ASSAULT ON A POST MISTRESS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXII, Issue LXII, 20 January 1912, Page 8

ASSAULT ON A POST MISTRESS.

_. w ~ , A SHOCKING-AFFAIR. BY TELEGEAPH—PfcESS ASSOCIATION " KIMBOLTON, Jan. 20. A. dastardly outrage was committed at the post office at Kiwitea,\ 12 miles fi.om Feilding, v at .an early hour yesterday morning. About 1 o'clock Mrs Kernahan, postmistress, who was sleeping i with her daughter,- 14 years old, was awakened by. a 'man, who had opened the window. He demanded the keys of the safe. When Mrs Kernahan refused, she,tscreamed, and the little girl ran across the road to arouse a. neighbour. In the meantime the man dragged Mrs Kernahan through the window and brutally assaulted her with a heavy piece of wood or iron bar. By the time help arrived the man had completely disappeared,, and the woman was found lying unconscious and bleeding. • She was taken \%o Fedlding for medjical examination, which showed that her arm had been broken, apparently in shielding her head. Her head was much bruised, and the victim is now in a private hospital, seriously, though not dangerously ill. Sergeant Bowden 'and Detective Quirke quickly proceeded to Kiwitea", but though the whole district was scoured, there was no trace of the man. One or two clues were followed up, but without result. The affair has given a shock to the. district, as the postmistress, who is a widow, is very popular.