PASSING EVENTS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 122, 9 June 1870, Page 5

PASSING EVENTS.

I can hear in my wanderings about the lone streets of the city that the notice I am giving of passing events, and of the state of things in general, is giving offence to some people. I never expected any other result. When the truth is spoken it generally hits home in some quarter, and produces, for the time, an unpleasant effect ; but it is to be regretted that when a man speaks the truth, or endeavours to show up a defect in any public institution, that he must suffer for it. Now, sir, you would not imagine there could be a character so contemptible as would attempt to ruin my credit from any remarks I made last week. Did you ever know of a banker in a quiet up-country town, where all are supposed to be friendly and helping each other in the struggle for existence, returning the acceptance of any person in business without first giving some intimation of his intention of doing so — without giving the poor beggar, who ever he might be, a chance of raising as much of tha needful as meet the particular engagement, and thus keep his credit good 1 Well, if you have not, 1 have. Last week I gave you my experience of the amount I have had to pay for getting a bill discounted, and this week I can give even more bitter experience. I have experienced what it is unintentionally to dishonour one of my own acceptances. Through a very simple error — one which might be made by the most careful individual — by which the due date was extended three days more than it should have been, my extremely obliging banker thought he would teach me a lesson for putting such ' 'silly rot, " as he calls it, in the paper about the bank agents, by returning acceptance dishonoured, or with the hateful "N. S. F." endorsed on it. On mentioning the circumstance to one party, he said that had the like mean act been perpetrated upon him, he would have leapt the counter and inflicted a shock upon the olfactory nerves of the party, that a colisioii of the planets would have been a fool to it. But being a weakly individual (although, goodness knows, indignant enough at the treatment I had received), I thought discretion would be the better part of valour, so refrained from doing anything rash. On telling another party how I had been served, he could hardly believe it in one whom he considered so meek and charitable, and recommended chastisement similar to that inflicted upon the Daylesford poundkeeper. Victorians will know what is meant. In my case, the agent could not possibly have been less obliging, and the course he adopted might have been ruination to me, but luckily — no thanks t© him— it had not that effect. There are many ways in which a bank agent may abuse the trust reposed in him, and I cannot help observing, when Borne people are spoken of in the presence of bank agents, a peculiar shrug of the shoulders and othrr indications of distrust. The following little scene will convey my meaning clearly. Scene : Footpath in the town. Persons represented : Banker and contractor. Banker (addressing contractor) : " Where are you working, Mr. . " Contractor : "At Mr. ." Banker (shrugging shoulders a la Francaise) : " How about the payment?" Contractor: "I suppose it's all right." Banker makes no reply, but from the expression of his countenance, contractor has doubts raised in his mind, and as soon as he finishes the job, lodges his account, and demands instant payment. Yes, there are many ways they can abuse the trust reposed in them, and that is one of them. There is no class of men whose utterances should be more guarded than that of bankers. Surely a man's credit is not to be placed in jeopardy by the nod, or wink, or shrug of the, shoulder, or any other bodily contortion of a bank agent. If so, then I say farewell to business.

I hope, sir, you will excuse me for occupying so much of your space with a matter of so purely a personal character. Had the principle involved not been one of grave importance, I would not have troubled you with a recital of my grievance.