He view vf Reviews, 119/06. 



THE COLLINGWOOD 'TOTE." 



MELBOURNE'S "DEAREST FOLLY." 



Bv 



rXhe photographs ot the CoUingwood '-Tote" in this article are quae uuique They were taken during the time the 

 L - -f . » -f .. ^^^^^ j^g historic raid. See article in July " Review of Reviews, in onjunclion with which this 

 Copies can be obtained from the office, Equitable Building, Melbourne.— Emitor.] 



police "held the fort 

 article should be read. 



" No, there is no thoroughfare here," remarked a 

 fat, bloated, but rather genial-looking individual, in 

 reply to the too well-dressed stranger's somewhat in- 

 genious query, !' Can't I go through the yard ?" The 

 stranger seemed to get flurried. He was about to blurt 

 out something, but with an effort he asked for a short 

 cut to the CoUingwood Town Hall. "First on tin- 

 right," said the fat man politely, adding with a 



If-satisiied twinkle, "But you can't pass through 



re. This is not an arcade; this is a row of cot- 



_':es." 



This is the kind of ansiier usually given to en- 

 i|uiring strangers who wish- to pass the carefully- 

 guarded gates of a certain dwelling known to fame 

 a.s Wren's CoUingwood " Tote." The proprietor and 

 his satellites betray no anxiety to attract general 

 business. They don't want too many promiscuous 

 customers ; they prefer to keep their shop strictly 

 select. They have no enquiry office. No legends 

 announce, " Trams stop here for Wren's Tote." They 

 take it for granted that their clients know that " We 

 do business while others sleep." They have no con- 

 ventional lures for the man or woman in the street, 

 no afternoon tea and cake, no bargains, no winter 

 gifts ; they don't give away two cups with every 

 half-pound' of tea purchased, though at a pinch they 

 might sell tea and lay a " double " on the two Cups ; 

 and their "shop-walkers" would hardly attract any- 

 ' "dy except, perhaps, the police. Wren's " Tote " 

 - iiop is guarded as carefully as the strong room of 

 ; bank or tlie meeting place of a Mafia Society. 

 * * * 



"THE SUBURB OP CHAMPIONS." 



For miiny years CoUingwood has taken a leading 

 position in the world of sport. The " Magpies " 

 Viave reduced football almost to an exact science. Its 

 cricket team, " La Mascotte," won the junior pen- 

 nant last year. And in all kinds of sport, from 

 I'edestrianism and hockey down to such innocent pas- 

 times as bowls and draughts, " 'Woodites " have up- 

 held their reputation as the "suburb of champions." 

 Such sua;ess proves at any rate that there is abun- 

 dant energy and perseverance among the inhabitants, 

 qualities, which, if directed into worthy channels, 

 might make for civic reform and national righteous- 

 ness. But unfortunately for its people, one of the 

 deadliest plague spots in Australia exists and thrives 

 in this sport-loving suburb. At its very heart Wren's 



View of the '"Tote," looking towards the back of the yard. 

 The heavily g:uarded nature of the wall is manifest from 

 the barbe'l wire barricade. Note the unsuspicious looking' 

 wood-heap. Each of these doors i^ L'■n^rdp^ by '" bullies " 

 to keep out any but well-known i ■' li il.itji - 



" Tote " Shop has its headquarb-is, tainting the com- 

 munity, corrupting the youth, luring to destruction 

 the weak and foolish, and scattering broadcast 

 among the hard-working, clean-living, energetic 

 [leopie the seeds of crin-jc, debauchery and miserable 

 [loverty. "Jack" Wren is the evil genius of Col- 

 ling wood. 



* » » 



THE BETTIXG SHOP. 



On any race day the CoUingwood trani unloads 



at Gold-street a constant stream of so-called 



"sports," who make their way to Wren's notorious 



betting shop. This shop is only the headquarters 



