CONFIDENCE THICKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20900, 16 June 1931, Page 9

CONFIDENCE THICKS.

PLAUSIBLE STRANGERS.

OPERATIONS AT VANCOUVER. AUSTRALIANS AS VICTIMS. [FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] VANCOUVER. May 27. On (lie occasion of every trip of the Aorangi and Niagara (o this port an average of Iwo cases is reported to tlie police here of Australian passengers being fleeced 11V confidence men when they come ashore. The Hoval Canadian Mounted Police and the Vancouver City Police would lie glad if pultlic attention were drawn to the matter in orjler that Australians might he warned against giving money to plausible strangers they meet on the boats or to their principals ashore. Cases are becoming so regular that the police would be surprised if they were not summoned by some victim of the guileless practices of plausible gentry who ply a profitable trade at the expense # Australians. Of all travellers Australians are regarded as the easiest marks. Bank managers say they would also be grateful if the press issued a warning to travellers from Australia not to part with their funds except on the advice of a banker. It was hoped that the travelling public would be aware by now of its risks and dangers, but the proportion of victims is greater than ever. On the occasion of the arrival here of the Niagara on her present trip the manager of one of the Vancouver banks had the greatest difficulty in preventing an Australian traveller paying over £6OOO to a confidence man. Operations of the "Steerers." The "game" has varied little from the time of its inception half a century ago. Confidence men, known as " steerers," travel to and fro across the Pacific from Vancouver and San Francisco, co-operat-ing with groups working out of Sydney to and from the Far East. The "steerer" looks over the passengers, chooses his possible mark and wins his confidence. They are inseparable during the voyage and "do" Vancouver together. They then, apparently by accident, meet a "stranger," and it is not long before the victim is relieved of his cash, generally in a turf or other betting transaction. " Hauls " of £50,000 and £30,000.

One of the biggest hauls in recent years was £25,000, taken from the victim after the "steerer" accompanied him to Montreal and back. He returned here to telegraph to Australia for more funds. The bank manager failed to persuade the visitor that he was falling into a trap and another £25,000 was cabled for and passed over to the syndicate. A big industrial man parted with £30,000 on the day after his arrival.

The detectives have arrested 19 of these men this year, but to no purpose. They cannot be charged in any way except i>s vagrants, as the victim has no status in law if lie is defrauded in a gambling proposition. The highest bail for vagrancy is £lO. They are content to lose that and jump their bail. In one case bail was fixed at £I6OO and £6OO for two men. The pair involved jumped their bail and fled across the border. This was a case in which a stockbroker's office, complete with share-boards and tables and dummy ticker-tape, was fitted into a motor-car to impress the victim that their friends of a few hours' standing could wield influence at Wall Street or other stock market. The polica retained the broker's office.

The authorities here say they believo that were it not for the open-handed generosity of Australians the confidence men would not include Vancouver in their operations, as New Zealanders, Canadians and Englishmen do not succumb to their blandishments.