ORIENTAL CUSTOMS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 July 1931, Page 6

ORIENTAL CUSTOMS

. CHINESE BUSINESS. BANK HITT’S AFF A IKS. WELLINGTON, July 25. Some Oriental customs with regard to business and finance which seem strange when compared with European methods were revealed at a meeting of tlie creditors of Sam York, Chinese market gardener and storekeeper, of Grey town, before the Official Assignee, Mr S. Tans ley. The liabilities of the estate, amounted to £715 19s lOd, all of which was owing to unsecured creditors. The principal items was a sum of £lO4 7s owing to one George Young, of Grevtown, for wages. The amount was questioned by the Assignee and the interpreter, through whom York answered questions, explaining that there was nothing unusual among Chinese ii? a man owing such a sum to an employee. It was customary for an employee to draw small amounts as he required them and the balance of bis wages was allowed to mount up, sometimes over a long period. The employee might at some time make a request for a sum to he sent home to China. In practically all cases in which he had dealt with Chinese he had come across the same system, which revealed a remarkable state of mutual trust between the employer and employee. It was invariably found that the amounts could! be checked up almost to a penny. Mr Tansoy said that lie had had no statement of proof from Young and pointed out that he could claim for only four months’ wages. MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION. Some questions later arose as to the amounts given in the list of unsecured creditors, and the interpreter’s services were again in demand to give an explanation. He said that York, who could not speak English, employed Young as a sort of manager, and York kept a board behind the door of liis store, on which he would put down a description of any persons with whom lie had done business, such as "the fat man” and the “short man.” Young’s job was to identify the people and secure their names. Young also handled York’s barking account and bankrupt was unable to give any information as to some of tlie persons to whom payments had *been made by cheque. It was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the Official Assignee to dispose of the assets as speedily as possible.