Trust Moneys.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 3, Issue 42, 15 January 1883, Page 2

Trust Moneys.

[Patea Mail.] It is strange how unconsciously public morality deteriorates m tone m small communities. A happy-go-lucky way of dealing with fellow business men m ordinary transactions gradually undernines a man's first principles of duty and uprightness. We will suppose he receives trust moneys into his possession. Now there can be no doubt a strict business man would open a %t trust account " at the Bank. An unbusinesslike man would posßibly pay it into his working business account at the Bank. A sudden emergency arLes and he draws a cheque on his Banker, which he has not funds to meet without trenching on the trust money. He shuts his eyes and tries to forget he knows it. By-andnbye the period of pressure is over and he pays into his working account enough to be able to pay the trust mon?y to the rightful owner. After the first false step the descent is easy. The intervals between using trust moneys paid into the working account and repaying them becomes longer and longer until he ceases to admit it dishonest to use these trust moneys — and stifles his conscience by saying — " Oh it is all right, I shall have a lot of money due next month, and then I'll replace it. Where is the impropriety 9" However, a time comes when we cannot pay a claimant of trust moneys without drawing on other trust funds. Then begins the system of robbing Peter to pay Paul. Then lying, rorgery, so on, to conceal the crime.