FOSTER FOUND NOT GUILTY ON CHARGE OF MAIL ROBBERY

Manawatu Times, Volume LII, Issue 6485, 17 December 1927, Page 8

FOSTER FOUND NOT GUILTY ON CHARGE OF MAIL ROBBERY

COULD HAVE BEEN THE THIEF, JUDGE COMMENTS

A Presumption of Innccr I-aw Insists Clime Be Proved.

lily Electric Cable-Copyright.]

’•'-"st. and N.Z. r*n hie Association.? LONDON, Deo. 15.

Tho Foster ease—Foster was arrested in Now Zealand and* taken to England in custody on a charge of stealing a mailbag—hs ended at tho Old Bailey, tho jury interrupting counsel’s speech for tho defence by saying that they had mado up their minds, but would like to hear the sum--1 ming up of tho Judge, Sir Ernest j Wild. The Judge said that there was little doubt that Foster could hove boon the thief, but tho law insisted that crime must be proved. Tho case could not bo stopped unless the jury were unanimous. Tho jury retired for. five minutes and then returned -with a verdict of not guilty.’ Was a Bookmaker. Foster had previously given evidence that he was a New Zealander. His father, who was a clergyman, died in 1925. His mother and sisters wore still living in Hamilton, j Ho went to Britain in 1911 and lived at Merthyr-Tydfiln. Ho was engaged in bookmaking under the name of Roberts anct in football betting under tho name of Thomas. . By February ho had accumulated by | betting £llOO, rnd he went to London to open a starting price office. Ho travelled from Cardiff alone and do- * nied knowledge of- tho robbery. Did Not Tell N.Z. Police. He subsequently did go to New Zea- / land with his wife and family, and on i arrival at Aucklnd ho discovered the :police were enquiring for him. , Ho admitted that he had not told tho New Zealand police that he obtained the money by successful betting. . The best counsel in New Zealand had advised him not to make a statement. Ho was anxious to face the charge, but not to raise a defence in Now Zealand for his people’s sake. .

GOOD NEWS FOE MILSON A SCHOOL PROMISED AT LAST, Mr. J. A. Nash, M.P., yesterday received intimation from the Minister of Education that Cabinet has approved a grant for a school at Milson’s Line, thereby filling a long felt want which i should satisfy those who have been agitating for the convenience . Mr. Hash's I reply convoyed his thanks and an ex- ' pression of the appreciation of the settlors in the suburb. | When the Minister was here at the end of May a deputation waited on him from the Mijson Progressive Association urging the erection of a school on the g.ant of 5} acres made by the Railway | Department. , j “Mr. E. C. Lalcy, chairman of the Progressive Association, in urging tho Minister to grant the money for a school, said that there were 12S children--1 in Milson under the age of 14 years, 58 of whom were of school ago. There wore 109 sections in ths settlement, only (hi of which were built on. It was antici- ! patod that the settlement would grow with tho progress of the railway devia- ' tion, and that tho attendance at a school would easily exceed, 200 in a few years. Tho number of children available, including 17 from outside, was at present 75. Tho position in the settlement was a unique one . The town had sprung up in a few months, and was inhabited chiefly by young people and their families. There was a tendency for Palmerston North to extend in the direction of Milson, and he Would urge that the Minister make arrangements for tho erection of a school at- once.

Mr. Nash pointed out the danger arising from tho fact tr.at the main bus route from Palmerston Eorth to Ecilding passed through Milson, and children were liab’e to be hnockcd over and injured. . The Minister replied saying the difficulty at present was that everyone wanted schools as near their own places as possible. It was a difficult matter to < overcome and it was impossible to erect schools everywhere. Ho would go carefully into the matter and come to a decision when he had viewed the site at liusscll street. Ho would not make any promises but he saw that the school must come in view of tho fact that Milson was a growing suburb. Matters should now go ahead smoothly and tho erection of the school will do ranch to relieve tho present conges . tion at Terrace End school. Tho action of Cabinet is therefore more far-reach-ing than appears on the surface.