SMALL CHEQUES.

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 506, 7 April 1880, Page 2

SMALL CHEQUES.

A new idea for simplifying the moneyorder system of the Post-ofilce is the issuing of small cheques for fixed amounts, to be payable at any Post-office at Home or in the Colonies. Hie British Parliament is to be asked to legalise this new form of postal money-orders ; bnt as the scheme does not appear to have been approved by the PostmasterGeneral, it can be treated only ns the. experimental idea of a reformer, .and discussed on its merits. II security against fraud can be assured, the issuing of small cheques on the Post-office, payable to particular persons or to bearer, and transmissible in a letter a banknote, would be a distinct facility to a commercial people. Such a cheque could be made payable from debtor to creditor and enclosed in a letter, without the present trouble of going to the Post-office to take ont a money-order. The cheque could be made payable at a particular Post-office, or at any office; and the order would thus ensure the same security as is now attained by a crossed cheque. It appears to us that if this new form of money-order can be worked successfully between Britain and the Colonies, it can be equally applied within each Colony as a domestic system _ of postal cheques. It would be a variation upon the Post-office order routine as now practised, but there would be no interference the one with the other, any more than the use of postagestamps for small payments can be said to infringe on postal money-orders. Another "point seems to be this. The proposal mooted in London would limit these new postal cheques not only to fixed sums, which is obviously needed as a security, but to very small sums. Why limit the values to 2s 6d, ss, 10s, and 20s ? These are convenient amounts ; but whv not go up to £5, or even to £lO, so as to embrace a very large number of ordinary commercial transactions ? Traders could then purchase these postal cheques in books of say a dozen of each value, and transact much of their money business through the post-office. We would offer one other suggestion. Instead of fixing the value of each postal cheque at a definite sum, why not fix that as the maximum value ? A cheque of 20s might be fixed as “not over twenty shillingsand it could then be paid away for any value between say 10s and 20s. This elasticity would increase the usefulness immensely.

Adulterated Liquor was sold to a large extent at the Dunedin races last month, and a number of publicans are now being prosecuted. The Mayor of Dunedin has been in trouble with the Councillors, who took a revenge by docking his official salary almost to nothing. It is now proposed tp allow him an additional £4OO, but the matter remains for discussion. The Outward Ship Lock Urr, from Auckland to London, carries £32,957 in specie. Parents are complaining at Auckland of the excessive length of school holidays, though these arc said to be of the regulation length.

An Old Settler, Mr Fill, of Wellington, 38 years in the colony, died on Saturday.

Tua Homeward Brindisi Mail of Febuary was delivered in London Apiil Ist.

The Steamship Gaiko has been sold at .Melbourne to .Messrs Nipple & Lae.

The Death of the Marquis of Nonnanby’s second sun is reported fiom Melbourne.

The Chimborazo stcamship/Orient Line, touched at Adelaide from Plymouth, on Saturday.

Trade is reviving in Victoria, the revenue returns showing a considerable increase for the hist quarter as compared with the previous year.

A Bailiff at Wellington, named Bowden, lias been charged with indecent assault. The prosecutrix refused to give evidence, and he was discharged.

A Walking Match by Boyd, at Wellington, was commenced on Friday, to walk 112 miles in 24 hours, lie tailed to complete the distance.

A Fire lias destroyed Gourley’s stables at Wellington. The place was recently on tire twice in the same evening. It was not insured.

Mr Lowe, railway traffic manager at Auckland, has resigned, being unable to agree with the general manager.

The Members of the Native Commission have returned to Wellington, except Sir W. Fox.

A Fatal Accident through falling out of a railway carriage occurred last week? between Palmerston and Foxton. Mr F, Greaves, of Nelson, fell out without being observed, and was found dead.

Sir George Grey’s Health is not at all impaired, as erroneously reported. The veteran complains only of two things—the unkindness of lukewarm friends, and the trouble of an old wound in the leg, caused by a spear when in Western Australia.

Mn oi.invi l :u, Minister lor Public Works, and Mr Blackett, Engineer-in-Chief, left Carlyle on Monday afternoon for Hawera, intending to journey on to New Plymouth.

Mr Dale has disposed privately of the property occupied by Mr Schnltze. It has been purchased by Mr H. Williamson, and will not therefore bo offered to auction.

The Inward Suez Mail reached King George’s Sound yesterday.

Missing. —A clerk named Henry Kirk, well educated, aged 36, has been missing from Wellington since January, and as his manuer was wild and excited when last seen, there is a fear he may have destroyed himself. He was on one occasion examined by two medical men, with a view to his being committed to the lunatic asjdum, but they pronounced him sane, and accordingly he was liberated. Some time after this he went up to the gaol and coolly requested that he might be hanged there and ttien. He was sent away-, and one or two attempts were made to get him admitted to the hospital, but without success. He is well connected, and a money remittance is waiting for him. Probably he was one of those disappointed dreamers who come to the. colonies expecting thac any man “ with an ounce of brains” can pick up a fortune.

The Larrikin Volunteers who misbehaved themselves at Ashburton by sacking a fruit shop, and also by various acts of rowdyism at Chritchurch, have provoked a storm of anger at Dunedin, among the respectable inhabitants and their fellow Volunteers, upon whom the discredit of suchbehaviourfallstosome extent. There is a general outcry in the South for a severe example to be made of these fellows. How is it to be done ? The worst behaved were the Naval Brigade from Dunedin and Port Chalmers ; and the only punishment likely to be effectual would be the disbanding of this brigade, and the enrolment of a new one, all candidates undergoing examination as to respectability. The present coips is too demoralised to be a ciedit to any district.

Mr W. Dale was able to show himself on crutches yesterday, for the first time since the painful mishap which resulted in a broken leg. It will be five weeks tomorrow since the kick of a horse made him an invalid, and it is somewhat remarkable that a compound fracture and a serious wound should have been so far healed within five weeks as to permit of his moving on cratches, Mr Dale’s excellent health at the time accounts for his quick recovery. Ho received many congratulations yesterday while again surveying the outer world from his shop door.