TOPICS OF THE DAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 5009, 6 July 1903, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

A case that came before the Magistrate’s Court a few days riNGEE ago forcibly exemplifies print the need that exists for identity some ’ in the methods pursued in the Post Office Savings with a view to preventing the fraudulent withdrawal of money. The case was one , in which a man was charged with obtaining £7B 10s by stealing the bank-book of a depositor and forging his name to withdrawal notes. It is apparent on thp face of it that the system in vogue does not give adequate protection to depositors; it seems, indeed, to offer facilities to forgers. It is the custom to make the depositor affix his or her signature in a space loft for the purpose in front of the bank-book, and the result is th#t in the event of the book falling into dishonest hands, the' person has before him the signature, which ho has only to imitate in order to obtain possession of the money in the bank. Now, it should be possible to devise a method that would not be an incentive to crime, and would more thoroughly safeguard the deposits of the public. If, for example, the signatures were recorded in an indexed book at the office of deposit, the means of checking doubtful signatures would be readily at hand, and there would he an absence of the present facilities for forgery. A more effectual system, and one that could bo easily introduced by the Finger Print Bureau, would he one of requiring the depositor to place on his book a print of bis right thumb and to insist in case of doubt upon the person seeking to withdraw money, giving a similar impression for the purpose of verification. This method, we understand. is in uso in India, and it has had the effect of almost entirely eliminating fraudulent withdrawals of money. No two persons have exactly

tho same thumb-print, and tho work of examining and comjjariug prints is so readily acquired that tho introduction pf the system would impose no additional work on officials. With tlxis system in force, there would practically bo no attempts to obtain money from tho bank by fraud, for th e certainty of detection and punishment would ho an effective deterrent. Wo commtyd the matter to tho attention enterprising and progressive Minister in charge of tho Post Office Department.

Ihe wave of teetotal fanaticism that seems now to bo traversing drastic our planet hat» struck the temperance republic of X’eru with HKroi'.M ■ mono than usual force.

Tho movement in that country has taken the form of an enforcement of prohibition literally at tho point, of the bayonet. It began by President Romami signing the pledge to totally abstain from the drinking of intoxicants. His example was quickly followed by others in high p.aocs. Then laws ivoro passed to drive the honor manufacturers and distillers'out" of business. Provision was made for the seizure and public sale of distilleries, and all saloons were ordered to bo closed. Tho now law came into force, very appropriately, on All Fools’ Day: but the distillers hired armed gangs or men to protect their establishments. They- also secured tho friendship of the army temporarily, but this was soon overcome by the President issuing a proclamation increasing the pay of enlisted men. That won tho military over to his side, and he at oUco seized tho distilleries. These were all, at latest accounts, in tho hands of tho* Government, and were to Bo sold at public auction, the buyer pledging himself to destroy the distilling apparatus and to refrain from using the buildings for liquor manufacture. Thp proceeds of tho salo woro to bo handed over to tho distillers, who were not allowed to bid at the auction. It is quito within tho range of possibility that tho array, after a month or two of total abstinence, may ho seized with a thirst, and in South ‘American stylo may overthrow tho cold-water Government, and placo men in ipower who will ro-opon the distilleries and drinking saloons. Tho incident, so far as it has gone, is a striking illustration of what may happen in other countries, should tho enforcement of prohibition bo attempted.