%META:TOPICINFO{author="PaulKlemick" date="1189139103" format="1.0" version="1.1"}% %META:TOPICPARENT{name="PolishArtilces"}%

-- PaulKlemick - 07 Sep 2007

DISTRICT GORE

GORE.

Wednesday, December 14.

(Before his Honor Mr. Justice Ward.)

-Re Joseph Hoffman.-

Mr. Neave, instructed by Mr. Henderson, applied for an order of discharge for the bankrupt, who was also present.

The Deputy-Official Assignee's report stated that the books delivered to him by the bankrupt did not give any information as to the expenditure of the money derived from the coal pit which the bankrupt was working, but this information had been supplied by a statement prepared at the request of the creditors; also that the creditors wished his discharge to be withheld as they were of opinion that he had made no effort to pay his debts.

The bankrupt was examined, and in reply to Mr. Dewar said he was now earning from £15 to £16 a month. It cost him about £5 or £6 a month for powder out of his earnings. He had a family of four and had house rent to pay.

To Mr. Neave: He had been ill for about two months out of the twelve months he was working the pit, and this pit was his first venture on his own account. He had to tucker the wages men at the pit.

Mr. Neave produced a copy of the statement of receipts and expenditure in connection with the pit for the twelve months bankrupt had been working it. The statement had been supplied to the Assignee and showed receipts about £611, out of which wages had been paid to the amount of £342 and royalty £87. The balance of receipts was also accounted for. Rent and royalty had been heavy, and evidently the bankrupt had been working at a loss. The case was not a serious one, and the creditors did not seem to oppose the discharge.

His Honor said that most of the debts seemed to be for what the bankrupt called "tucker," and he had no right to carry on at the expense of his creditors, but should have stopped sooner. The discharge would be suspended until he paid 5s in the £. "The Mataura Ensign", 15 December 1904.