DEBT=COLLECTING AGENCY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 222, 12 June 1908, Page 8

DEBT=COLLECTING AGENCY.

: SEQUEL TO A NEWSPAPER'ADVER- - ;; " 'TISEMENt; <// ' ' V'.H/--FEMALE EMPLOYEE ALLEGES , MISREPRESENTATION. 'A REMARKABLE STORY. ■ f r A-civil action having- some unusual fea.l turcs was partially before/ Dr- A'. . .M'Arthur, S.M., in tho /Magistrate's. Court,'. yesterday afternoon. . , ■: Rosina "Wright, tailoress (Mr.. Von Haast) ?> sr sued Vanda Whito. (Mr. Levvcy) for £30. - The statemont of claim'set out:—(1) That on -April 13, , 1908, defendant induced plaintiff to enter into .partnership - with-, him in -. : • the -business carried -on by -him m Welhngton .under tho style of -"The. Commercial ■•. Arbitration .Agency," and to : pay :to him v the sum-of £30 >for a-one-third share in 'he:profits-of .the said business, byfraudu- >: tently representing to her (a) that: he bona. sde . carried- on- a genuine and substantial 3ebt-collectmg ( business : in- Wellington. with branches' in. Chnstchurch and'Dunedin, un- : 3er -the stylo of "The Commercial Arb'itraf; .. lion .Agency," ( whereas, in' fact, ..the. busi'r < lesscarried on by hun r .was insignificant and ; illusory as tho defendant-knew} (b) that'be- '.'. ■ tween.£3oo to. £400 a week was received v. at tho /Wellington office from the collec- •: tion .of debts by the agency, whereas m . .fact; scarcely aiiy moneys at all were ro- ! ceived at.tho said office; -(e) that tho said i |.: ■ 'Commercial* Arbitration - -Agency" - had ' ( ! branches in . Chnstchurch and' Dunedm, f: : / whereas .m fact.- it, had no such,branches;' tv (d) that tho -defendant had .been , three' or i-. ! four months in Wellington, whereas he had I--. been, only one'month. .■■, - ■ |.'i(2).-That; plaintiff suffered damage to:the / extent -..of * £30, ■ whorefore she .claimed that 6um as damages. - - :• Rosina- Wright, plaintiff, deposed- that she 1 was brought into communication with' de-' ■ fondant '.through: a newspaper advertisement .: ' ;• V : v'.i/ v -:z-;. I '. "W/anteda lady ,to learn management • ?>. of office. Salary, with - ; share of- profits, - Must:' invest' £50. ' • Organiser." -

