OFFICES CLOSE

Hokitika Guardian, 24 February 1933, Page 8

OFFICES CLOSE

'SHORT-LIVED FINANCIAL VENTURE. CLERKS BECOME -SUSPICIOUS. AUCKLAND, February 21. Considerable interest is being taken in th P eity : n the affairs of a financial institution and subsidiary ,enterprises v hose development has been nipped in the bud in somewhat unusual circumstances. «A master minid which is stated to have operated mostly from a lendinit hotel, various managers, a clerical staff, skilled tradesmen and vendors or sumptuous office are the enai actors in the stories in circulation. An intriguing feature mentioned is thnl often the staff were invited to return to their homes -and gardens as there was no work to 1% done, the understanding being that they would continue to draw pay while ■ engaged in tlmse domestic pursuits. One man in -reciting his experiences said that Ire application for employment resulted in a. person-1 call at Ins house and a request that he should interview the principal of the hot?) ; pere he was given the impression large business, with mention of the establishment of twelve branch offices jn Auckland- and about 60 in the prorinr'c. An agreement to gerie was produced and signed by the amli—nU who -was to receive a salary- of £3ot a vear., to be paid- ronuMilv.- The «?nncaof ,bound himself to Veor-m a '‘" M-t-vibutov to m. fidelity fund ot the ™te :05 -P-'l V~ 61 a vear

It V, that about 2-0 • limn v»r» hp'~<x*ad to work in th« principal 'Uion and 'for a f«*w dw w °’’° omn Inver! in n for suitable 0 - fire«. Ml the suburbs a nr! in c.wva.wn.nff printin'! hou.-r, to obtain P”v><w h " stationer. Pome -members of th« «?v iv-cr-oaWl staff wove given the task o intpvvifnrthev applicants fo r n»-.nl-o-nont and reporting on their suitab:l\tv. . • , It was not long before the cleric riv „.Wc be-vrl of other enterovvrv, ,r which the. principal.* wevn engaged rod fi,nt 1 lorrrp fonto’-v in the city ’"'as hejp,. ‘for the reooir-mc"ts of a ~ew Iv’siness. When the ***r brouff.ht little e ; gn of a mo’V active rlem-ovl for "'hr 11,0 became suspicions. Their MU tin* •-11 was not veT became stronger wj-'V tbev found thev w«r- shared bv tie manual w**. » «* ™ J*’"- , daflnifc. call fur artiun marie itcelf board, it.U said. \vhe« it was mentioned that the hods of the vast comrw.nv in being were so short' of • that Urns"Of very rnmll amounts ha' bep.n .sought of . some of the staff, and one man i}ad been a"md for his contribution to. the fidelity fund m. a-.-

vanoo. „ , The mfitter was stronely pressed. W satisfaction p-nears "> '*'’ v e fhV-ed Wowl the knowledge th " „11 the .worsts, elevionl and man ink would ,he better- advised, to seek o P ™Uapl The offices are now old ~ pd p-ul tho furniture iivs-i’d t 0 hin the; hand, of hh, vendors In the meantime.: the matters is in the bards i o f the'pol^e.