IN BANKRUPTCY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2296, 15 September 1908, Page 2

IN BANKRUPTCY.

A SETTLER’S DIFFICULTY,

An adjourned meeting of creditors in the insolvent estate of Percy John Lewis, settler, of Ivaiti, was held at tlie office of the Deputy-Official Assignee (Mr. John Coleman) yesterday. Mr. T. Alston Coleman appeared for the bankrupt and Mr. H. J. Finn for tho chief creditor, John Gilbert Nicholls.

.Mrs. Lewis, wife of the insolvent, examined by Mr. Filin, said that- she had been married about two years. She had no property when she was married, but held property sometime previously which 6he had sold. Tlie property was held in the name of the first -husband. She received £IBO out of the sale of the property. She had £153 in the Post Office Savings Bank when she married Mr. Lewis. She lent the -money to her husband and he bought a- boarding-house. Her husband did not give her any security for the money whilst lie 'kept the boarding-house, nor did he repay her any of the money. Her husband had bought some stock for her with the money. She purchased a property of 18 acres at Kaiti at £l3O per acre. The property was bought last December and £SO deposit was paid. When the boarding-house was sold to Mr. Nicliolls certain articles of furniture were then taken from the place. The furniture included a piano and would not be worth more than £8 or £9. Tlie value of the stock and furniture would not be worth more than £SB. He had not given a bill of sale for £l5O, or for any amount on the property. She had given Mr. King u, bill of sale for money she owed him. She had only one piano in the house where she was living and no furniture had been removed since May Ist. last. Since the bankrupt sold the boardinghouse she had given him employmenton the farm at 15s per week. Her husband sold her about 50 sheep and gave her everything he had before the insolvency. The sheep had been sold and Mr. King received the money. To Mr. Coleman: There were not two pianos in the boarding-house. The furniture removed from the boardinghouse belonged to her husband. It was purchased with the money leut by witness. She did not know how the title to the farm was drawn out.

To Mr. Hei (who appeared for Mr. King): She had not estimated how much she had received in return for the money lent to her husband. She thought the amount would be about £l2O. She managed the hoardinghouse and was to have been paid 17s per week, but she did uot receive any wages. Mr. Stevenson, who sold the hoard-ing-house to insolvent, said tho price of the business was £IOO. Mrs. Lewis had stated that the business had paid well.

Mr. Finn intimated that he had other witnesses to call and the meeting was adjourned to a date to be fixed.