£645 ROBBERY

NIGHT CHASE IN CITY SUSPECT DENIES CHARGE Oh arged witli stealing £(315 8s front tlio person of a Chinese market gardener, Wong Chong, on .July 18, Leslie Snow, labourer, aged .'II (Mr Robinson), appeared before Messrs A. L. Gee and A. ,1. Stratford, .T.IVs, yesterday. The prosecution was eonducled by DetectiveSergeant Kearney. Wong Oliong gave evidence that he left a Chinese cafe in Grey's Avenue some time after 8 p.m. on July 18, and in Ins coat pocket was a canvas bag containing notes and silver totalling £645 Bs. A man dashed out from a wall and knocked him down. The man turned him over and went through his pockets, stealing the'bag of money. Witness chased his assailant into Queen Street, but lost sight of him in Welle.sley Street, it was dark, and he could not recognise the man. Constable C. F. Gilbert said that about 9.15 p.m. he saw a dark-com-plexioned man running along Myers Street, pursued by three Chinese, one of whom was Wong ('hong. One ot the Chinese cried out, "Stop that man!" Witness watched the route the man was taking, and then took a short cut behind t lie Civic Theatre into Welles ley Street, but could find no sign of him. He made a search of the locality, and met a man walking toward him in ederal Street. When the man was a few chains from witness he hesitated as il he recognised him, and then entered an open gateway and walked ,to the front of a house. Me had a coat rolled up under his arm, and appeared anxious to get into the house, which was closed up. The man appeared to be 1 lie same height and build as the one the (Jliine.se were chasing, witness continued, so be

decided to question him. Witness called out "Just a minute," nnd entered the gate, but the man, who was accused, leaped the fence and ran away. Witness pursued him into Victoria Street, along Albert Street and Kingston Street and back into Federal Street, where he finally caught accused. Asked why he ran away, accused replied, "I will tell you nothing." No stolen money was found on accused. Following an interview with the previous witness, said Constable C. V. Steei-s, he made a search of the localities mentioned, and in a vacant section on the corner of Federal Street and Kingston Street he found the ling containing the missing money. It was lying oil the short grass as if it had been thrown there, and no attempt had been made to hide it. Accused pleaded not guilty and was committed to the Supremo Court for trial. PUBLIC SERVANTS THE WAIKATO SECTION (0.C.) HAMILTON, Thursday A postal ballot is to he conducted among the 13-10 members of the Waikato section of the New Zealand Public Service Association to obtain the views of individual members on the proposal that the association should affiliate with the Federation of Labour. The advantages he considered would be gained by the alliliaiion were outlined to Ihe annual meeting of the Waikafo section of the association by the secretary ot the Waikato Trades Council of the Federation of Labour, Mr 11. P. Smith. Officers elected al Hie meetiiifcc were:—President, Mr E. \V (1 Thorpe; vice-president, Mr J. It. McKen/.ie : secretary-treasurer, Mr J. S. MacDonuld; assistant, Mr L. T. Brainwell; miditor, Mr \V. 11. Fulford.