“FROM ORSTRALIA.”

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 8 November 1924, Page 8

“FROM ORSTRALIA.”

SPONGERS’ RICH HARVEST. STRANGE CO<JKNEV TALES. LONDON, Oot. 13. Australia House warns visitors to beware ox suspicious characters at present gleaning a harvest irom credulous Australians. The spongers usually pose as Aus- * tralians stranded and starving. They glioly approach obvious newcomers, and hail compatriots, “Huiloa Dig,” and then pitch a hard-lucit tale. Australia House pfficials are powerless to do more than notify the police, and to Varn visitors against strangers. A representative of the Sun, aided by officials of Australia House, made an investigation, and found four permanent spongers. He overhead one complaining, “Rotten luck • I only made 22s 6d yesterday.” The'sailors of the Adelaide provided a most fruitful harvest. Mi*. H. N. Southwell, who .is in charge of the library at Australia House, has been responsible for the detection of many crooks. He repeatedly warns visitors. “It is their own .fault,” said Mr. Southwell. “If they refused to give money, crooks would not continue to haunt Australia, House. When 1 see a suspicious character I ask him where he comes from. If lie replies'Orstralia,’ I know lie is a. crook immediately. “Sometimes the man is sufficiently experienced to reply ‘Australia.’ Then I ask, ‘From what city?’ Generally, I am able to detect a fraud from the pronunciation. Last week I saw two of the Adelaide’s sailors talking to an affable stranger. I interfered, and saved the sailors at least a few shillings, probably more.”

The spongers’ chief stumbling block seems to be the pronunciation of Melbourne and Brisbane, which they invariablv call “Melbourn” and “Brisbavne,” accenting the second syllable, whereupon Mr. Southwell replies, “You’re liars; you’re not Australians.” The crooks also attempt to obtain nntepaper and envelopes at Australia Fouso- library on which to write beg-<nn-r betters. Consequently, Mr. Southwell has altered the system He does not no"' place paner loosely on the tables, but gives sheets to each person, separate!v, enrcfullv catechisino- appli- ""”+° jw, “Orst.rnlia,” “Melbourn,”’ an- 1 “B*mhavne.” i J nf ”! declares that Australians ’"t" a. regular Cockney diat hp ir po ” Tltrv Austrylia, sa ° the T\ «nbl v t TT Iflorl Germ an commercial -o-r,iiQ- s learning exaggerated f’oeknev believing that in future the English language will take that form.