REGISTRY OFFICE ROOKS.

NZ Truth, Issue 83, 19 January 1907, Page 4

REGISTRY OFFICE ROOKS.

The Inspector under the Shops and Factories Act rendered a signal public service when, at his instance, a licensed office-keeper, of Vic-toria-street,, named George Albert Sage was prosecuted and fined £2 and costs at the Magistrate's Court on Monday last for failing to keep his books m proper order. For aught that is known Sage may be a straight-goer and one who conducts Jiis business on honorable, legitimate lines, but .it must be borne m mind that m N:Z.; as elsewhere, particular lv *m Sydney (ware crooks, messeurs the Wellington hotelkeepers), the average registry office-keeper is a fraud and swindler with no soul above greedily grasping fees firom fool clients, caring little or not at all whether situations are obtained for them or whether those situations prove suitable. fjFrora this paper's own knowledge, a registry-office cannot be run on profitable lines unless a good deal of false pretence is employed. Whether Sage runs his business on those lines or not cannot be said ; but judging from his sins of omission, as explained by Inspector Lindsay to Dr. McArtbur; Sage had better be a little more careful, else he will go the way of all who are reckless, if not crooked. Indeed the little bit of business over which Sage erred is the same old story. He engaged a married couple for a station near Masterton, belonging to one Brown. Of* course Sage took his fee, and there no doubt he thought it all ended. However, the engaged couple learned, to their chagrin, that the station-proprietor had engaged . his own couple and therefore the pair engaged by Sage were not required. They, too, had been engaged at a time when Brown was suited. lit may be only carelessness on Sage's part ; but that sort of carelessness is always suspicious, and, besides, carelessness often amounts to criminality. Sage, of course, was sorry and , expressed regret and the determination to be more careful m the future ; and endeavored, through his lawyer, to explain it away by "a rush, of work at- Christmas-time." The fact, how&ver, came to light that Sage's book had not been touched since early m November last ; so the great rush of business might only have existed m his vivid imagination. There was no record of it, 1 and it might be interesting to know if there are many more bamboozled clients of Sage knocking about, 'm the wilderness. These registry office r-oofes— and Sa-ge rooked the couple beyond any doubtwant keeping under, and should be subject -to strict ~ supervision by the authorities. Too often is the game the last resource of pasr.-mast.ers m fraud and swindle. Many of them are harpies, ever on the look-out for mup-s, who, once m their clutches, are drained dry before they are released. Sage, as we have said, may run his business on sound and legitimate lines ; but his action m the matter m question will, or shoaM, cause the authorities to keep a closer watch dp. his transactions m. future. His license has been endorsed, so that goes as a bad mark against him. ,