A CONFIDENCE TRICK.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 13093, 5 June 1913, Page 5

A CONFIDENCE TRICK.

NEW ZEALANUER'S LOSS

VICTIMISED IX LONDON

LCNDON, April 25. Once more a. New Zealander holidaymaking "in the Old Country has been victimised by confidence men and relieved of a considerable sum of money. The last important case at all authenticated was that of a New Zealand farmer who chummed up with some people crossing from Italy, and was afterwards "taken down" for £600 in Paris. This week's case is that of a New Zealand mining engineer, Mr C. S. Farmer, who only returned a month or two ago from fulfilling a mining commission in Siberia. Mr Farmer left New Zealand with his family about four and a- half years ago and went to Petropavlovsk, in Siberia, en route for the Spassky copper mines, of which he had been appointed superintendent. The com. mission proved most successful, and MiFarmer and his wife had been enjoying a . few months well-earned holiday in England', prior to returning to the Kirghis Steppes to enter into the work again.

It seems that they were staying at a 'hotel near the Strand, and last Wednesday ill' Farmer was walking near St. Clement Danes when he was accosted by a man who asked him the way to Victoria Street. The stranger, who was well-dressed,, took the cue from Mr Farmer's greenstone * pendant 'to talk about New Zealand/ and he displayed a surprising knowledge of Auckland and of Mr Farmer's acquaintances there. He explained that though a. native of 2s'e>v Zealand he hacl only recently arrived from South Africa, and, naturally enough, the two chummed up. They went, as is customary in such cases, to the National Gallery, and after lunching together they .made an, appointment, for the following day. ..'.;.'

Next morning they .walked together in Pall. Mall and Hyde Park, and they were just approaching Buckingham Palace when a third party, the stranger who figures in such cases, dropped an envelope right in front of them. JMr Farmer, .picked it up and called the stranger, tp-whom he restored it. Thelatter was profusely thankful, and wanted to make .'his thanks, tangible to the extent of £50, which, of course, Mr Farmer refused., Eventually the grateful , stranger, offered a drink;, and told Mr Fanner and his- first acquaintance how he had just inherited ; a jsum of ,£_oo,o_o. which had .been amassed . by .his brother, and of which one-tenth had to be distributed in charities in IS'ew Zealand^ where the brother had made much of his money. Tlie trouble was he did not know to whom he should entrust the distribution of- this sum, and on learning that Mr Farmer, was a New Zealander he requested him to undertake the duty, and promised a proper remuneration for the trouble.-. Then arose the question of guarantees, and the first acquaintance produced sup. posed banknotes to the value of £4(JO, and, as a sign of confidence, allowed^the third party to take them for a walk for half an hour. Sure enough the stranger returned with the money and with i-faO into the bargain. . There could be no .doubt as to his bona-fides. Then it was Mr Farmer's turn, and the story runs that he went to his bankers in Fleet Street and drew ,£SOO i'n.five banknotes, which he confidently handed to the third party, who very soon disappeared with, it. The first acquaintance, of course, disappeared also to keep an appointment; As the banknotes are for large amounts and not too readily negotiable at anyj time in England it is possible that the. money may be saved by stopping pay-! ment of the. notes j