NEEDY ARISTOCRATS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10825, 19 July 1913, Page 1

NEEDY ARISTOCRATS.

Sow Thoy Act As Society Touts, (" Tit-Bits.") Tho frequent complaint regarding the decadence of society, in wliicli,; as it was recently put to the writer, "'■money, now talks instead of manners," was strikingly manifested during a recent interview with a member of the smart set, who candidly confessed that she was willing to chaperon "anyone presentable, for a consideration." As sho racily put it, "If the parents. of Millie Muggins or Joe Scroggs have a few thousand to spare, and aro anxious to spend the -money in getting thoir son or daughter into society, why should not I participate? If I did not relieve 1 those with social ambitions of their spare cash, somebody else would, and probably give less value for the money. I '' As a matter of fact, there are scores' of clever people in society to-day augmenting their incomes very considerably by acting as chaperons. The idea, of course, is not a new; one, but a glance at the advertisement columns in the daily newspapers will provide a striking illustration of the increasing number of people who are anxious to make, a profit out of what social prestige they may be able to boast.of. TITLED LADIES AND PAYING GUESTS. '

These advertisements/ as anyone who takes the trouble to examine the columns of prominent newspapers will find out, are worded to suit all requirements. There is the titled lady who will chaperon a girl- for her living and travelling expenses, together with a fee of two or three thousand pounds, this fee to be increased by mutual arrangement, according to the social position of the husband secured. Then there is the lady anxious to obtain a companion for her daughter, who is about to make her debut in society and to be presented at court, arrangements to be made also for the presentation of the companion if monetary matters arc satisfactorily arranged. . ■ Titled ladies who offer to take in others as paying guests and introduce them to ' their particular social circle, impecunious sons of fa!milies to be found in the peerage, who offer to introduce sons of wealthy magnate's into their particular clubs and set, are also among these society advertisers. : The extent to which social agents will go was strikingly illustrated last year when the traffic in vouchers ' fof the Royal ; enclosure at Ascot was exposed. This, was the climax in a scandal which has been agitating society for some time, it being an open secret that hundreds of thousands of pounds changed hands between whose who wished to mix with Royalty and society on the racecourse and who had no right of entree, and those who wished to sell this privilege. FOOLS AND THEIR MONEY.

There is, however, said my informant, a very serious side to this. business. Unfortunately there is a. certain type of society trickster who , takes advantage of this desire on the part of the newly rich to enter society by professing to be able to introduce them into certain circles.; As a matter of fact, these tricksters have no right of entree into the "circles they mention, and this their victims quickly find out as soon as they have parted with their money.

A short time ago a case which created a stir, but was hushed up became of the prominence of the parties concerned. occurred in which a lady, advertising herself as the vounger daughter of a well-known titled impoverished house, became acquainted 'with a wealthy German family, and offered to introduce the two daughters into English society. As a matter of fact, she did introduce them into a certain circle, which, however, they coulcl easily have entered themselves,

for it was of no social prominence: but a, promise had been made to introduce them to titled personages. This lady received fees amounting altogether to something like £4OOO, and afterwards got out of her predicament by laying tlieblnme on the girls themselves, who she said had proved quite unpresentable. In another case a. man advertising himself as thu Honourable. made the acquaintance of the son of o wealthy- manufacturer, and fleeced him to tho extent of nearly £6OOO us fees and expenses for introducing liim to certain people who it was ultimately proved refused to recognise him, for he was the black sheen of tho family.