THE ARTFUL DROPPER
Not long ago the Christ-church correspondent of the Auckland Star wrote: —"Housewives in the city oa\d frequent experiences of the backdoor vendor of cheap goods, and many women have purchased spurious articles from glib merchants who, by artful talk havo accomplished a sale of worthless articles. With a limited field to work upon, and the necessity of securing trade in the midst of keen competition, the confidence merchant of this type —a "dropper" he is termed by the criminal class —has to resort to many artifices, and to appear with novel ideas to induce people to part with their money. One salesman who has succeeded in victimising many housewives recently has dealt in a brand of "confidence tea" that has given to its purchasers little more than food for reflection. His methods are simple and alluring. He appears at the door with a packet of tea less than a pound, and on the appearance of the housewife he presses this upon her, fol- j lowing it with a teapot which lie pre-' sents to her. He then speaks of hand- ! some cruets to be given away with' the tea packets, but he does not show ) the articles. His victim is then informed that the tea and teapot are presentations, but that if a coupon is found in the packet a fee of 2s 6d must bo paid. He reassures his victim by stating that only one packet in 20 contains a coupon, and then he asks her to investigate the packet and learn her fate. The search is made, and the coupon is found. In most cases the "lamb" pays the half-crown, and the "dropper" goes on his way rejoicing, and it is only on rare occasions that ho meets with defeat. Large numbers | of people have been visited by the i merchant, and after his departure the tea has always been found to be worthless, and the teapot to be of little more value."
We reprint this article because we are told that artists of a like character, if not the same, Jiave been in evidence in this district lately. The credulous housekeeper should be on guard, and beware of the canvasser and the hawker. v
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAG19111027.2.33
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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10461, 27 October 1911, Page 7
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370THE ARTFUL DROPPER Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10461, 27 October 1911, Page 7
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