have to file. Mr Oudaille : Do you think it was right to borrow money from landowners like Mr Cotton and Mr Livingston when you were in the service of the Babbit Department? Bankrupt : Oh, it made no difference ! Mr Oudaille: It made no difference! Surely it most have made some difference.

Weren't you likely to be more lenient to those men than you would have been had they refused you? „_ Bankrupt : Oh no ! It made no difference whatever. I served Mr Cotton with a notice to clear the rabbits off his ground after I got the money from him. Mr Oudaiile : Dear me, what an ungrateful man yon were! — (Laughter.) The Deputy Assignee: Did you borrow money from any one else? Bankrupt : No. The Deputy ASfignee: Not even from a Chinaman ?— (Laughter.) Bankrupt : No. The Deputy Assignee : An account has been sent in from a Chinaman.

Bankrupt 1 1 know nothing ahont it. In reply to further questions, bankrupt said he had no idea what his actual travelling expenses amounted to weekly. His "refreshment " score was not a very heavy one : at least, it didn't cost him very much for refreshments. Some of the settlers were very kind to him.

Mr Skinner : Do you remember what your picnic party to the Beaumont about eighteen months ago cost you ? Bankrupt : I had no picnic party. Mr Skinuer: That's strauge! Don't you remember having a carnage and pair and ordering dinner and tea for a party of six at Nash's. Bankrupt : No, I don't. Mr Skinner : Your memory ifl failing you ! A Creditor: It's affected by the cold weather. — (Laughter.) Mr Skinner: What did you get for the curry comb and brush you sold ye3terduy ? Bankrupt: I got 2i for them from Mr M'Larcn.

The Deputy Assignee : How is it you didn't surrender those articles to the estate?

Bankrupt : It was only on Tuesday nifjht 1 thought of them. They were in the stable mid I got my boy to bring them to me. I wanted a shilling or two to buy tobacco.

The Deputy Assignee : You must remember that whatever property you possess over and above what has been allowed you belongs to your creditors.

Mr Sutherland : Haven't you got a job rabbiting somewhere?

Bankrupt: Yes. I've a job to poison some ground near Palmerston. Mr Oudaill<>: H>w will you get there? Will you walk ?

Bankrupt: Oh.no. Some friend will give me money.

A Creditor : The kindly intercession of an all-wise Providence!

Bankrupt: Every orm wasn't against him. One party offered him a house in Lawrence reni free for six months if he liked to stay here. He expected to be a^ain taken on as a labbit-a^put ; lie had got; an indirect promise to that effeut from i\lr Ritchie, the chief of the Stock Department. Ho would require Mr Miller's services as elevk if he again became a rabbit-agent.

Mr Oudaille questioned if there was anything to be gained by examining the bankrupt at further length. There was no disguising the fact that he had treated his creditors in a most shameful manner. The statement he submitted was a most uus.itisf ictory affair : it was a perfect mii'ldle. He (Mr Oudaiile) was confident that bankrupt's wife was not without money, al though both bankrupt and his wife said they were penniless. It would be in the interests of the tradespeople to have the bankrupt brought before the judge for his public examination.

After a brief conversation, it was resolved that it was advisable to have the bankrupt publicly examined at the next sitting of the District Court at Lawrence, to be held towards the end of August. The Deputy Assignee informed the bankrupt that he would have to acquaint him (the Assignee) of his whereabouts from time to time. The meeting thej adjourned sine die.