ENLIGHTEN5ING THE PUBLLC.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1030, 14 November 1882, Page 3

ENLIGHTENSING THE PUBLLC.

The Christchurcli Telegraph says : " Whenever there is a large assemblage of the public on general holidays, there will be found numerous representatives of the gems chevalier cVindustrie plying their ' little games' with more or less success. The Gaming and Lotteries Act was a serious blow to some of these individuals, as they were unable to carry on many of their most alluring sports. It became necessary for them to invent something to replace ' doodle-'em-buck,' 'under and over,' else their lucratire occupation would be gone. Amongst the many methods of evading the law that has been introduced, there is probably not one so barefaced as that which was carried on so successfully at the Show yesterday. A loud-voiced individual gathered a crowd around him by announcing that he had made a wager with two well-known publicans that he would sell a.certain number of £1 notes for 18s. In order to win his bet he proposed to give every purchaser a present to boot. The bait took immediately And he quickly disposed of a number of genuine notes at the price stated. When he received ISs he placed it together with half-a-crown of his own money in a hat held by a partner, thus leading the bystanders to believe that when his sale was completed he would return their money with 2s 6d added. When this had gone on for some time he pioduced a number of watches, which he also sold for £1 each, and in this way quickly got rid of thirty or forty of them. The purchasers soon discovered that they were almost worthless, and grumblings arose. The • chevalier,' finding he could sell no more, proceeded to redeem his promise in regard to the presents. He distributed a large number of envelopes, which were eargerly snapped up. They were found to contain—pins. The crowd was intensely disgusted, and they made every show of their intention of going for the smart auctioneer. But that gentleman produced a revolver, which he flourished ostentatiously—(lt has a strange quice jar upon the ear, That cocking ofa pistol when we know A moment more may bring the sight to bear Upon our person .' The crowd fell back, and he left the ground happy in the possession of a well lined purse, while his victims mourned in concert over their own gullibility." The same individual pursued the same course at the Timaiu show, and narrowly escaped being badly handled by infuriated victims. As it was, his coat was almost torn off his

back, and he. !:■•»<! r<> distribute a pocketful of silver amnii",' <ho most clamorous.