STOLEN TWICE

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 111, 7 April 1930, Page 9

STOLEN TWICE

RECOVERED FOR RANSOM. WELLINGTON, April 4. There is in the Art Gallery in Wellington a picture which has an interesting history. Its value is placed at not less than COO guineas, and it has been twice stolen. * The picture is "W. By Leader’s "Southward of Surrey Hills,” which was presented to the New Zealand Academy by the late Mrs .F. A. Rhodes. It is about .22 years since the picture was stolen, when the late Mr 11. S. Warded was president of the Academy. There was then no resident custodian, and the thieves entered the building through a -window at the rear. A ransom was demanded for the return of the picture, and this was paid privately by two or three well-known citizens, who kept a rendezvous, at which tlio picture was handed over ;n return, for the money. A few months later the picture was again stolen, and once more a ransom was demanded. This time the police were informed, a rendezvous was arranged, and when a messenger arrived with the picture was arrested. He denied all knowledge of the theft, saying he was merely a messenger conveying a parcel for something which was to be given in exchange. Other arrests were made, but the prosecution was unable to secure a conviction. The picture wns recovered in a much-damaged condition. It had been taken from its frame and folded into four, and, being an oil painting, it had cracked along the folds, and the centre was considernblv broken. - At that time Mr Colley, a well-known English picture restorer, was in the Dominion, and' his services were obtained and the picture was restored with great success. To-day it appears little the worse for its experience.