CLERK'S CLEVER RUSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13781, 20 June 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

CLERK'S CLEVER RUSE.

DEFACING BANKNOTES. According to the Paris Matin an ingenious French clerk has solved for himself the problem of how to live without work. By French law the Bank of France is obliged to replace a damaged banknote, the number of which is legible, by a new one, and the cost of printing a note is eightpence. These facts gave the clerk, who had for years dragged out a poverty-stricken existence, a bright idea when he unexpectedly inhorited 20,000 francs (£800) from a relativeHe turned his fortune into 20 banknotes of £40 each, and then, after treading them under foot, smudging them with ink, and in other ways making them disreputable, ho took them to the Bank of France and exchanged t-uem for new ones. The next day he went back with the newbanknotes in the same dirty condition, and again had them renewed. He did this every day except Sunday for three weeks. The matter was then reported to the governor, who sent; for the clerk and asked him why he behaved in such an extraordinary manner. " That is my business,'' wan the answer. " The law gives me a perfect right to exchange dirty banknotes for clean ones half-a-dozen times a day if I like.' " But every new banknote we give you costs us eightpence. You are costing us los 4d a day." "Exactly," said the man. ' "I havo a proposition to make to you. I will promise to stop soiling banknotes if you will agree to pay me 12s 6d a day." . , The bank agreed to do so, and the man is said to have been living on the proceeds ever since