INDIGENT IMPRESARIOS.

NZ Truth, Issue 74, 17 November 1906, Page 6

INDIGENT IMPRESARIOS.

Busted Hopes and Fractured Dreams.

George George and " Kunnel " Jowsey.

The Christchurch Exhibition has been responsible for a loit of unchristian language and unrealised visions of greatness and oof. Among those who have tasted the bitterness of disappointment are a number of show people who were seduced to the dead level city of churches, by specious pretences and mistaken views of the possibilities.

A man calling himself George George, for instance, gave that ghastly alleged comedian, Bob Lloyd, who had been doing end-man wrork, for twelve months past (what luck !) on the Fuller Circuit, a commission ,to engage, m Australia, artists for a vaudeville company which was to knock Zi'bishunists bandy during the first two months of the big show. Lloyd told the confiding comedians, kickers, warblers, etc., that George had stacks of money ; and he must have got a 'bit. somehow, since just awhile back, when he was/ 'anyhow," or he could not have paid for return tickets to Australia, which, luckily for themselves, every engagee insisted upon getting. The salaries offered were good, as salaries go, and the sun rose over Poverty Point with a rosy blush that shamed the flame-trees m the Sydney Botanical Gardens.

The company played two weeks at the Coliseum Skating -Rink, Christchurch, and the ghost

NEVER EVEN STAGGERED

A few people got "subs," but that was the limit, and efforts were even made, m some instances, to get these robbed and humbugged artists, some of whom had wives dependent on them and with them m a strange land, to part with the return half of their tickets. Certainly business was bad, any wise showman would have known it would be when ' the Zibishun offered such attractions, and so numerous, for a "bob," but the "chat" had been that, even if business was a dead letter, the artists would be paid. ,

There was a redeeming strain of humor m this collapse. One of the stranded, and swindled members of another company wrote to the local "Times" and George George took the letter to be an allusion to his own debacle and wrote a, letter openly identifying ,', himself . with the complaint, acknowledging that he was "compelled to tlisband owing to Y bad business", and claiming that* "none of mv company are stranded." Wonder what George considers . being left penniless m a ' strange country is, if not "sitranded." A return, ticket is. a valuable asset, but what about board bills, steamer spending money, carriers? charges, and landing back penniless ?

"HARNUM'S' CIRCUS."

The very name suggests an attempt to. hoodwink mugs into believing that the, .show .'.■.was either Barman's: or. Harmstbn \s ; and thaty ;iip v doubt,,- was what' was : For this show "Colonel" T; Jowsey,, G.M.Ci,, a niai\of war attached to.'the N.Z, Militia, engaged local talent as long as six months ahead. The gallink Kennel runs the United Service Hotel, m Christchurch, arA he sized it up that there was money m a circus at show time. There wasn't. They took £50 the first night and fifty bob the last. After" the sixth night, "George Blood, Business Manager, ". sank beneath the horizon and no salaries whatever were paid. • Before going on the Satuixlav he left a "treasury call" for Monday; nifffat, and so got a flying start on the deluded dupes who had provided the show. -When these wait* eel on the gallant bleed-letter, at his palashul pub., where he hangs up Ins See Hem Gee insignia and patent, he told them to see Blood and denied all complicity m the swindle.

The wonder is that some of them, especially those who had wives and children dependant on them, and who had refused other offers on the strength of Jowse^'s ensa.cre'ment, before they ever heard of Blood, did not "see blood, right there and then.