SHOP BOY'S PLUCK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23339, 6 May 1939, Page 10

SHOP BOY'S PLUCK

HofD-UP PREVENTED MASKED MEN DEFIED WOUNDED IN SHOULDER [from oue own* cobbesposbeht] jMT3LB OTJENE, Hsy j Defying the orders of two and armed men, a 14-year-old stopfer, Basil Palmer, slammed a door in tier faces. A bullet -wounded him in shoulder, but it seems certain that la courageous action saved his emplojm from a hold-up.

The shooting occurred at the brand of Crofts' Stores Proprietary, limits in the suburb of Middle Brighton, kjj Friday night.

Palmer told detectives later in k* .pital that he went to the rear of ta shop after cleaning some potatoa f« wash his hands. He was going to liijt near the back door when he sarfru I men lurking in _ the shadows a'a yard. They had black masks overfe faces, and one was carrying what 9 pea red to be a black pistol. "As soon as I noticed them," Palmer, "one of the men said, 'Jss come out here.' But I turned, and m back through the door, slamming; it ail passed through. As I was going throat the door 1 felt a stinging pain in tb back of my shoulder."

The manager of the store. Mr. K. Smith, said he was counting the daj'i takings when, following the sound of» shot, the boy rushed back into tin shop. "At first 5 thought an elect's light bulb had burst and Palmer had» ceived a shock." said Mr. Smith, i put my arm around his shoulder to quieten him and felt blood on W hand." _ , The bullet, passed through Palmeri .■ihoulder and lodged in an overcoJt, belonging to Mr. Smith, which hanging on- the wall near the door. 1® assailants fled after firing the one Eho» They have not been traced.