AN UNFORTUNATE BANKRUPT.

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 December 1912, Page 5

AN UNFORTUNATE BANKRUPT.

HOW THE lAiW IS UNJUST

AUCKLAND, Beoenniber 15. At the 'Balice Court yesterday, P. McGuire, plumber, of Tlaurianga, pleaded guilty to a charge of 'having failed to keep proper 'hooks prior to his recent bankruptcy." The Magistrate (Mr. E. C. Cutten) held that the ifanlure to show "all payments in books was the result of ignorance dm bookkeeping methods. This particular section of the Bankruptcy Act came as a hardship on working people who had igot :a "little money together and embarked on business for themselves, and piairltly from want of knoAYtedse1 and jpartly from carelessness did not know 'how their business was going till they finally arrived at the Bankruptcy Court. TlWt, however, was just iwtet the section was intended to protect' the mercantile public from, as en oh cases were liable to do injury to other traders. 'The defendant had His Worship's sympathy, Ibut in the circumstances the lightest penalty that could be imposed was fourteen days' hard labour.