Student flies home minus thesis research

Press, 26 February 1980, Page 1

Student flies home minus thesis research

A young English woman, the victim of an opportunist thief, flew home empty=handed yesterday morning after three months of working and studying in New Zealand.

Ghilane Winch, aged 20, of Wye College, Kent, had spent her holidays travel-

ling the South Island to research a thesis on farming in this country. With the help of Lincoln College and the Tussock Grasslands and Mountain Lands Institute, she compiled an extensive dossier including documents, photographs, and all of her own notes.

On Sunday Miss Winch went with a friend to watch the cricket test at Lancaster Park, leaving all her belongings outside in a utility truck. The pair returned to find the utility had been “cleaned out,” according to Mrs D. McLeod, of Templeton, who had given Miss

Winch free board during her visit. “She lost absolutely everything. She was not so worried about her clothes and so on — she is not that type of girl — but she was heartbroken about the material for her thesis," said Mrs McLeod. She said Miss Winch had been full of enthusiasm for

; her research and had been particularly interested in ■ New Zealand deer farming i — a novelty in Britain. ; “The notes and photographs would obviously be ; of no use at all to the peri son who stole them,” said Mrs McLeod. She said Miss Winch had I notified the Christchurch r police, but had heard no-

thing when she left Christchurch Airport at 7 a.tn. yesterday. Anyone who might know the whereabouts of the missing material is asked to get in touch with Mrs McLeod, of Riversfieid, Hasketts Road, Templeton, telephone 499-966.