THE LOLLYPOP SWEEP.

Inangahua Times, Volume III, Issue 70, 29 January 1877, Page 2

THE LOLLYPOP SWEEP.

The Melbourne Herald has the following :— •Visitors to the Victoria Arcade have been startled by the appearance of two men, dressed in a manner so fearful and wonderful as to attract general attention. The same men in the same costumes have occasionally been seen in the suburbs. Their dress consists of a loose suit and soft hat, with the addition of an umbrella carried open in all weathers, the whole being completely covered by small colored handbills. It seems that this is a mode Mr Henderson, of the Victoria Arcade, has adopted of advertising an American notion which he has just introduced to the Melbourne public. In the United States the confectioners import a mild element of gambling into their business. They make up a large number of packets of confections from which the purchaser selects as he or she pleases. In a certain proportion of these are placed com3 of different values, so that some purchasers get their cdnfect* tions for nothing while others are con* siderably in pocket, the majority of course getting nothing but the lollies they purchase. Mr Henderson has adopted this plan, and with success apparently. He places coins of all values, from 3rd to a sovereign, in his packets, the smaller ones necessarily being greatly in preponderance. The vendor alleges that his parcels of lollies, which are sold for a shilling, contain full weight and, are, according to the present state of the lolly market in Melbourne, full valuefor the price charged.

His version is, that it is the profits arising from purchasing largely, and selling expeditiously that enables him to offer the inducements of prizes to his customers. The police have been looking into the matter, but so far do not appear to have discovered that any law is broken by the transaction.