OFFENCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9490, 20 April 1894, Page 2 (Supplement)

OFFENCES.

Late on Sunday evening or early on Monday, April 2, a very daring burglary was effected at the premises of Messrs. Court Brothers, drapers, corner of Liverpoolstreet and Karangahapo Road. The premises were broken into, the bottom of the safe cut off, and the contents, about £00, stolen. At ten o'clock on Saturday night, the premises, known as "The Beehive," were closed in the usual way, Mr. G. Court and his nephew loaving at ten o'clock, an assistant and an apprentice turning off the gas, and locking up, leaving everything safe. On arrival on Monday morning at the shop Messrs. Court and Stych, an apprentice, found the interior in a state which aroused their suspicions. On making examination they discovered the door leading to tho rear of the premises open, and a section had been cut out by brace and bit from the back door, thus enabling entrance to the shop to bo effected. The tools were found lying outside, and a fire was found smouldering in the yard at which the burglars had heated the tools used indexing with the safe, as the bottom was found cut off and the contents appropriated as already stated some £60. The police on being informed examined the promises. It was found that great precautions had been taken to deaden sound, matting, linoleum, quilting, rolls of sheeting, etc., being utilised for that purpose, and the remains of a charred hat used for shading the light of the fire used in heating the tools showed that the whole business was skilfully and coolly carried out. Tho watchman on the beat, wo understand, heard no unusual sounds during the night. A bent crowbar and a broken screwdriver were loft behind with the other tools, and these may yet give a clue.

At tho Christchurch Police Court on Wednesday, the 18th of April, Edward Parkerson, accountant, late of tho firm of Parker and Co., charged 011 six informations with the embezzlement of sums amounting in the aggregate to £1050, the property of the firm, was committed for trial. Bail was allowed—himself in £1000 and two sureties in £500 each.

The Rev. Mr. Taylor, a recent arrival from England, reports that while travelling between Picton and Nelson, he was robbed of his purse, containing £28. In the Wellington Magistrate's Court, on April 13, a case, in which Mr. J. Evison, late editor of Truth, Christchurch, was charged with assaulting Mr. J. Rigg, M.L.C., was adjourned for a month. The affair took place in one of the city hotels on the 9th April, and is alleged to have risen out of a successful libel action brought by Mr. Evison, when editor of the Catholic Times, against tho Typographical Society, of which Mr. Rigg was then president. The assault is not of a very serious nature, and blows were exchanged without much harm. Mr. Evison left for Sydney on April 11.