The well-known young billiard-player, Joseph George Gray, was examined before Mr. Justice Hood, under the Fraudulent Debtors' Act, in the Practice Court, Melbourne, in connection with a debt to John Roberts, under a judgment obtained in England last year. The judgment was given for £2,307 for breach of contract, and after judgment upon it had been given in the Supreme Court of Victoria, Gray filed his schedule in insolvency. This, it was claimed, acted as a bar against examination under the Fraudulent Debtors Act, but Mr. Justice Hood decided that the examination should proceed Joseph George Gray, examined by Mr. McArthur, K.C., who appeared for Roberts, said:—I was 22 years of age in March. The judgment was obtained against me in England on April 25, 1912. From September to June, 1911, I did not make a large sum; my salary was £3 a week. My father paid that to me, and also paid for my clothes and board, under a verbal agreement made in 1907. My earnings belong to my father.
Mr. McArthur: You earned large sums for your father in 1910 and 1911. How much?— I have no idea.
Did you not win large prizes for making big breaks?— I never received them.
You won them? —Yes.
How much?—Sometimes £25 or £50.
And one or two thousand pounds?—Oh, no.
What was the biggest amount?—Bigger amounts were stated. You cannot believe everything you see in the papers.
Mr. Justice Hood: I am afraid you cannot believe all you hear in the witness-box. Do you say your father never told you what your earnings were?—Yes; he did.
You said you had not the slightest idea?—I meant of the exact figures.
You were not asked the exact figures.
Mr. McArthur: Do you swear you have no idea of what money you earned or won between September, 1910, and June, 1911, for your father. I want to pin you down on that?—It would be difficult to get at. It may be £1,500 or £ 1,700. I should say about £1,500.
Did you tell Roberts that you had made nearly £2,000, and sent it to Australia?—I cannot remember.
Did you do so?—No.
Or your father?—He may have done.
Do you say you did not bother what you earned?—It did not concern me, as long as I was going along in good health.
Did you hand the prizes to your father?—He received them. I got nothing but £3 a week.
Witness (continuing): I was in England for the following season still under my father. It is difficult to say what I earned—probably about £1,700 or £1,800. It belonged to my father. I won a few prizes. I think the biggest was £50. Of course, I played three big games against Stevenson for £500 a-side.
Mr. McArthur: That is what I am asking you. Is that the biggest stake?—Yes.
Do you include that in the £1,800?—No. It belonged to an outsider who had backed me.
Did you get part of it?—No.
Witness (continuing): I left for Africa in April, 1912, where I played four and a half months under my father's management.
Did your father lead you about by the hand?—No.
Mr. Justice Hood: That would not be an offence under the Act.
Witness (continuing): There was an agreement between Stevenson and my father. I believe the tour was a loss.
I received my £3 a week. I went to Madeira and the Continent on a holiday before going to India, where I opened in Bombay in November, 1912, and then came to Melbourne in March. In India the profits were about £250. They went to my father. I have played one game here, receiving salary from my father. His profit was £60 or £70.
Mr. McArthur: Is there any sum of money won by you or your father of which you have not told us?—Not to my knowledge.
There were rumours that you won large prizes for big breaks. Is that untrue? Is £150 the biggest prize you won?— As a prize.
What do you mean? Is £150 the largest received?—It may have been £160.
Have you a bank account?—No.
Are you going to leave Victoria?
Witness: I would like to leave on Sunday. I will be in Sydney three weeks; then in Brisbane, and then in Sydney and Melbourne, and I will leave for England on August 8.
Mr. McArthur: I suppose you do not intend to pay before you leave?—I have no money.
You have been dodging the judgment? You left England when the appeal was pending?—Yes.
Have you a five years' engagement?—No.
Mr. Justice Hood: How long is your engagement with your father to last?—As long as he lives.
You will be content to go on with £3 a week?—Yes.
Mr. McArthur: You are a very dutiful son?—I am satisfied.
He does not earn the money?—No.
Mr. Justice Hood: I hope a lady will not appear.
Mr. McArthur: No.
Witness (examined by Mr. Macindoe) said: I entered into the verbal agreement with my father in 1907.
Mr. Justice Hood: You can terminate it at a moment's notice?—Yes.
Witness (continuing) said: My father sent money to my mother to support the family. That is one reason I made the agreement. I was a party to the agreement with Roberts.
Mr. Justice Hood: Why did you contract directly with Roberts instead of through your father? If your story is true your father should have made the contract?—Roberts made me sign it.
Henry William Gray, billiardist, father of George Gray, said: I was champion of Australia. I am my own master, and run my son's tour. I never made an agreement with Roberts. I signed it to look after his interests.
Mr. McArthur: What has become of the money your boy earned?—It has been eaten up by expenses. I allowed my wife £10 a week, and have sent her no other money. All my money is gone. My law expenses in England were about £1,000.
A three day's jury case. That is rough. You keep the books?—No, I keep none.
Witness (continuing) said: In the whole tour of England, Africa, and India, occupying two years and nine months, I made about £4,500. I paid my son £3 a week and expenses.
I have spent all, and have saved none. I have not bought any shares or property.
Mr. Justice Hood: It is hard to credit the story at all, but even if I did not believe it I would not be justified in making any order. There will be no order.
Newman played his last match of the season on June 13 at the Telegraph Hotel, Brixton Hill, S.W., when the result was as follows:—T. Newman, 800; A. F. Peall (rec. 100), 626. Breaks: Newman, 195, 132, and 124; Peall, 108, 72, and 94. There was a particularly good attendance of spectators.