FRAUD ON SCHOOL CHILDREN

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 60, 1 September 1911, Page 8

FRAUD ON SCHOOL CHILDREN

THE DIVERTING STORY OP THE '• MAGIC CAMERA." Auckland, Wednesday. A fraud, which may be tried in other ventres, has been worked on the children of Beresford-street School. When the children were released from school on Monday at mid-day they were accosted at the gate by two men who distributed circulars amongst them. The circulars read as follow: ''Children! Don't forget to ask mO' tlicr for Od to buy a magic postcard camera! .Tust fancy! a postcard thai will take your photo• Bring your six! pence to the man at the school gate,' and you will all get one to take! home." The spell worked and. when the midday release came yesterday, the two ven-i dors of the "magic, camera" were duly s at the school gates again. they wore soon besieged by boys' and girls. Each little purchaser, on handing over his sixpence, was given a closely-sealed envelope, and each was gravely warned not to open the envelope until he or she should come to a place where no light could reach the contents. One child, however, gave way to lwr curiosity, and retired into a shady part of the school grounds, where slie carefully opened her envelope. It contained (as did all the others) a post-card w.th a false back in which was a square opening. In the opening was a smudge of green and above this wag printed: "The magic postcard camera," and, beneath, the following directions: "Breathe on the colored space for ten seconds; then pull the tape, and your photo will appear." When these directions had been carried out there appeared in the opening, instead of the green smudge, a fairly faithful representation of a grinning ape, and, to accentuate the joke, a printed line below the monkey's face read: "■Brother, you surely must have pulled the wrong string." Immediately that the children became aware of the shabby trick that had been played upon them they demanded the return of their sixpences. The two men, however, were not to be cajoled but, before leaving, they somewhat placated the other youngsters V}" promising to return in the afternoon and give back the money of those who were not satis-' fted with their bargain. Needless to say, they did not keep the appointment.