A MEAN ROBBERY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12396, 4 July 1902, Page 5

A MEAN ROBBERY.

1 (Fhom Ouit Own OoiutKsroxDKN'T.) AUCKLAND, July 3. Auckland members',of tho Seventh Contingent, had tl(eir kits rifled and curios taken while in Wellington. It appears 'that h.„- wer . f-\i not to take their" kit*. off the boat, as the Maniiaf was tq 'be tnnligated, and ki' were to be 'similarly, treated,. Thej jaked if a guard sltoiiia nc .left;, but wore told that this wjts uiininV.ssarv-. anu tha* IV uld not I>b' nr'nid but: wi.aWbe fumigated at Suainos Inland, - and roliurned I..at evening. livui.: ivc*ui« 0 that - thp : kits were ■ hot" yet availabu, nor did fcliey turn:- up the following Sunday, whon they were, .landed on tho wharf from tho. Government boat. On claiming their boloiigings tho men found that many of them had been- opened and ransacked, and that thj> -valuables! curios, otc., had been • Abstracted. The 'stronger boxes had not been;opened,' but "the locks had been wrenched off* several tin trunks, and some portmanteaux' had. bfeen ripped open with knives. Somei t : of;th6 mOn wero heavy losers, one man losing about £15 worth, and others smaller suftis,. The. total valuo of curios, feathers* .and Valuables lost is, as far as can be ascertained; well over £100. The matter : whs'retiorted;'.tbvlhe Defence Department, ancl. the ipen : were told that an inqiury wouk] bo maclo, and were asked to forward a list of tho missing articles. The .Wclliugtonirins took their curios ashore, but tho t others; were .unable to do this.