BOLD, BAD UNS.

NZ Truth, Issue 71, 27 October 1906, Page 3

BOLD, BAD UNS.

Blundering Booby Bellows for Bobbies. The newspapers that are alluding to the influx of criminals owing to the Exhibition call -the gentry "undesirable persons." If they termed them ■damned unscrupulous rascals the application would be more pertinent. Shoals of them are expected, some are here, and there have already done ■"- some cool operations at Dunedin, including thefts of jewels and money when the families have been at home and enjoying. themselves m the front parlor. But thieves of [this class are very daring, and are capable of anything. On the other s-ide it is a common thing for them to climb verandahs and collar any-

thing within reach, and to even take the lead off the roof while the people belonging to the show were busy, eating tucker or playing bridge. And when owners have gone away for a short holiday the fraternity have even l-eased the houses, or had them torn down, and sold as old timber, and then leased the land for a term, | getting a big deposit m advance. It is true that Maorilanders need to be warned against these well-dressed confidence men, burglars, sand-bag-gers and others of the push, but it doesn't follow that they should look on every stranger with the glazed eye of suspicion. Strangers are exjpected by the thousand every week, I and they will wear their best togs, and carry their best walking sticks, and put on their best airs m order to sljow the Maorilanders that they are not so superior as they kid themselves they are ; but the cove who looks upon even r new arrival and arrivaless with suspicion DESERVES TO BE BOATHOOKED, I Many persons of wealth will see that { their shanties are well guarded at I Ohristchurch during Exhibition time, j but these are men who are suffering jfrom burglaritis, or spieleritis, or some fearful affection of that sort. At Ohristchurch last Sunday one was; discovered m his lair at Cranmer Square, and his two "suspects" have written to a local paper describing the circumstance. It appears that they are strangers right enough, but are representing one of the biggest exhibitors at the Exhibition.. They live m Cranmer Square themselves, and went into the Snuare and dossed on the grass, smoking pipes, and discussing prospects or international politics, or something. Came along a policeman direct from the police station, and he spoke to them about the Exhibition ; did they know it? Of course they did, and the trio engaged m friendly chat. But when the copper mentioned that the grass was longer over at Hagely Park the couple— respectable men m responsible positions— thought they were transgressing; some by-law by lying: on the grass. Then it transpired that some coot, who describes himself as a leading resident of Cranmer Square had seen these "SUSPICIOUS CHARACTERS" lounging there, and thought that they were taking stock of his house, and intended collaring some of the contents therein— most of which probably hadn't been paid for— when they got a chance. Of course the pair laughed when they heard' that the fellow (what class of a fellow he is needn't be determined) had telephoned m hot haste to the police station asking' them to send round a copper to remove the brutes. This indignity and insult was strongly resented b Tr those concerned, who felt like getting hold of the prominent resident and wringing his nasal organ, or placing it m a manete. But they couldn't do much with this silly josser except to mention that he was an undesirable resident of Christchurch, and that if his telephone was to be used to give unnecessary trouble to the police force, and anno 1 ! 7 - and insult all they insanely suspected, the sooner the authorities disconnected him the better. Not a bad- idea. Also, the complainants trusted that for the good name of Christchurch, such discourtesy— to use a mild term— would be exposed, and the perpetrator be led to feel ashamed of his childish fears and ridiculous suspicions. Well, it may Come to this, that many of the visitors will look' upon Maorilanders as "suspects" and will avoid them accordingly ; and the Cranmer Snuare bloke may be nointed out to the outside police, and' 'tecs, and other law luminaries as a social plague, and a oicknocket, and lots of other things too numerous to mention. And lie will deserve it. The man who looks on everybody else with suspicion isn't much of a man anyway ; HE'S A LOBSTER. | It very often isn't deserved, and the cove who distrusts everybody isn't likely to be trusted himself. Mind j you there is going to be 'a big horde of the person-of-no-account at the Christchurch Exhibition, but he is not likely to arrive all at once. They will do Maoriland from end to end, winding up at Rotorua, where there's bound to be a crowd and few police, before and after "doing" the big show at Hagley Park, and that u doing" will extend over a period of six months. They will scatter about like raisins m a bun of baker make, and won't be all on the scene at once. But the police arrangements are : said to be .excellent, and the banks and the business " men will guard against burglars— or, at least they are supposed to be—and the path of the midnight Sykes may be a thorny one. But there is always the stock m shops, and the rich suburban house, and the country mansion, and other luxuries that are always taken into account by the after darker who is m a wholesale line of business. Also the plausible confidence gent is bound to want to buy a few hundred sheep or a small homestead from a credulous farmer, and the man with a dead uncle m Fiji will want to give fortunes away, and the pickpocket will still continue to be able to find a wo- ; man's pocket where her husband can't. In the meantime the Ex* hibition is the prinoipal theme of discourse, not pickpockets. Guard aI gainst them and take a few "bob's worth of Exhibition' and you won't feel yourself robbed.