PAY CASH

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 42, 19 February 1931, Page 4

PAY CASH

(To the Editor.) Sir,—At a time when our politicians are at their wits' end to make this country's needs meet, "Pay Cash" to my mind would be a more than helpful slogan. With wage levels coming down, the cost of commodities must come down, too, and compatible with trade interests credit must be eliminated. Of late years the credit seekers have been growing to such an extent that if is nothing short, of a pernicious habit to-day, and a curse _on _ the pay as you go- community of this little country of ours. It stands to reason that if'Bhopkeepers and other's have to wait for their money, then the onuel must be >assed on to the cash customer in the prices paid for their goods. It is said there are only two bad payers, viz.; those that pay. twice and those lhat don't pay at all.' The latter class are ever growing; With some because they think it is' clever, and others o£ necessity. It therefore- makes the cash customer a bad payer, too, because he or she pays twice: once for their own goods and again for the non-payer. Much of this credit curse is invited by the traders themselves, who overreach the bounds of bos * vibility in their endeavours to obtain and retain custom. Now is the time for.them to take a pull, and give more consideration to the cash customer, who to-day, as in-the past; is more often than not the last to be considered. In the ethics of finance, why should this be so? The reason is not far to seek, for the persion who is running a monthly account (although perhaps on a weekly or fQrtnightly pay) will at the end of the month most likely pay one-half of the bill, and the shopkeeper, "for fear of • losing the other half, studies this customer" whilst the cash customer (who, by the way, earns no rebate on his order) gete* scant consideration. • '' - ' Isn't it time, therefore, that shopkeepers woke up and discouraged both credit and the credit ' customer. By so doing he could reduce the price of his goods, increase his cash sales, face his wholesalers' bills with equanimity, help himself, and help his country by keeping money in circulation.—l am, etc., PAY CASH.