A CRUEL HOAX

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1928, Page 1

A CRUEL HOAX

UNEMPLOYED VICTIMS.

(Bv Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

NELSON, May 20. Details of a confidence trick by which a number of unemployed were induced to part with their last few pounds', in the hope of finding work at a two thousand acre farm in the Nelson district have been revealed to a “ .Mail ” representative.

They said that some tiiree months ago an advertisement, calling for a business agent, was put in the Wellington newspapers: A man known to one of those mentioned above was the successful applicant, and he set about engaging the 150 men. which, his employer said, she required. There wero many applications in answer to a newspaper advertisement, but when it was found that money was required, most of those who applied were forced to drop out. The woman said that she wanted men to develop a 2000 acre milling and timber growing property at Rappahannock in the Nelson district. Sho said that there was plenty of gold awaiting to he mined, in addition to timber cutting for firewood and posts. Sho also wished to construct roads to and through the property. 'flic talc was very plausibly told, and some of the applicants who had a few pounds to spare eagerly accepted the easy conditions offered. The woman asked for £3 for each of the applicant’s fare to the farm, plus £3 for a fortnight’s food, until tho works became established. Some paid the full amount, hut others, who had less, were allowed to proceed to Nelson on tlic payment of £3 only.

Eventually a party of ten hopeful workers, including a married couple, who were engaged as cooks, left Wellington with instructions to proceed to a certain hotel for breakfast, if they were not met on the wharf by a motor lorry. No motor lorry was there to meet the boat when it arrived in Nelson, and tho party proceeded to the hotel, where, to their temporary dismay. the proprietor informed them that he had received no word of their coming. However, he accepted their story, and gave them a meal. • Later, lie received a reassuring telegram from Wellington, on the strength of which hoard was given. The unfortunate ton people were thus left stranded in Nelson. Some eventually went to a relief camp at Kawatiri, and others tried to find work about the city. Two of the victims, both single men. walked in from Kawatiri on Wednesday. and on Thursday they made application to tho Charitable Aid Board to have flioir fares paid hack to Wellington. The woman concerned is described as “ somewhat eccentric.”