RECENT "KIDNAP" SCHEME

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 140, 10 December 1918, Page 7

RECENT "KIDNAP" SCHEME

THE MAYOR EXPLAINS.

■ By the indulgence of Mr. Speaker in ■the House of Representatives, at five o'clock' this morning, on the third reading of the Public Health Amendment Bill, Mr. J. P. Luke explained a part of the Tecent "taxi-cab ' mystery"—the attempt to motor the Minister, of Health at midnight to -an alleged "hell-hole" 'on Te Aro Flat, i

Before Sir Frederick Lang, weary with the long night's watch, had satisfied himself that the incident had nothing to do with the Bill, Mr. Luke managed to clear away some of .the dark air of mystery.

He saidi that he had appointed a lady inspector duringl the epidemic, and he was sorry that this woman was now a "guest of His, Majesty" ; he hoped it was only for a few days. As far as he knew the woman had done nothing to warrant her temporary loss of freedom. The Mayoress and other ladies who had worked together during the epidemic used to meet daily at the Town Hall for afternoon tea. On one of these occasions, the lady inspector said she would like to get the Minister to sefe a place in Martin-square. The* woman believed that it would be in the public interest to take -!v. Russell to an overcrowded locality, especially when it was in its most congested condition, at night. The ladies had tried to dissuade the inspector, but she had gone on with her resolution.

The Post has already explained that the woman was in man's clothing when she waited in a taxi-cab for Mr. Russell.

Mr. Luke remarked: that neither Mrs. Ljuke nor himself had connived at the inspector's scheme. The Minister expresses bis regret that the inspector had broken down in mental health. .He hoped that within a few <fays ( she would have recovered from her recent state of Blind.