Rubber Cheque

Fiji Debates The Rubber Cheque Problem

From a Correspondent )ud cheques, a bane of com ■ce in Fiji, will continue to be lenace, for combined official unofficial members in the [islative Council in November sated a Government motion ed at strengthening the law. >NCERN about the number of cheques which bounced came to Lie notice about 18 months ago n the Suva Chamber of Com ce, later backed by the Federated mbers of Commerce, sought Gov nent action. Rubber cheques are iroblem in many South Sea ids because of the wide use of jues as currency. reliable estimate was that 18,000 ;qu e s had been dishonoured ughout Fiji during the previous years! fell to the lot of the Attorney eral, Mr. A. M. Greenwood, QC. introduce the new measure, but Greenwood himself was against The official members themselves s so divided that the Government ded the issue should be resolved a free vote.

Onus of Proof he new measure proposed to shift onus of proof from the prosecu to an accused to prove he did s enough funds to meet a que. If a cheque was drawn and sented within 30 days and dis cured because there were insuf ;nt or no funds to meet it the wer could be prosecuted under the posed new law.

'he Director of Public Works, Mr. n Common, was in favour of the isure. He told the Council that the te names occurred with a certain ;ree of regularity on cheques which department received, and which bank returned. Over a year, a que-and-a-half a week were re tted. He considered that in mosi es the drawer knew the cheque uld be returned. fhe Colonial Secretary, Mr. P. D. icdonald, said the blame must rest h the banks and the commercial nmunity. Commerce gave credit ely, and accepted cheques too ely.

He then argued that if the measure s passed, the gaols, already filled

to overflowing, might become fuller.

In that case there would be a request for more money to extend the gaols!

Mr. C. W. Cayzer, a European nominated member, said there was a completely amoral outlook on the sanctity of cheques. It was nonsense for a person to say he was unaware he had no money to meet a cheque.

Three lawyer members (Messrs.

J. N. Falvey, H. B. Gibson and R. G. Kermode) also favoured a tightening-up of the law.

Semesa Sikivou (a Fijian member) blamed the matter on to the economic position in which people found themselves. Most people were hard up, and when they were hard up some

of them could not afford to be honest. he said. When there were children to be educated and fed and there was no money the temptation was great if there was a cheque book handy, Semesa said he wished some other way could have been found for deal ing with the problem, When it came to the vote the house divided 16-11 against the measure.

Mr. Greenwood did not vote. Of the totals, five official members and six unofficial members were in favour of lightening the law. Six unofficial members and 10 officials voted against it.

The Suva Chamber of Commerce is now back where it started!