UNPAID BILLS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 283, 25 July 1932, Page 2

UNPAID BILLS

"DINNER CRASHERS" PAY DEBTS WITH BAD CHEQUES. "Dinner crashers" in London as a result of a recent exposure of their methods are paying up. Their practice

was to visit West End restaurants and sign their bills and leave them unpaid. So great had the number of unpaid bills beeome that restauranteurs determined to take strong action. The situation, however, has now altered. "Since the Daily Mail published the facts," said one of the best known London restauranteurs recently, "there has been a steady reduction in the number of unpaid bills. Further, every post is bringing in cheques to settle old accounts. "In some eases the debtors state that they have read the newspaper articles and do not wish to be confused with 'common winner crashers.' One bill was more than a year and a half old!" Another restaurant manager told the same story, and added: "Now we must deal with 'dud' cheques. I receive on an average 15 a week. People seem to have no shame about eashing them, and they are all returned marked 'R.D' or 'Account elosed.' We cannot ask for cash in advance, and so now we are taking poliee action. It is the only thing to do." A third restauranteur confessed to losing £20 on a bad cheque the previous week. He said he had placed the matter in the hands of the police, though the offender is very well known in the West End.