LAND SHARKS WERE WAITING TO CATCH CITY NEWCOMERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17978, 15 October 1926, Page 6

LAND SHARKS WERE WAITING TO CATCH CITY NEWCOMERS.

“ SIGN THERE, MR DUNNE.” (Special to the "Star.”) MELBOURNE, October 2. Extraordinary stories of methods adopted in selling land were told today by a number of men, several of whom were migrants, when a number of “land salesmen” were charged with vagrancy. All pleaded not guilty. Two named Bruce and Newcome were discharged, Mr J. W. Clarke, P.M., remarking that the evidence for the prosecution was insufficient. The first two charged with William Bruce, 46, and Frederick Charles Newsome, 35. Both were represented by Mr X. 11. Sonenberg. They laughed several times at the stories told by witnesses of how they had bought land. Detective Harding said Newsome told him he was selling land for Rose. Witness replied. “We know you have been working for him: and we have been receiving complaints about you every day.” Bruce said he had received £5 a week from Rose. Witness said to Bruce: “It is well known that you have persuaded men to sign documents to buy land under the impression that they are hiring a motor-car." “THINGS PRETTY CROOK.” Harding said he told Bruce that every man in the business with which Bruce was connected was a thief or pickpocket. Bruce replied that he knew “things were pretty crook," but instructions were given that any man who sold land to immigrants would be dismissed. Detective O'Keeffe said he had seen Newsome. Bruce and others in the street. They were always about the streets in a mob like “a pack of wolves.” In a rich Irish brogue, William Dunne, labourer, Moreland Street, Footscray, who has been in Australia two years, told how he bought a block of land. He said Newsome came up to him in the city in July and asked to be directed to “Mr Rose, the e,state agent.” ASK A POLICEMAN. Witness suggested to him that he should ask a policeman, and Newsome said, "They are a lot of new recruits and don’t know the city very well.” Witness told Newsome he came from Ireland and he said he was very pleased to meet an Irishman. Newsome told witness that his father owned a large sheep station in Queensland, but had been, forced to send his son south to sell the land for him, as he (the father) had a very bad cold in the obefit. Just then they saw Roses Office, and Newsdme invited witness to come up to the office with him. “I went into the office with him,” said Dunne, “and he got into conversation with Bruce. I was looking at papers on the wall about some blocks of land that were for sale. I got up from my chair to have a closer look

at them, and Newsome came up and pointed out the advantages of buying a block at. Kew, because prominent men were favouring a railway there. “Someone pushed a paper over to me and said ‘Sign there. Mr Dunne.' It was a contract for a sale of land,” continued Dunne. “I replied that 1. was not wanting to buy a block of land, and they said there was only one block left. The telephone rang, and they said that another man had rung up and wanted to buy the last block, but they refused in order to give me a chance. Newsome advanced me the deposit money, and I signed the contract.” Dunne added that some of the money paid by him had since been refunded. He was dissatisfied with the land that he had bought for various reasons, one of which was that there was no chance of a railway running through it in the near “FATHER OWNED SHEEP STATION.” Another migrant, Frederick William Luxton, farm labourer, Oraigieburn, said he was stopped in the street on June 19 by a man in a motor coat, and went with him to Rose's office. He said his name was Grouse and that his father was a member of Parliament and owned a big sheep station. Luxton said the price for two blocks was £360, and that Grouse told him the land would be worth £9OO within there would be a railway through the land which he knew about because his father was a member of Parliament and “got to know things three months before the general public.” (Laughter.) William Langdon, labourer. Bacchus Marsh, a migrant, said he paid £ls deposit on a block of land. When he was signing the contract a man in Rose’s office said, “This is a good spec. God bless 3*ou.” (Laughter.) William Jasper Rose, investor, Malvern, said he was a registered estate agent. Since April 1 he had been interested in selling four estates, three °f which were in his name and one in his wife’s. Bruce received £5 a week from him and commission. In the last six months Bruce had received £172 18s fid in commission. Newsome had received £2 a week and commission amounting to £145 17s 6d. Rose said he did not take an active part in the business, and had never been present when a sale was made. He had never asked for any references from salesmen. He had closed his estate agency business, and was not going to apply for a renewal of his license because of trouble with the police. Hearing was adjourned.