A NEW TERROR TO DEBTORS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1198, 22 January 1914, Page 4

A NEW TERROR TO DEBTORS.

It is truly said that terrors lurk in the unknown, and remarkable I proof of this has, it is alleged, been given by a Japanese clerk who applied for a situs-.ion in a London merchant’s office. He was told that he might come on trial, and, if in the course of the week he could do . ylhidg to justify it, he would i .ve a permanent appointment. As a test he was instructed to write polite but firm letters to twenty of the most notoriously “’ong-wi-ied” customers on too firm’s books. That was on the Monday. On the Wednesday came a reply t reach let'er. In each letter was enclosed a cheque and an abject a oology for the delay in the settlement of the overdue account. The young Japanese, on being interrogated by the principal of the firm, replied that he haa obeyed his instructions. He had written politely and firmly. The letter sent to the customers read : “ Dear Sir —It is with great regret that we find you have not paid your honourable account. We have carefully regarded the case, and are pa'ued to inform you that, unless you seud a remittance by Wednesday morning, we shall have lo take a course of action that will cause you the utmost astonishment.” The narrator of the story expresses the belief that it was the horrible uncertainly as to what might be the consequences of non-payment that produced those tweuty remittances. lathis case, at auy rale, the politeness and firmness worked together with the best results.