FLEECING LONDON HOUSEHOLDERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXVIII, Issue 105, 7 May 1894, Page 4

FLEECING LONDON HOUSEHOLDERS.

Some ingenious individuals have been perpetrating a scries of frauds ut the expense .of London firemen, and a strong representation lias been made to the County Council to take action in the matter. -It appears that men dressed as firemen have been . making house-to-house subscriptions on behalf of some supposed institution for the benefit of disabled firemen. The Council has sought to make it widely known that members of the Fire Brigade are not allowed under any circumstances to solicit subscriptions, but the warning has had little effect, and it is certain thai many people give money to these men in the belief that they were benefiting a praiseworthy institution. One individual has pushed his daring so' far as to appeal to firemen themselves for subscriptions to build a convalescent homo for members of tho brigade and their families, but, needless to say, he ha-*i had little success in that direction. Another scheme is to issue lettei's stating that a proposed institution for firemen has been lying dormant in order to give tho London County Council an opportunity of fayjgg. their schome, but, as ifc has i

proved an utter failure, the committee have recommenced their work with tho full resolce to carry it out as in the past. The individual who sends out this letter is also sending by post requests for subscriptions, in envelopes marked " Ollicial, from fire ollice," accompanied by a list of amounts stated to have been paid by the institution. Tho Council knows of no such institution, and desires to warn householders against subscribing.