ALLEGED FORTUNE TELLING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 101, 22 January 1908, Page 8

ALLEGED FORTUNE TELLING.

CHARGES AGAINST TWO WOMEN. V i INTERESTING' EVIDENCE. (by THu:cß.\rii—hiess association. V--' ' Dureriin, Januarv 21. 1 Two-women, appeared, at the Police Court:, to-da.v charged with fortune-telling. • | In the ease against Annie Lawrence, the Sub-Insp&tor said that, in consequence of advertisements "in the newspapers to the effect that Madame Lawrence: was a gifted medical clairvoyant and phreublogistj a constable in plain clothes was detailed to investigate' her claim. The constable went to Madame Lawrence's, and, when ushered in, explained that' ho wished'.his, fortune told. She asked him as to price. . She had different prices'and different methods for telling fortunes. Among other things the constable was told that lie. was going a . short journey by rail, and a long voyage..by sea; that he would have a terrible' lot of trouble in the family, and further, that lie ciime, of a large family. As a matter of fact, there wore only three in the constable's family. Accused further stated that .witness's igrandfather had lived to a good old age, and that he, himself, would live to a., ripe old age. Ho was further assured that he would never bo bothered with financial difficulties. This, tho Sub-Inspector submitted, was fortune- ' wiling. _ Mr. Hanlon said that if the facts as set forth constituted all the charge His client would plead guilty. Sho was fined JOs. and costs, or a month's imprisonment. . CASE DISMISSED. Elena Elvino, similarly charged, pleaded not guilty. Constable Eazakerley said that, on January 2 he went to Elena Elvino's house in-Stuart Street, and was asked by madame if he wished a reading, to which he assented. Accused took a glass ball and put it in his hand. He was requested to look into it, after which she also looked into it. Accused told liim he was going a short journey by rail and a long one by'water. He was also told that he was short, tempered, that lie was fond of horse racing, and if he were to continue it it would he the means of his ruin; but she advised him to invest us. in Tattersail's,' which would bring liini gold. He was charged 2s. (id. for the advice. ' Mr. Hanlon (to witness): Accused said she would give to you a reading of your character ?—Yes. Did she herself say anything about being a hand reader? —I do not recollect whether she did. • She told you she could read your character?— Yes. Like phrenologists, lawyers, and others, she made some mistakes?— Yes. She. told you lots of things about your character, some of which were wrong and some may have been correct?— Yes. • Did not she say. that the only way to get rich easy nowadays was to invest money in Tattersail's?—No. She advised me to invest os. in Tattersalls, and that was the way to get gold. Mr. Hanlon submitted that there was no case to meet. The constable admitted that, tiie woman said she would read his character, and reading another's character was not. fortune-telling. Fortune-telling,'it was well known, was told by the stars and cards, but there was no suggestion of such' a thing here. The point in the charge was that accused bad told the witness to put his money on Tattersail's, which would bring hii'n riches. What- accused did say was that the only easy way to get money was by way of striking Tattersail's. The Magistrate said he agreed with the counsel for the defence. The evidence was too weak to convict upon, and the case would he dismissed.

A number of photographs have-recently been taken of different views of (lie bush proper! v situate near llanakau, to be offered for sale by'auction by Messrs. Palgety and Company, l.td., 011 February 211. The photographs give a good idea of the class of country and nature of the bush, and show (hat a large portion of the bush comprises rimu and totara. Thev may be seen at the Wellington oliice of the ;iucliouecr«.