BEWARE!

NZ Truth, Issue 1193, 11 October 1928, Page 6

BEWARE!

+ Portrait Sellers' Stunt There is no good reason why a go-getter should sit up all night thinking out new ways of extracting the cash from the pocket of its ;: possessor. The old methods ace still quite popular, and are return- i ing a fair rate of dividend. FOR instance, there is that excellent ' piece of commercial cutenesa, the enlarged portrait proposition. Ay ■ An affable gentleman knocks at the door and, after his remarks about the weather and the crops, arid the future and the past, he gets on to the subject of the value of photographs, etc. • Perhaps there is a picture m the house of some particularly beloved person, possibly one who is now dead. Here, then, is a chance to suitably perpetuate the sunny smile that- will be seen no« longer. A small photograph can be enlarged and artistically colored m a marvellous manner. • .-■• • i But perhaps you haven't any pet photograph that you want done up m this way. You may need, for instance, an attractive advertising poster portrait: for your business. Or you may want a : painting done— one of the local* beauty spots perpetuated on canvas. In fact; anything at all that is m they line of visibility is also m the. line of the affable gentleman. ".■-.. - He produces a - contract to which, usually, the unsuspecting wife attaches her signature without quite knowing what it is all about. ; The contract, generally speaking, has the name of a firm rather distant —the business may be booked La. Johnsonville and the firm Is m Dun-; edin. - v ~ • • '--:■' There are dotted lines for dates ana; names and 'addresses. An order: Is made and a price stipulated. . But there is a splendid catch. |t reads: "This price does not; m- : elude frame and glass. It is understood and agreed that the compan> is to deliver the said portrait m £ suitable frame, which frame the customer may purchase if price and style are satisfactory. The price; as "N.Z. Truth" has found it from many coriiplaints, is usually a stunner. Just try to dismember that picture from the frame and send it back. Or just try to stop delivery and you find out things. One of 'the things you find out. ls that there is a little note at the bottom of the contract: "This order can* not be countermanded." Obviously it had to be put there , because it was confidently expected by the picture peddling fraternity that many people would want to crawl but of their doubtful bargain. But no suoh contract would be re-.. garded as binding by a court, and anyone who has been caught and is wondering what to do should send. the :■ whole outfit back, and, if any. montyhas been paid, take proceedings f or Hq reoovery. ' > !^