78
if I can get $50 a month for you could go on paving until paid 50 per cent. Would you pay that $50 a month voluntarily P-Quite volun- tarily
Because if you agree to pay 850 a month voluntarily and afterwards fail to pay. I should have to apply for judgment for the amount, and that would be awkward for you. You could apply to Mr. Deacon for a cheque every month.
You are sure you could pay it ?—Yes. Do you think you can insure your life to pay your creditors 50 per cent ?-That is impossible ont of the $60.
If you insured your life it would come out of the $50.-It would have to come out of the $60 left.
If your creditors like to insure your life out of the $50 they could do so ?--If they compelled me to do so, yes.
His Lordship-Are you still employed in Mr. Deacon's office ?—Yes.
I suppose he has talked to you very seriously about the position you are in? I am concerned to think that a gentleman of intelligence like you and in a lawyer's office too, should have got himself into this trouble.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
His Lordship. You can ask the debtor a0 question you like about his conduct in the affair Sab Singh How has he spent the money! He has no business transactions, unless he is an extravagant gambler. Have you any busi ness transactions?
The debtor-None but my own employment. Sab Singh–What have you done with my money?
The debtor-I have paid other accounts with it. Sab Singh--You had better go and borrow money and pay me back. You did not owe so much money before. You are not so heavily in
debt.
The debtor-I am heavily in debt.
Sab Singh-How could you be so heavily in debt-only $200 or $300 and not$2,000 or $3,000, The debtor-By signing promissory notes with big interest on big amounts.
Sab Singh-What interest did you give me? You said you would give me so much a month. The debtor-I borrowed $150 from a broker and signed the note for $290 and another for $90 to secure it: I never saw you at all.
Sab Singh-You took the money from a blind man in Hongkong.
1
The debtor.-Yes, from a broker. His Lordship-The money lender stands be-
The debtor, in reply, asked his Lordship to take something into consideration, but the full-hind the broker. answer could not be heard.
His Lordship-It would have been better when you were struggling in this way if you had gone to Mr. Deacon and explained the matter to him and asked him to help you out of it.
The debtor was understood to say that Mr. Deacon said he would not help him.
His Lordship (to the Official Receiver)-Do you wish the examination to be closed ?
The Official Receiver-Yes, my Lord. The Sikhs are here; I do not know whether they would like to ask any questions.
Narang Singh, of the Asiatic Artillery, then stepped forward and said he wanted to ask the debtor how he had spent the money.
The debtor-This is the first time I have seen this man.
Sab Singh-If I had known you were so heavily in debt I would not have lent you a cent. "I want to go home now and wish to get
my money.
His Lordship-He said he paid you $290. The debtor--He paid me only $150. His Lordship-Are you quite sure? The debtor-Yes, I had to pay the broker 8 per cent.
Perhaps he is conspiring with the broker, whó Sab Singh-I know nothing about that. is a Portuguese, to deceive.
Gundah Singh was the next creditor. He said he retired from the Asiatic Artillery ten years ago.
His Lordship--Have you got leave from your commanding officer to come here for this par-promissory note for $180 for which he had pose? Yes, I have leave to come here.
Did you tell your commanding officer what it was for P-I asked the commanding officer for leave to come to Court.
You did not tell him it was to examine a debtor to whom you had been lending money?
-No, I did not.
Would he have given you leave if you had told him that My commanding. officer will not allow us to lend any more money, but he has given us permission to collect whatever money we have out now,
He has stopped you from lending money - Yes.
His Lordship-I am glad to hear that. The Official Receiver-This man received a
promissary note for $60 for which he paid $30 in cash, and he has received $35 in the shape of interest. This is the man whose $5 a month includes principal and interest, and there is still $25 owing to him.
This money lender was asked if he wished to put any questions to the debtor and his reply was-The only question I have to put is I want my $25 back.
His Lordship-That is not a question. You said at first you wanted to ask him how he had spent the money.
Narapg Singh-I do not want to ask him
that.
His Lordship-The getting back of your money is another matter.
Narang Singh-The only question is I want get back my fhoney. His Lordship That is in the hands of the Court now.
Nerang Singh My lord, whatever your decision is I'll take it.
Sab Singh then came up and his Lordship Hiked Has he retired P
.:
Sab Singh I am an ex-police constable and now I am a watchman, yar
His Lordship What are the particulars
himp
Official Receive He got a note for er for $90, and advanced $150,
Is that someti Sab Singh I gave him §290 in fulle $12
The Official Receiver said this man held a
paid $100.
