"THE EASY WAY."

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18423, 2 July 1925, Page 8

"THE EASY WAY."

CASH FOR VALUELESS CHEQUES. i BUSINESS MEN AND ! MAGISTRATE. (SPECIAL TO "THE TRESS.") DUNEDIN, July 1. During tho hearing of a charfe of false pretences at the Magistrate's Court, iu which the evidence disclosed that an old man, had obtained two sums of money and a suit of Rothes by means of valueless cheques f'om a tradesman and a publican, the Magistrate, Mr J. 11. Bartholomew, SM., commented on tho surprising fact that it was apparently an easy matter for anyone without a banking account to write out a cheque and get.ji cashed.

Chief-Detective Lewis said that the accused had also been passing valueless cheques at Timaru and Christchurch. In fact, ho said, he had gone right on to Wnngauui by this means. When lie ran out of cash he simply wrato out a cheque for £lO and got it cashed evidently without difficulty. The Magistrate: People seem'to bo as credulous elsewhere as they ara here. It was surprising, ho added, that people went in for other forms of crime when it was so easy to obtain large sums by means of valueless cheques. He thought it was time business men tightened'up a little, though they had been warned time after time. The Chief-Detective concurred in this viow, stating that something should be done, particularly in view of the fact that the city would bo' full of Exhibition visitors in a few months. Accused had adopted no special method, but just wrote out a cheque whenever he wanted more money. In view of the Magistrate's .strictures, a ,: Star" representative interviewed the accountant of a leading drapery establishment, who stated that it was a trade* practice to take cheques, and' that there was a certain amount of risk in doing so. He stressed the fact that there would practically be no business done at all if they only accepted cheques from those known to tho management, to have banking accounts. Another business man said: "It is very easy to make statements about careless business people, but tho fact is, if wo turned down cheques, we would lose a great percentage of our business. It is very hard to discriminate and you might as well close up if you are going to refuse to take cheques. It is a bit of a gamble, but you have got to do it."