SHORTAGE OF CASH

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33450, 4 February 1974, Page 17

SHORTAGE OF CASH

’Cheque strike’ in Australia (N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) SYDNEY, Feb. 3. Many of Australia’s clubs and hotels are fast running out of cash as the effects of the ban by bank officers on handling commercial cheques begins to take effect. The five-day-old ban, arising from the Australian Bank Officers’ Association claims for an 18 per cent salary increase, although solely aimed at commercial cheques, meant difficulty for many wage-earners in collecting their wages last week. Because bank drafts were not being processed, employees whose salary normally goes directly into a bank account were forced to obtain a cheque from their employers, and take it to the bank personally. One leading Sydney club is so short of ready cash for its poker-machine players that it began offering yesterday a dozen free bottles of beer Ito members who provided >sloo in change. Usually only I too ready to cash cheques for members, most clubs now refuse to do so. The dispute will go before jthe Arbitration Commission ion Tuesday.