HIS MOTHER'S HOARD.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 57, 8 March 1923, Page 7

HIS MOTHER'S HOARD.

THEFT BY A SON. * SOVEREIGNS IN A SAUCEPAN. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) • CHKISTCHUROH, this day. With that eccentric distrust of bankers anrl vaults that sometimes comes with, old ajre, Mary Donaldson, an aged mother, placed her little pile of savings—lOtl golden sovereigns and twenty £1 notes — safely in a handlelcse saucepan, and buried it safely at the foot of an apple tree in the quiet of her garden. That was a month ago. Yesterday she discovered the saucepan in a fork of the tree minus its golden hoard. Then she remembered her son had pottered about the weeds, but be knew nothing of her treasure. She informed the police, and to-day the secret of the quiet garden was told to Mr. Widdowson, P.M., in the Magistrate's Court, when the son. Robert Alexander Donaldson, aged 49, was charged with having stolen the money. 'Mrs. Donaldson said her son came home in December, and had only done two and a half days' work since. A detective said the accused, when interviewed, denied the theft. He was searched and 103 sovereigns, some silver, and a £5 note were found in his pockets. About £25 was missing. When asked what he had to say, accused said he took the money, but did not know it was stealing. He was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.