TIME PAYMENT CRAZE.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 May 1918, Page 1

TIME PAYMENT CRAZE.

SYDNEY, April 24

The time-payment system, known in most communities,, has got tin astonishing hold upon the happy-go-lucky, in provident people of this country; and tho evils of the system are responsible for much distress in the poorer districts *of the big cities. In one large suburb more than 500 distress warrants were issued ia.st year, and an analysis has shown that in two-thirds of the cases, the persons proceeded against had failed in eon--tracts* either with money-lenders or wi'.li tradesmen who bad agreed tp accent payments river an. extended period. The money-lender and he tiineYliieut fiend work in close operation in th'ese cities.. There is in' Sydney a large firm which works “the cash order system.” A woman, lacking cash, sees in a shop an article - which she' covets.- She goes to the firm, and if she can get any sort of credit at all .she obtains from this establishment a srr.-t of cheque, with which she buys lia* article she wants. Their she has to pay to the cash order firm, in instalments, the’sum. she borrowed— plus interest. This cash order establishment issued its annual balance-sheet the other day, and its profit last year. was •greater than ever. Judging by the

gross figures, it does an enormous bll.S-il-OSS. ’* Those who have to deal with soldiers’ .dependants seeking assistance express something approaching horror at the number seriously involved ,as a result of borrowings and time payment transactions. Some of these people lr ve Sheen forced into such a system by sN'or hardship, hut in tjie great majority of eases they are in - difficulties through improvidence, greed, vanity-* luxurious tastes, and laziness. Yet 1 tl o.v have no compunction in accepting assistance from any of the numerous war organisations formed for that purpose. The latter bodies are in frequent collision with the incredibly numerous band -of money-lenders, touts, and rogues, who prey upon tho unfortunate and improvident in prosperous Australia, arid where the eases come into Cuirt, a general sentiment is-express-ed in the rough handling accorded the cent.-per-cent, gentlemen.