CONFIDENCE MEN

Opunake Times, 12 June 1931, Page 4

CONFIDENCE MEN

NOW ACTIVE IN MELBOURNE. “NOTES-EOH-G 0LI)" THICK. Taking advantage of the exchange position, confidence men have been active in Melbourne lately with a variation of tin 1 notes for gold trick. Pretending to be able to change Australian notes for English notes on their face value, despite the adverse exchange position, the tricksters secured £4o from a Swiss a month ago, and £6O fiom another traveller shortly al forwards. A third victim informed the police on March 6 of bis experience with the confidence men. James Entwistle, an iminigiant lepoited to the police that as a. result of hard times lie had been experiencing in Australia he decided to return to England with bis crippled sister. He had been out of work for the past eight months, and decided to book his sister's passage in a steamer and to attempt to work his own passage Home. He visited the steamer Port Melbourne to see if he could get a job. Returning to the city in the train, Mr Entwistle met a man who asked hjin the way to North Melbourne market. Air. Entwistle promised to direct him to the North .Melbourne tram when they reached the city. At Flinders Stioet station they were both approached by another man who asked the way to the Hank of New South Wales. Tins man stated that he intended to go to England, and, by a coincidence, was also travelling in the same steamer as Air Entwistle. 'File third man said lie had a brother-in-law in the Hank of New South Wales who would change his Australian notes into English notes without charging exchange, which was very heavy. He asked Air Entwistle if he wanted English money also. Air Entwistle said he would be glad of it. On reaching the bank the stranger said that there were only a limited number of English notes available, but he thought he could change £2B for Air Entwistle. The latter, who had L‘6<) in his possession, gave the stranger £2S to change for him. The man went into the bank but cl id not return. After waiting some time it dawned upon Air Entwistle that he had been tricked. He then reported his experience to the police.