Banking Under Difficulties

"Banking Under Difficulties" by George Ogilvy Preshaw takes readers back to the Goldfields of Victoria, New South Wales, and New Zealand in the late 1800s. Written by a Bank Official, this book provides a fascinating account of the challenging conditions faced by banks during that time. Surprisingly, the author reveals that bank agencies were often set up in tents, and bankers would travel long distances on foot to purchase gold from small storekeepers. These bankers would carry the gold on their backs until they reached the relative safety of a rough bush shanty. The book highlights the stark contrast between the primitive banking practices of the era and the modern conveniences we are accustomed to today, such as cedar counters, massive ledgers, and impregnable strong-rooms. Instead, banking in those days involved using a gin case as a writing surface, a note-book or piece of wrapping paper for documentation, and a saddle-bag for carrying essentials. "Banking