THE "LEADER" PICTURE INCIDENT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 255, 21 July 1908, Page 7

THE "LEADER" PICTURE INCIDENT.

—$ : — . . NEWSPAPER COMMENTS. (DI TELEGIt.U'II.—SI'ECIit. CORRESPONDENT.) Christchurch, July 20. Tlio "Press," commenting on tlio "Loader' picture incident', remarks: —Tlio courso takei by tho Mayor of Wellington is open to i Rood dpal of criticism. It is gencrall; thought that it is ■ illegal even,to offer i reward for stolen proporty, "no question asked." Tho Mayor is a lawyer,-however arid was acting in consultation with thi polico, so presumably ho satisfied himself tha his action was within tho law. Whothe. this be so or not, it seems to us that liii Worship is sotting a very bad.precedent. A: Chief Magistrato of tho city, it is. his dut; to enforco-tho .law. That ho should male* .use of tho city's money to bribe a tine to disgorge his ill-gotten plunder seems t( ■us incapablo of defence. It might vori easily act as an encouragement to stea other picturos of value from public gallerie: in tho hope of getting a similar "ransom.' One great safeguard as regards the safi custody of valuablo..paintings has been tin fact that thero lias been practically 110 mar kct for a stolen picture which is well-knowr to a number of pooplo and easily traced. -I: the Mayors of our towns and other . impor tant public personages choose to constituti themselves receivers of stolon goods, nt inattor how public-spirited their motive maj .he, it is clear that the consequonces maj Ibo such as a man like Mr. Hislop nover con • tomplated in lending himself to such pro iceedings. 1 Tlio polico aro hard at work endeavourinf to unravel tlio mystery. I .of tho rnnsomec "Leader," which still remains a general topii of convocation in tlio home, tlio street, anc tho club. Opinion is very divided as to the nction of tho Mayor in paying tho £50 to recover tho picture, • but tho bulk of thai opinion rather favours Mr. Hislop's methot <jf regaining possession of tho painting, rathei than leaving it to chanco recovery or total I Councillor J. P. Luko informs us that tin Mayor is mistaken in'tho statement thaiE Ik consulted him (Mr. Luke) in regard to the i'ecovory of tlio "Loader" painting.