HARD TIMES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20100, 20 March 1928, Page 6

HARD TIMES

WOOL-CLASSER’S FAILURE UNSECURED CREDITORS’ CLAIMS There was not a quorum of creditors at the meeting in the bankrupt estate of Hugo Blois Fitz-Herbert, woolclassCr, yesterday, and consequently no resolutions were passed and the meet ing was adjourned sine die. The ‘whole of the liabilities in the estate comprised unsecured creditors' claims which totalled £228 8s 9d and the only asset was the small sum of 8s 8d in the Post Office Savings Bank. Bankrupt’s furniture was estimated to realise £3O but the Deputy Official Assignee (Mr E. Al. Silk) pointed out that the law, now exempted furniture up to the value of £5O. Unsecured creditors were: Stewart Bros. £lO3 Ils; A- Smith and Sons, £5 2s Gd; A. L. Sarney, £2 3s 3d; Rowe and Co., £l5 6s; Dr' A. IL E. Wall, £7 7s; Purser’s, Ltd., £2B 7s; Hodson’s, Ltd., £lO 9s; Crichton and Newman, £1 10s; Post and Telegraph, £2 18s 2d; Mason, Struthers, £4 Is; Kernohan’s, Ltd., £6 6s 2d; D.1.C., £6 18s 6d; Lauchlan and Co., £1 £s; Cairnbrae Hospital. £7 14s 7d; W. Nowsham, £5 4s lid; L- Chisholm, £2 8s Gd; “Chronicle and Co., 7s Gd; A. IL Holder, £l9 6s Bd. Total, £228 8s 9d.

Bankrupt in a written statement to his creditors said he had been a woolclasser for 20 years (off and on) combined with farming for a similar period with his father. He did fairly well and was eventually persuaded to purchase a fishing boat, thereby losing about. £4OO. This was the beginning of his financial trouble and since then he had been unable to get ahead of his debts. This was in 1915. In 1917 the mortgagee took possession of the boat and a little later the mortgagee took over the farm and bankrupt was left with nothing. Afessrs. Stewart Bros, obtained judgment for £lO3 Ils for engine repairs to the boat. Since 1919 he had worked at, fencing at Taihape and farming and fencing at “Lismore” and Makirikiri. In 1921. he started wool-classing again at Kakatahi and Wanganui and carried on till 1927. During part of 1925-1926 he worked with Messrs. Murray Roberts on their farm and managed to save about £lOO and later got married- Last winter he managed Air Vaughan’s farm at Alakirikiri for about four months. At this time his Yvife died and he then came back to Wanganui to finish the wool season. Since his wife had died last July he had been extremely upset and unable to concentrate on his work. He attributed his position to generally bad times and considered he would have been able to meet his obligations had his creditors been able to wait.