SNEAKING SWINDLE.

NZ Truth, Issue 66, 22 September 1906, Page 6

SNEAKING SWINDLE.

Unscrupulous skunks who never work if . they can help it, and who. are always on the look-out for some one to prey upon, abound m every large centre, and the tricky dodges they get up to m order to raise the wind are innumerable. These unspeakable Bounds should get a good dose of gaol every time they are caught, for their cheeky thieving propensities require to be checked. One plausible scoundrel of •_: this undesirable . class has been "working" the suburbs of Christchurch lately, ; and is said to have achieved a fair measure, of -s.uc-i joess. His yarn was ; quite a believable one, too, .and it is little wonder . that a number of persons were ' taken, m, by the •specious 'scallywag: As is well-known, .a large number of private people, are desirous of letting lodgings during, the currency ; of t^tlie Inte;rhational Exhibition, and it owis on . this .that the fellow, worked. ■'. He, werit.'.round. at hours when he ' knew the heads .of 'the households would be away and said ' that- he was representing a syndicate, whose object was to act as a medium for bringing together those m search of board and lodgings and those willing to supply accommodation. He was supplied with a ponderous note book and pencil, and looked the genuine thing right enough. His fee was five shillings, whioh was paid m a good many instances. The fellow gave the city address of the syndicate, but when some' inquisitive person called at the spot indicated the address was found , to be a. bogus one. The so-called syndicate is purely mythical, and the whole business is a glaring swindle. The swine's victims were, m every j case women, and it's a sad pity that j one of them didn't see through the j scheme, and pour a kettle of boiling j water over his cheeky features. j