His Lordship-The $290 note is a joint one by the debtor and Remedios. It is dated 4th July, 1896. On the back there are endorsed four payments of $20 each.
The Official Receiver-That is another $290 note; there are two $290 notes. The notes pay; able to bearer were got through the broker and those in which the name is mentioned were ob- tained direct. This man, Sundah Singh, has ́proved for $432 and he holds notes for $60, $55, $290, and $180, all payable to bearer. I may have to reject many of these proofs when I go over them.
Sundah Singh, like the previous lenders, also asked for his money to be returned to him and declared that the debtor gambled. He was will ing to take whatever his Lordship decided upon. His Lordship-It is one of the risks of a money lending business that a man who bor- rows may go into the bankruptcy court. Money lenders have to take that risk.
Gundah Singh--I want to know what divi- dend will be given.
His Lordship-You must take your chance with the other creditors. The Official Receiver will let you know the amount.
Cabar Singh, an ex-gunner in the Artillery, then came up. He gave the debtor $30 in exchange for a promissory note for $60, and. he also held a joint and several promissory note for $180 for which he paid $100. He said he paid $60 and $140, the remaining $40 being for interest.
Sundah Singh, a bombardier in the Artil- lery, who held a note for $240 with interest at the rate of 86 per cent, per annum, said he paid the debtor the full sum of $240.
Gunnar Singh was the last of the lenders. He held a promissory note for $56 for which he had paid $20, and there was now $32 owing 1--
The debtor said he had never seen this man. Gunnar Singh-When you want money you know me; when you can't pay me money you do not know me.
The Official Receiver said he should
|
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IN ORIGI
BEFORE SIRAA
WAH HING LUN
was an ex-p!
principal and $327:71 fendant, who is the propri
Banka
Ving
March 11, 187%
BIGTON (CHEL,
Mr. C. A. Dick Melbour Mr. Reece) appeared för carry on business at 65, explained that the defendant of the bank and had gone money was really deposited in plaintiffs held promissor otes, one dated 26th April, 1896, and one for dated 30th April, 1896. The $800 was paid ove to the defendant in the presence of v but he bolted to Canton on the following day without giving a receipt which he promised. The unpaid interest amounted to $827-71--
His Lordship gave judgment for the plaintifs.
FALL OF CONCRETE BLOCKS ON THE PRAYA.
sudden
SAMPANS CAPSIZED. ONE LIFE LOST! At five p.m. on the 7th March about thirty yards of concrete blocks stacked the west of the Harbour Master's Office slipped without warning and upwards of forty blocks, each weighing from six to ten tons, were hurled into the water. At the time several sampans were lying near the blocks and immersion of the huge weights caus any of them to capsize and unfortunately an old woman was drowned. The marvel is that the accident did not result in a much mor loss of life; indeed it was at first that many people had been dro only one authentic death has ported to the police. The blocks, course well known, were placed temporaril on the line of the new Praya wall to facilitat settling of the foundation, but the authorit not seem to have fully appreciated the for marking out a prohibited area near in order to protect sampans from of a slip. The blocks which fell; formed part of a reach of about eighty or a yards, roughly speaking, Sand be imagined that there was intense ment amongst the numerous occupan sampans. News of the accident was reported to the Central Police Station Indian sergeant and a number of constables were immediately dispatched by the Inspector on duty to the scene. As we have said, only one life that of an old half-blind woman named Wan Po, was lost, the whole of the other persons who were thrown into the water being, as far as can be ascertained, rescued uninjured. Hon 1. A. Cooper (Director of Public Works) and Hon. F. H May (Captain Superintendent of Police) were also on the scene immediately after accident happened, but of course no attemp
was then made to disturb the fallen b
may
looks bility
the
afternoon
On the 8th March Commander Hastings held an inquest on the body of a womanuamed Mang Po, who was killed on Sund
fall of concrete blocks on in consequence of the Prays. Den
The jurymen were—Messrs. D. Clarke, J.T Aquino, and C. Attock,
Qwok Tin Shing, master of sampan No. 1,327, said The deceased was known as l Po, which means “ old blind woman... A pm on Sunday, the 7th inst. Harbou of Son to the Steam that
piled had disappe
all these men to prove in what way they paid bos over the various loans, cor
The
examination was then closed,
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