The Miramar Affair

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6625, 11 August 1931, Page 6

The Miramar Affair

MAN WITHOUT A MASK. Extensive inquiries are being made by the Police Department to discover the identity of the two bandits who robbed motorists proceeding along the road from Miramar wharf to Shelly Bay on Friday evening. The first ear stopped by tho bandits was driven by Mr. Charles M‘ iJermot, of Wellington, who had with him Mr. Maurice Guthrie, a former resident ot Wellington, now Jiving at tho Bay of Islands. In their opinion the Pandits were quite young—probably about IS and 21 years of age respectively. They were both desperate, however, and owing to their state of nervousness would probably have used their weapons to effect if any attempt had been made to interfere with them. Unmasked Face. Mr. Guthrie told a Post reporter that his first impression on seeing a body lying at the side of tho road was that someone had been knocked down by a “hit and run” motorist. When the car pulled up Mr. Guthrie secured a torch and walked over to tho “body,” which came to L«*e and called out, * ‘ Come on, Bill. ’ ’ Another man then appeared from the shadows and covered Mr. M‘Dormot with his gun. Mr. Guthrie, who had seen the unmasked face of tho man who was lying on the ground, then turned his light on “Bill,” who had a black handkerchief across tho lower part of his face. .Realising that thenonly chance via,s -to gain time, the motorists talked with the bandits and managed to delay them until the car driven by Mr. Vancy arrived on the scene. Mr. Guthrie again used his torch, and as ho stepped forward towards one of the bandits he was rewarded with a shot which just missed his leg. One of the bandits made a rough search of Mr. M'Dennot’s clothing, but all ho secured was a cheque book. Nothing was taken from Mr. Guthrie, as he was not searched. Not a New Experience. The hold-up was not a new experience for either Mr. Guthrie or Mr. M'Dermot. While visiting Canada recently Mr. Guthrie was held up by a gunman on tho outskirts of Vancouver, and was relieved of a few dollars in cash. On this occasion the car was not stopped. When the car was slowing up to turn a corner a masked man jumped on the running board, produced an automatic, and after collecting the money jumped off again. The incident was reported to the police authorities and nothing more was heard of it. “Although such hold-ups do not occur actually every day, they arc so common that very little notice is taken of them over there,” said Mr. Guthrie. Mr. M‘ Dennot has had more experience than Mr. Guthrie in tho armed robbery business. While ho was in Dublin during the Sinn Fein trouble he was held up on two or three occasions and robbed by gunmen.