- , V l & tt ' uia wA. • Y-'t •' •<. . „ .She answered .the advertisement, and received a ..letter ;from defendant 'asking her to. call,on.him. . . "Witness did- so, and-waa informed that ho wanted someone ■ to ■ put £30 into an organising, business. The wages .would be 305.,. per "week and • commission, and one-third of the-'profits. Witness did not,. liko. a, partnership • arrangement, but i I was agreed that, she. was.to put down £30 as a. bond, .and ■. after, having*-,stayed six months her £30 was to bo returned to her . If , s lie loft the sis months she was to get half Pf--™ £30., .-Witness 'asked what < '.'organising;, meant,. and ,i defendants explained l , that .Wing and,- selling businesses" 1 ..'.-Eg. Mnn £50. a day- coming'.in, arid ±.200. and ,£3OO and.'sometimcs .jSSOO or £400 per-week.Defendant-: stated • that' h6 v had canvassors travelling foivhim, and also had offices in. Chnstchurch and Dunedin ■ Ho also tall>qd about taking an office >m Palmers•■{°h , -Wellington, ho said, was the head, pfficp..-,. Originally the money witness was to pay in was to be £50, but witness • she .had only £30, which sura defendant : do. . Before paying : tho money .witness asked to. see .the agreement, and,! said thought she ought to havo a lawyer. ~ Defendant smiled; and said it was not.necessary to have a lawyer for £30 The 1 . agreement... he .read.: out. .to witness did not mention partnership, and. although tliero -wore Only .supposed, to be two agreements witness saw. three. . She signed her name to one, and, defendant gavp her another copy: Defendant read tjie document over -to witness. - Two days: later witness told defend' ant that the agreement ho .had given her , was not the same as ho read. over to her Defendant .replied, that she need -not worry, as it would be all right. i " NO WOPK TO DO " . Witness, 4 continuing; said - that: on. going to work at defendant's office she found'thero was no work- to do. There 'were no books - in - the office until .the - second day after", sho joined,- when a ledger and another book'arDefendant was employed altering the beading pn.'unaddressed printed notjees,, pre- : BUmably,; to be.,sent to debtors: asking ,tb pay., During: the .five-weeks witness was in - the office -, about eleven: or twelve letters were sent.out.' Witness: saw.no canvassers ■ about, and-ori.-thethird day: defendant .said he .had'-had- h row with re- : marking that; tkeywere.noVEaodto, him "if' they "could not brings ii|, £6 or:'£7 -a week. One man called at the office, on business, arid j two^friends of 'defendant witness's'. stay: in. the/office;' No lone cameVto ■ pay any money, while 'she 'was there...- Witness made'no'-critries in;the book;'spending- ; her. time., learning . .the'end of ws!k• defendant"pltid!hfcrr 30s:, and gaye "lier another cheque; for, '£3, :' which was 'to : '.be. cashed-, for v-himself,; > Wit- ■ :: ness remarked on the that tiefo did not' seem to be: much business; - to wbich defen-: dant roplicd tliat ho had been toll her a secret, - but •: did .-not''Know: if 'he - could trust her-or not: : . Ste said ho' could trust: her, ; i and , he replied 'that -hS.. would think, .over,-, it and tell "her . next/day. ..,;;. The day defendant, said "he had .'been wanting a young lady in the. office to help him make money,-arid , suggested;tliat'.he arid witness should, get one or;.two ybpug.-ladies to, learn, typewriting.:., ire ,suggested;'.sia,t'< bo. should say witness was well ''experienced, andrsaid'they.'iiiight 'get'a: premium'of '£15 -or more.' Witness adked what wouldibe,done • with , her,' and defendant replied - that 1 she would- stay, for -two :or three days,.' adding,' '"Don't.let them know too nntihl"He went oil'to suggest th&t after a'while they .should, get another • one . in and . seiid'.Vitiiess »to Palmcrston. V.;.;-: : ' r ;: DID N6T' LIKE THE IDEA. . Wltncss said she did not, like the. idea, and that'she could see thero. uas no business at all. Defendant told her she had'becri used to hard - work, ,and added "all-people, who work are fools.''. Witness remarked .that, the ■business seemed to be underhand 'and, not .straightforward. Defendant-said .'he/;-was; going; to start an office in Palmerston,' send wfitness there, and- put another young -lady in :the office to' learn the typewriting. He 'offered : to pay witness's board, expenses, and wages when she said she did not like tho. idea of shifting from Wellington. Witness subsequently. agreed to do this. Defendant said . He was going to get a. partner at "Palmers-, ton and witness was to stay there, until the Ealmerston office [had, been sold arid then return to Wellington. Witness asked how they , were going .to keep on tho different offices, and defendant said the only way to do it was to open offices/in other, towns—to sell one : out -and then go on to 'another " and . do the sdriie/thine.'. Defendant then put an advertisement in/the paper for. a;lady'/partrier/ arid. :a. lady arid her daughter called. Witness was 1 sent out, to/get some printed, circulars, and on returning the : lady and her daughter wereabout to'go. /As,witness came in,defendant said ,to;them, ,','lf you like you can ask . Miss Wright' what I said." '• The conversation was .about witness going' Horiio to London because her sister; was" ill.- -De- : fendant winked at witness, who said".yes." She was not, however, going Home; until ;'tEe end of some months. ' 'After' some further talk;-, defendant said, ''If. I get £60' frdrii'tbis lady and give' you your money :back and your 30s: a Aveek 'would you .'be satisfied?"."- -Witness siid "Yes." "'Defendant'theri'. said, ; "The -/fact, isvou "are turning 1 sour ori-nie." :Subnecjucntfy defendant asked .Witries's' if- she would accept- £15 and stay' on at 30s. per • week. She. agreed;to"".this... Previously; wit-' ncss. had asked on several occasion's that she ghbuld see .in black .arid white had tJnrie with her money, bnt- 'he., said it . was not necdssary, iti beting in :the- Bank .of -Aiis- -■ tralasia. Witness gave him till Saturday to

'let ;hfer know-.what ..lie .had done with-the money. ..Ou. the Friday,ho said-tho i little boy who.had bccn sending out tho- circulars had lost tho 'bfeys' of;!tho ,letter;box. and Vthe: office door, and asked .witness to - give ■ her/key. bf i tho :office, up. • -On*the Saturday"witness; .went down to tho:.'offico at ld : a.m:, : .ljut tho. door was .l&ckecl. YShb. waited.' until-;' 11:30; . when defendant.-.came jaridiigave. her- aj. card,, whioh ;he;:. sdd^yas'jari/jlitrpduction;-to vhis'-lawyer. Slio was - to, receive;,a'/chequo 'for-' £15. and ■her; wages;.',, Witness.-:wept; totthe-,,solicitor, who ■ offered her a, post-dated cheque -for £15 ,which she 'would'liiofc .'take. . The' solicitor gave, witness'a lbttfer 'froin which, amongst • other - things,; objected to- a 'repeti- | tion of alleged, "insulting conduct, and threats ..of, violence already, experienced in defendant's.office," and referred' her to defendant's 'solicitor. The letter further/called on plaintiff; riot' to-molest, doferidant either at his business; or at his private, address. ■ At this stage, the case was adjourned un-til-Juno 15. : ".'- ; '■'!"■'