A “LAY-BY” SCHEME.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 8 September 1925, Page 3

A “LAY-BY” SCHEME.

1200 WCWMEN DEFRAUDED

PAID, BUT GOT NOTHING

No fqwer than 1200 women from a-11 parts of New South V ales have been defrauded, Sydney detectives say, by -a sohetme worked under the name of the Ladies’ Fashion Ehiporiunn, Tfwo. months ago, according to what the police have been able to -ascertain, a man took an office in a building in Pitt Street, City, -and from there sent but emissaries to .all partis of the State. During a house-to-hoihe canvass they told women of a new “lay-by” scheme, whereby if they signed a contract and paid a ismall siwu down, agreeing to keep up the payments until say £5 was reached, -they could -then select any oi various intriguing items of feminine finery, which the Ladies’ Fashion Emporium- claimed, tq have fck; sale. It is claimed that lficslb of the women paid their instalments regularly to head office in Pitt Street, -and that last week was -the time when meet of them had reached tlie final payment-. Consequently hundreds of women made Sydney their Mecda for their -holidays, seeking to cbnibiuo business with pleia-s----ure by cashing ill their interest in the Ladies’ Fashion Emporium. But they -found it was not at tine address to which they had forwarded their money. A tired -lilt-drive-r -lie was giving this direction all day and every day-last week—informed them as they inquired, that the Emporium officials had left the place, and omitted to mention where they were going Eventually many of -the women visited the police 'an-d'ilaid a complaint. The police soon got on the track of the persons who brought the Emporium into being, and -at the week-end they made an arrest. ' .- • - •