THE CREDIT SYSTEM.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 325, 28 January 1874, Page 3

THE CREDIT SYSTEM.

(To the Editor.) Sic. — How pleasant it is to be in business in Lawrence, and have the satisfaction of serving one's customers with goods and civility. Oh, very pleasant indeed — if you don't ask for money. If you do so, in some cases you will offened ; in others, you will get tender promises that on such and such a day you may expect a settlement. You wait patiently for that day to come round, but when it does come, instead of your money, you have a woeful story repeated in your ears, and another promise made to cheer your heart, and to assist you to meet your bills. I am surprised to find men hanging about hotels and spending money that ought to go towards paying their debts, or find them J recklessly speculating with money that really belongs to others. " Call again " has become too familiar to the business man in Lawrence, who is continually on the hunt for money, for which, in many cases, he has worked hard. Hour after hour has to be sacrificed, and perhaps " call again" has been repeated a dozen times before he succeeds in getting his money. I really think, Sir, the causeof this state of things lies both with business men and their customers. The business man wants his money once a month or once every three months, as the case may be, and it is his duty to let that be understood. It is the duty of the customers, on the other hand, to pay his accounts in *, like manner. If he cannot do it either monthly or quarterly, it is questionable if he will be able to do it at all. The writer of this letter has a decided objection to allow his family to wear drapery that is not paid for, neither does he care to wear other men's boots, or eat the baker's bread more than two months without a settlement; and he does not feel comfortable in his own mind if his grocer's bill is not paid monthly. The same applies to his horse feed, his newspaper, his fuel, and other articles. His hotel account does not trouble him, for when all else is paid he finds neither money nor time to spend there, so he has to be satisfied with water and a little tea and sugar mingled together. If our worthies would adopt the writer's plan, things in Lawrence would to-day be in a much healthier state. Every man should count the cost -before he purchases, so as to be able to pay in a reasonable time. If he can't do so, let him, like the writer of this letter, go without. I hope, Sir, a new system will be initiated for 1874. Let every tub, I say, stand on its own bottom, and let us try and do unto others as we would that they should do unto us. — I am, &c., Limited Liability. ! Lawrence, January 26.