VALUELESS CHEQUES

Hokitika Guardian, 4 July 1925, Page 1

VALUELESS CHEQUES

BBSIXMSS MFN AND MAGISTRATE.

DUNK DIN, duly 1

During the hearing of n charge of false pretences til the Magistrate's Court,, in which the evidence disclosed that an old man had obtained two sums of money and a suit of clothes by means ot valueless cheques from a tradesman and a publican, the Magistrate. Mr ,J. R. Bartholomew, SAL, commented on the surprising fact that it was apparently an easy matter for anyone without nj banking account to write out a cheque ami get it cashed. Chief-Detective Lewis said that the accused had also been passing valueless cheques at Timaru and Christchurch, fn tact lie said, he had gone right on to Wanganui b.v this means. When he ran out of cash he simply wrote out a cheque tor £lO and got it cashed evidently without difficultv.

The Magistrate: People seem to he as credulous elsewhere as they are here. Tt was surprising, he added, that peo|>l went in for other forms of crime when it was so easy to obtain large sums by means of valueless cheques, lie thought it was time business men tightened up a iiflle. though they had been warned time after time.

The Chief-Detective concurred in this view, stating that something should lie done, particularly in view of the fact that tin' city would he full of Kxhibitiiui 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 staled that it was a trade practice to take cheques, and that there was a certain amount of risk in doing m>. Me stressed the fact that there would practically be no business done at all if they only accepted cheques from those known to (ho management, to have banking accounts. Another business man said; “It is very easy make statements about (‘tireless business people, but the fact is. if we turned down cheques wo would lose a great percentage of our business. Tt is very hard to discriminate and you might as well close up if you are going to refuse to take cheques. ft is a Hit of a gamble, but you have got to do it

An English tourist, while “doing” ill? Waikato recently was surprised and disgusted to notice so many Maori women enjoying their pipes. On his return to Auckland he mentioned ihe matter to an old Potonist. remarking that, it was a sure sign of the degeneration of the Maori race when their women smoked pipes. Said the New Zealander: “Well, if that is so. the Irish women of the working class must have heen degenerating for a good while, because T remember seeing them smoking clays in Dublin when I wo- a hoy.” The tourist said no more. “There is nothing wrung with pipe smoking tor man or woman so king as the right toharco is used. Choose a brand as tree from nicotine as you can. That's all. Our New Zealand-grown tobaccos eontain only a trilling percentage of nicotine. and you can't beat them for flavour and aroma. Aon can smoke them for hours ami they won't do you any harm. Ask for “Kiverhead Hold,” mild: “Navy Cut” (Bulldog), medium; nr “Cut Bing No 10” c Bullhead i, full st rongth.—Ailvt.