The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, February 4, 1915. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1356, 4 February 1915, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, February 4, 1915. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Somr time ago local business people met and discussed the advisability of scotching the credit system, which was growing rapidly. Another reason for the conference was due to the fact that wholesale firms were putting on the screw. Some of the business people were not anxious to make innovation by removing the bad old custom of extended credit, but decided to fall in with the idea and limit credit for goods supplied to one month. In one or two cases trading on a strictly cash basis was adopted, and one tradesman informed us that it has proved so successful that he would never again go back on it. He found it a little difficult to introduce at first, and there was a slight falling off in purchases, but he got the cash for what he sold, and now his turnover has increased beyond what it was under the old system. Other tradesmen have considerably reduced their hook debts. If tradespeople offer extended credit in order to capture trade, then they deserve to fall in. The unfortunate thing is that the “good mark” under the old system is loaded with a percentage on his purchases to make up for bad debts. The monthly credit limit is, however, working well or. the whole locally, and is proving mutually satisfactory to purchaser and tradesman. The credit system limited to one month is being adopted throughout the country, and the bad old system which encouraged extravagance and bankruptcy will soon be a thing of the past.

A GERMAN appeal for peace has issued by a famous German firm, Darz Bros., of Altoua, near Hamburg, and is in sinking contrast to the bragging tone of the German press and the German military party. The appeal was not issued in Germany, but was published in circular lorm, through Norwegian channels, and is addressed as a manifesto to the people of the warring nations. It runs: —“ The state of mind of at least a section of the German people has been impressed by the checks that the German armies have suffered. The universal war which has now lasted four months excites less and less even the nations engaged in it. The greater or less excitement produced by a victory meets only a cold reception when the frightful consequences of the war, that grow worse every day, that passes, are thought of. This war is an insult towards God ; a revolt against common sense, religion and humanity ; mankind has fallen back again into barbarism and all the well-being ot humanity is being reduced to ruin by this war. The nations that are slaughtering one another will get nothing out of this war but loss. All of them hate the war. Every soldier in the field has to destroy or spoil, against his wish, immense values in the interests of certain individuals. Among all civilised men one cry alone escapes from millions of lips, “Enough of this war ! We shall refuse to go on assassinating and devastating any longer !”