Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1878.] MONDAY, JUNE 4, 1894. LADY PALMISTS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4737, 4 June 1894, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1878.] MONDAY, JUNE 4, 1894. LADY PALMISTS.

Tim prosecution against professors of the occult art in various parts of the Colon)' is, writes the Evening Post, instigated by the Prcmior, and is associated with the Fox mystery. However grotesque this explanation may lie, it in the only solution yet offered of the now departure recently adopted by tho police of this Colony. We notice that in Auckland one liuly palmist, was interviewed by a detective. The palmist informed this officer that she could not tell his fortune, but could read his character and capacity. Pro. ceeding to do this she informed him that he would make a good detective, The ofliccr replied that he was not a detective, but a farmer. In this instance it would almost appear that the palmist was honest and truthful awl the detective was dishonest and untruthful, hilt the palmist was committed for trial and tho detective possibly rewarded. Wo regret to see fairly hnrmless persons being worried after this fashion, Some time back certain residents in Mastcrton endeavoured to tdko in conjunction with ourselves, legal proceedings against a woman who was regarded as a menace to the moral well-being of the community, It was at the tinio suggested to us that the easiest way to bring down tho law on that person would bo to take advantage of her following tho pursuit of palmistry. Wo objected to this, because we considered that theii| was not : necessarily in palmistry itself any vicious and demoralising influences, and-that if tho person could not be brought to book for a real offence, it ' was disingenuous to prosecute her for a harmless one. Thero lias been no : demand 011 the part of the public for 1 pnttiiig ilflwn palmists and other 1 exponents at ilw owul.t art, and it is hard to understand jyhy t||e p.olice have made a raid on them, unless i tli'.i'c lias been some se,cret instruc- 1 tion from high quarters, such as . that suggested by our contemporary , the Wellington Evening Post, Wo ourselves liavo been 011 friendly , terms with 0110 of the lady palmists j who has recently been committed for trial up Auckland way, and we must say that she is, as far as wo havo been able to judge, au honest, wellmeauing, and respectable persou. The law, however, is tho law, and we respect it as such, but we certainly regret to sea it in motion in tho way ( we have referred to, The least thing tliat could lmy,c Jji'Bii dflric ( would hiivo been to wain cert?i/> ] ladies that their apparently harmless 1 occupation was illegal. It seems tfl I us a, contemptible act for tho autta'.- i itics to set tho police on ono or two ; harmless old women and leave itt large half tho spielers, rogues and , vagabonds in tho community. But | if Mr Boddon has done this, of course ] itniußtboright! I 1