EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF IMPOSTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 260, 9 November 1897, Page 2

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF IMPOSTURE.

The Sydney police, according to a cable message of November Ist, have arrested Harry Picter, alias Earl Hardwick, on a charge of imposing on the leading jewellers, and other similar charges are alleged to be pending. The Sydney "Herald" of October 28th, under the heading '' Visit of the Earl of Hardwick," says : — The Earl of Hardwick, who is visiting Australia on a pleasure trip, arrived in Sydney from Molong yesterday mornidg. He came to the colony two months ago, and has been spending a few weeks at Burrawong, with Mr Frederick Young, a son-in-law of Mr Norton Russel, of Woollahra. The Earl of Hardwick was seen by a " Herald " representative at the Hotel Australia last night, and in course of conversation referred to a few of his experiences of travel during the past 12 months. The Earl, who' until May bore the title of Viscount Royston, has been in the United States, Cuba, Mexico, Fiji and Auckland. He was in Cuba in February last, and the incidents of his stay there included some active experiences of the Cuban War. "I gave the American reporters plenty of copy at Cuba," he remarked with a laugh. From Cuba he went to Mexico. He was on the shores of the Western Pacific when the news came of his father's death, the message also conveying the intelligence that he had succeeded to the title and estates. Before returning home he decided to visit Australia. Some of his experiences of the country have been of an unexpected character. "I went to Molong to hunt kangaroos," he said. " I expected to rough it, but rather to my surprise I was invited to da.nces, and opened a bazaar. I didn't expect to find you so uj> to date." The Earl, who states that he likes Australia and will be sony to leave it, goes on to Melbourne at the end of the week.