FRAUD ON SCHOOL CHILDREN.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1220, 31 August 1911, Page 5

FRAUD ON SCHOOL CHILDREN.

THE DIVERTING STORY OP THE "MAGIC CAMERA."

(By Telegraph-Special Correspondent.) Auckland, August 30. A fraud, which may be tried in other centres, lias been worked on the children of Beresford Street School. When the children were released from school on Monday at mid-day they were accosted at the gato by two men who distributed circulars amongst" them. The circulars read as follow:—

"Children! Don't forget to ask mother for Sd. to buy a magic postcard camera! Just fancy a post-card that will tako your photo! Brin» your sixpence to tho man at the school gate, and you will all get ono to tako home." Tho spell worked and, when the midday release came yesterday, tho two vendors of the 'mngic camera" wero duly at the school gates again. Hero they were Boon besieged by boys and girls. Each little purchaser, on handing over his 6d. was given a closely-sealed envelope, and each wns gravely warned not'to open the envelope until he or she should come to a place where no light could reach the contents.

One child, however, gave way to her JUHosity, and retired into a shady part ot the school grounds • where she carefully opened her envelope. It contained (as did all the others) a post-card with a false back in which was . a square opening. In the opening was a smudge of green and above this was printed: The magic postcard camera," and, beneath, tho following directions: "Breathe on tho coloured space for ten seconds; then pull tho tape, and your photo will appear.

When these directions had been carried out there appeared in the opening, ineread of the green smudge, a fairly faithful representation of a grinning ape and, to accentuate the joke, a printed line below (he monkey's face read: "Brother you surely must have pulled tho wrone (string. Immediately that tho children becamo aware of tho shabby trick that had been played upon them they demanded tho return of their sixpences. The two men however, were not to ba cajled but before leaving, they somewhat placated tho o her yonngßfers by promising to return in the afternoon and giVe back the money wl,o were not satisfied witlv i"t keep tho appointment