NINETY-NINE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19844, 19 May 1927, Page 11

NINETY-NINE

SORROWING CREDITORS UNPROFITABLE CAREER OF JOHN HAROLD TAPP. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, May 18. A meeting of creditors called in the bankrupt estate of John Harold Tapp, scrap metal dealer, lapsed for want of a quorum. Unsecured creditors were £428 16s sd, and assets £2O. The creditors were domiciled in Wellington, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Napier, Shannon, Kimbolton, Nelson’s Line, Feilding, Eltham, Hastings, Gisborne, New Plymouth, Hawera, Midhurst, Inglewood, Opunake, Dannevirke, Waipukurau, Stratford, Waitara, Okaiawa, and embrace bakers, carriers, butchers, doctors, motor engineers, and garage proprietors, farmers, grocers, a land agent, grazier, outfitter, winemerchant, ironmonger, furnisher, draper and blacksmith. Dealings in Cars. Bankrupt’s statement was that he was married, and had three young children. Three and a-half years ago he was living at Hawera, labouring and paying his way. Then he commenced dealing in scrap metal, sometimes doing well and sometimes badly. He had the use of a car, and bought a used one for £45, paying a cash deposit of £lO and another instalment of £lO. It broke down and he let it go. After hiring another, ho bought a car for £l4O, on which he paid £3O in all. His weekly expenses were about £8 10s. His wife was in bad health and he paid a lot for doctors. He had kept a bank account since June last, and paid in about £673, keeping out only wages and current expenses. He worked at the business in Palmerston, Wanganui, and New Plymouth. He lost on splitting and selling firewood at Palmerston. He bought three locomotives at Napier and bought an acetone plant and employed labour, but lost on this effort. No Luck in Wanganui. He bought three other locos at Wanganui, but could not finish the job as the Government took away his jacks, which he thought were part of the purchase. He afterwards came to Wellington. He kept no books, and knew nothing of accountancy. Some weeks ago he sold his furniture, which realised £4 or £5. The Assignee asked why he did not file somewhere where the creditors could get hold of him. Bankrupt said he came to Wellington on account of his wife’s health. He was working for his brother, who was > dealing, and was receiving 16s. The Assignee: “You style yourself a contractor. You have certainly contracted debts. I think you have gone systematically about it. You have 99 creditors, and I think there are another 20 who will prove. The whole thing is : most unsatisfactory, and I think you should go before the Crown Prosecutor. ” The meeting was adjourned sine die.