A BANKRUPT CHINESE MARKET GARDENER

A BANKRUPT CHINESE MARKET GARDENER

A meeting of creditors in the estate of Jack Ling, market gardener, Ha~ wera] was held in the office of the deputy official assignee yesterday afternoon. The unsecured debts totalled £331 7s 7d, and this was the total deficiency. The unsecured creditors aie: Sing On Kee (Wellington*, £88 13s 7d, Mrs. Morgan (Hawera) £50, Dick Lee (Wellington) £21, Wong You (Stratford) £20, Wong Que (Eltham) £10, Farmers' Co-op. (Hawera) £14, Ekdahl (Hawera) £3 15s, Louie Lee (Patea) £8, Kwong Sang (Auckland) £7 ss, H. G. Apsey (Hastings) £11 14s,' Sing On Tai (Wellington) £19; A. Lun £5, £43.

In his statement the bankrupt said that in February, 1920. he went into partnership with Cheong Hop, under the name of Hop, Lee and Co., in a greengrocer's shop in Princes Street. C. Hop looked after the shop and witness worked in the garden. -After running the business for three months funds ran short and a cheque was dishonoured, so he took over the business himself and paid in £185, and later another £25, to keep things going. C. Hop continued to work for him. Some months later business began to go back, and he found that C. Hop was neglecting the work and was drawing moneys from the business for his -own purposes. Bankrupt tried to sell the. business/ and a man named Louie, from Manaia^ came in to buy. He stayed a fortnight, and after ordering £50 worth of goods in the name of Hop, Lee.and Co., he left. In the meantime (about November, 1921) bankrupt had taken over a garden on Beach Road. He then sold the stock in the business to a man named Fong, who paid £100 in cash. This money was put into the Beach Roa_ garden in taking over the crops and sundry chattels. C. Hop came to work for him there. Four other men were also work, ing for him, but they were eating up all his takings and he discharged them. Later on, C. Hop left also. Merchantsthen began to press for accounts owing by Hop, Lee and Co.. and in May, 1922, bankrupt borrowed £100 from Vooght, giving security over stock and chattels, and this money was used in keeping conditions quiet for the time being. During the same year thejbroccoli crop failed and the potato crop got the blight, causing a loss of about £250 to £300. Towards the end of 1922 the lease of the garden expired, and as his wife had been paying the rent out of her own money the landlord arranged to build her a small shop in front of the garden, ana renewed the lease in her name at the current rental value. There was pracj ticaily no goodwill in the lease. His I takings from the garden had been used |to pay wages, and he had also paid off £100 which he borrowed from Mr. Gee. His wife had all along been advancing him money to pay his creditors and she had advanced him altogether over £240, including £140 which he had used to repay borrowed money. His wife's advances; were also used to pay the rent, and for seeds, manures, etc. In-February. 1923,'Vooght required payment, and. being unable to meet it, the wife of bankrupt borrowed the money herself and took over the assets comprised in the security. This made the total amount paid by his wife on his account about £360, which was considerably more than the value of the assets taken over. His present position was mainly due to the unexpected claims which had been made against him as a partner in Hop, Lee and Co.. and to his losses in that business and the losses on Broccoli and potato crops in 1922 Recently judgment had been entered against him as a partner in Hop, Lee and Co. for £88 13s 7d. It was entered by Sing On Kee and Co., and as they were threatening further proceedings he had no option but to file.

The bankrupt was searchingly examined by Mr. Bayley, solicitor for Dick Lee. but no other creditor was represented and no resolution was passed.

Mr. Bayley said that the position disclosed was most unsatisfactory, and he thought o. full investigation should be made.