“DON’T COME BACK.”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19218, 8 July 1924, Page 8

“DON’T COME BACK.”

farewell to safe blower. ONCE IN NEW ZEALAND. IQC odii. ui -psi-rli.-nd is Thomas Hardy, to t = in Now Zca i all d, where Kvo Z police considerable trouble some yC Fard’y, C 'after a term in Dartmoor, found hit*wav to New Zealand 14 years ago. He li'q not been in tbe dominion long before eaVo robberies became very freqrfcnt. After so.ne\nonths of rmmvmifJ Ha*dy c«ght rt d tbe"ation of that term he went to b The'' members of the gang, who were known • Bic Four. lived near each other, “nd were " apparently respectable citizens. Alaxtoci’s wile is ’said to have had no idea B&>SSTKSWS Max led was caught, and the pohce tttined that Hardy was on his way to England with some of the booty. A cablegram was despatched to South Africa asking the police to meet the boat on which he was travelling and search his cabin. _ . The South African detectives, on searching H-rdy’s effects, found a box containing detonators and gelignite, and some of the mwolicry that had been stolen in Australia. Hardy was taken back to Australia, where he received a heavy sentence. On its expiry an attempt was made to deport him to New Zealand but domicile could not be proved, and he was released, with instructions to leave tho country. During the recent visit of the naval squadron to Sydney he was arrested. He asked to be sent back to England, and his deportation was arranged. . ~ , , “1 like the idea of crossing tbe blue sea to have a look at England and the Wembley Exhibition,” Hardy remarked as he entered the "aol tram in tho cage inside the gaol gates’ before leaving for the Darlinghurst i'olicc Station on the day of his departure. On arrival there he was handed over to the custody of the police, and later removed to the Central Police Station. Hero he mot Detective Sergeant Lynch and the remainder of the escort to the vessel in which he was "It econis strange to be leaving Australia, Hardy said on the way to the steamer. ‘T’ve been here 14 years now, and 10 of them have been spent in gaol, but I must say that no policeman has ‘ ever ‘put it over me I have always received a square deal Bom judges, the police, and prison officials. '"‘‘Wo do not wish to expose you in any wav.” remarked Detective Sergeant Lynch, “and wo will ask you to stand in a certain position on the deck so that wo cam see you until the .steamer leaves.” “Oh, I’ll do that for you,” agreed the deportee. “It will bo different to icy departure from New Zealand some time ago. There the police made me go to rnv bunk below and keep my head out of ihe porthole so that they could watch me until tho steamer left for Australia." There aro a lot of streamers being held by the hundreds of passengers and their friends on the wharf, but there are none for me, are there?” the ex-cracksman said, as tae detectives were about to leave. “Never raiud we will see to that,” answered Detective Sergeant Lynch. “We will give you a good send-off and wo will break ribbons with you.” . . , , ~ , , As the three detectives reached the wiiarf the" purchased streamers, and threw them to the’ 7 man on dock. The steamer moved, the ribbons broke, and the detectives will add the. broken ends to their other iclics of tic safe-blower’s stay in Australia.