CONFIDENCE TRICK

Southland Times, Issue 20648, 21 November 1928, Page 14

CONFIDENCE TRICK

NEW ZEALANDER THE VICTIM. “A JOB LN QUEENSLAND.” Sydney, November 8. It seems strange that so many New Zealanders should be the victims of confidence tricksters in Sydney. Another instance has just occurred, and it is worth recounting if only as a warning to others. The latest victim met an affable and apparently affluent stranger in the city, and the stranger asked the New Zealander if he were looking for a job. The New Zealander, thinking he was in luck’s way, promptly answered in the affirmative, whereupon the stranger said that he was the owner of a cane farm at Bundaberg, in Northern Queensland. "I would like to give you a job there,” he said, blowing smoke rings towards the ceiling. “How would you like a good job on a cane farm at Bundaberg?” “What they make cane chairs out of?” asked the New Zealander. “No,” came the rply. "Cane that you eat —sugar cane. You cut the cane down and send it to the mill. The mill saueezes the sugar out, and there you are. All you have to do is to collect the money for the sugar. How do you like that?” "I think I will take it on,” said the New Zealander. “Good,” said the Bundaberg cane farmer. "Good. I want a reliable man like you.” So, in the course of a few hours the New Zealander was prevailed upon to buy a railway ticket for Brisbane, and then the cane farmer fumbled in his pockets, and found that he had no ready money. He wanted to buy some implements very badly, he said. The New Zealander readily made a loan to his prospective employer, rather glad to be on such terms of financial familiarity. Later the New Zealander left for Brisbane, and arrived there with exactly two shillings in his pocket. The cane farmer from Bundaberg did not appear at the time and place appointed, and the visitor found himself completely stranded. Almost destitute and very unhappy, the man walked back to Sydney, but before he left Brisbane, he told his story to the detectives. As a result of their inquiries the police have made an arrest.