COUNTRY POSTMASTER ARRESTED

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 11, 7 October 1927, Page 10

COUNTRY POSTMASTER ARRESTED

SENSATIONAL FIRE AND ITS SEQUEL Dominion Special Service. Auckland, October 6. As a sequel to a recent sensational affair at Nornogtaha, near Rotorua, when the post office was totally destroyed by fire, and the postmaster, Frederick John Heerdegen, a young man, was found in a state of collapse on the floor in his office, Heerdegen has been arrested. Heerdegen came before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court this morning on four charges. They were that on July 12, being in possession of £3O as a postal officer, he did steal that sum; wdiile he was furthei charged with stealing £2OO on June 13, £lO on August 22, and attempting to steal £9O on the same date. Chief-Detective Cummings asked that accused be remanded to appear at Rotorua on October 14. Heerdegen asked for bail, but tlig application was opposed by Chief-Detective Cummings. “There are some bad features, in this case,” he said. “It is alleged that he received large sums of money and has failed to account for them; while the police were making inquiries accused disappeared. Then there arc other special circumstances that I do not wish to disclose at present.” “Was there not a suggestion of suicide and fire in this case?” asked Mr. Hunt. "I won’t grant bail anyway where suicide is involved.”