LONG LOST RELATIONS

Evening Star, Issue 16195, 17 August 1916, Page 5

LONG LOST RELATIONS

Several of Auckland's most prominent business men have had reason to regret having relations residing abroad during the past few days (says the ' Star 'j! Some person has evidently been trading on the generosity of the Auckland for several reports have come to hand of local business men being visited by a man who claimed to be a relation in need. In most cases the "need" has been met with financial help. A man —a gentleman, if clothes make a rogue a gentleman—has been calling at business houses and asking for tho manager, say Mr X. Mr X. has duly received the caller, who claimed to be a cousin—a Mr Frank X., of Hobart, or of anv other place. The feeling that " blood is thicker than water" prompted the unsuspecting business man to advance a loan to the dear cousin. The said cousin was a school teacher and a Master of Arts, he said, and the Auckland man, in most cases, accepted the learned cousin as he would a prodigal cousin, and fell on his neck—financially. One of the goodhearted gentlemen referred to met another, and thoy compared notes. 'That's when the trouble came. They had to either accept the idea of his being a cousin to both of them or admit that they had both been had. A hint could be taken from these experiences, for the relation is likely to continue his rather daring method of obtaining money—probably in some other part of the Dominion.