RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 221, 15 June 1931, Page 8

RANDOM NOTES

LOCAL AND GENERAL Sidelights on Current Events (By Kickshaws.) A novelist say® that h® take® a hot bath on® morning and a cold on® th® next Some hot water systems ar® even worse than that. A London man who was sitting in the smoking room of his club suddenly fell into a trance. The club bore who was .present at the time has resigned. • • • When a judge sentenced a Sydney man to five years Imprisonment for on® of the cleverest £5OOO bank swindles In history he also expressed the opinion that the bank staff had displayed negligence. Few of us realise the pitfail* which beset bankers. The law takes a severe view of banker’s obligations to the public. Should a banker make a mistake he is liable to his customer for any resulting loss. Admittedly a man who sued his bank for cashing his cheque five minutes after closing time failed to win his Case. But there are other instances where a bank has had to admit liability for actions almost as trifling.

Many customers instruct their banks to pay their fire Insurance premiums annually. Most banks willingly undertake this duty without charge, in a spirit of friendliness toward the customer concerned. Nevertheless th® bank takes upon itself a greater responsibility than might be imagined at first sight If, owing to an oversight the premium were not paid the bank would have considerable difficulty in avoiding the responsibility should a Are occur on the property insured. Again, many .banks place their strongrooms at the free disposal of their permanent customers for the safe keep, ing of valuables. Nevertheless, if th® bank doses anything it is liable for th® loss. Indeed, a banker is even liable to get into trouble if he gives rash advice-to customers concerning investments.

So far as cheques are concerned, a banker finds himself surrounded by a whole host of pitfalls. If a banker by mistake dishonours a cheque drawn on an account which’is in funds he is liable for damages. The damages ordered to be paid depends upon the amount of injury done to the credit of the drawer. In the case of business customers, banks have been forced to pay over 'very large sums as a restorative to lost credit and Injured pride. Before a cheque is returned R.D. you may be sure that the particular account has been very carefully scrutinised by responsible officials.

In the same way pass-books are very carefully examined before they are sent out to customers. Pass-book errors in favour of a customer might result in considerable loss to the bank. If the customer, having received his passbook, draws on the account in good faith the bank might have some considerable difficulty in avoiding liability. There is one loop-hole here, however, for if the error is jsuch an obvious one that the customer had no excuse for being misled, the bank can rectify the matter to its own benefit. Just what is an “obvious error” might cost several thousands of pounds to discover in a court of law. y ,•♦ - »

The law as regards 'banking is not entirely on the side of the customer. There are some errors made by banks which they are legally entitled to recover. For example, if a bank pays out a £5O note in mistake for a £5 note the recipient has no legal right to retain it—if he can be found he may be arrested. Indeed, the law in some cases is very much on the side of the bank. A bank is entitled to return a customer’s cheque unpaid if there are not sufficient funds, despite the fact that there may be ample funds at another branch. On the other hand, although the particular account may be in credit, the banker may still return the cheque if the customer’s balance is cancelled by an overdraft at another branch.

By order of Habibullah, present ruler of Afghanistain, the last surviving general 'has been blown from the mouth of a cannon at Kabul. It is customary /o blame this pleasant little punishment on an Englishman named Sir Mouptstuart Elphinstone, once a name with which to conjure in India. Certainly this gentleman was in the habit of blowing people right and left from cannons, One famous conspiracy of the Mahrattas was stopped most effectively by blowing practically all the offenders from cannons. It may be argued that It is no worse to be blown from a cannon than mutilated by its projectile. As a matter of fact, this habit first originated in the East, whose inhabitants soon saw useful possibilities in imported cannons in this respect The Mahrattas themselves had adopted the custom long before Elphinstone turned it against them. At one time, however, it became commonplace among the British forces in India. Even Havelock himself, noted for his saintliness, could not understand the humane scruples of a subordinate whom he had ordered to blow a few Sepoys from the guns. After all, is this penalty any worse than banging? Is it worse than garrotting, guillotining, electrocuting, shooting, chopping off heads, .and all the delicate surgical operations of a like nature commonly practised by civilised nations to this day? * * ♦ TO AN ARTIST. “So great is the misuse of the word ‘artist,’ ” writes “H.P.,” “that this word is liable to lose its true siguiiieance in placing the status of those who tread the thorny path in search of the unattainable. Vaudeville low comedians, girls who sing jazz songs over the air, little bits of pianists in suburban halls, are all referred to as artists. Wherefore I make moan and write” — Can you paint me a rushing wave? A carolling lark on high? Can you paint me a floating cloud? A love-sick maiden’s sigh? Can vou paint me the breath of spring? With the bud-tips bursting green? Can you paint me the dream of a child? The thoughts of a queen? Can you paint rtie a shooting star Against the velvet night? • Can you paint me what Epstein means Stark on your canvas white? If in truth you can.paint these thing®, I make bold to affirm, You will really be an “ARTIST” In the best of th® term.