POLICE REWARDED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 220, 17 September 1930, Page 10

POLICE REWARDED.

ARREST OF INCENDIARISTS., £220 FOB YOUNG CONSTABLE. "COOLNESS AND COURAGE" • /■...■/■;;"./.'., praised:: I ■ (By Telegraph.-—Parliamentary r WELLINGTON,.Tuesday, * ■ The • distribution of- the reward"; of .£250, offered /by the council ■of the, Fire: and. .Accident ..Underwriters' Association of New Zealand and the State Fire Office,, in connection with the incendiary fires . at. Christchurch last year, .to. members-of'the' police force instrumehtal" in securing''the" arrest and conviction 'of • the. ■ offenders, was / announced, to-night by the Minister of Justice, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe. '-"['■

I' ■ "Up to!, tlie/time-of the ; arrest of the Ibro'thers Gray on the 1 night, of .JDecemj'tterlS; 1929,' by .Constable; AV Tv .Gillum, j the police had no information as ,to the identity of the. inc.endiarists," said the Minister. "The Grays, who were armed, were arrested single-handed by a .young constable'while one of them, was actually engaged in breaking ■ . into' ; a : building. [The circumstances- of -the arrest reflect I 'great' credit on Constable; Gillurd; who' displayed' marked \ intelligence, /coolness and courage. As a direct result of the arrest, evidence to convict- the : ; Gray brothers, of a series of incendiary, fires 'and. other crimes was secured, and^they sentenced tora lengthy period of imprisonment." - : ! ' ' \ ', V: ':■- ■' I ;. The Minister added that in accordance with the-recbmmeiidationtof the Coiri- . missioner; of'. Police, Constable; Gilluni; who V was. primarily responsible for the , .result, will: be paid , £220, ;and ; the - bal4 ance of'; £30 will be/divided, between the following^membersCof the, force, who, :subsequent,-. arrest, 'obtained evidence which was presented ;to the Court of the offenders:—Defective Sergeant Young, £9; Detective Eindlay, £9; - Acting Detective: Halcrow, £9; Sergeant Harrison," £3. ;':••.":-■ .. -, .; , ;• "Although; a . Ohristchur.ch civilian claimed the reward on behalf of his sonj investigation shows that neither, he nor his son, nor any other person uncpu; nected with the : police'fprcey;.; supplied any infbrnmtionVleadingi.to ..the convic : tion of ..the Gray brothers'." ■