UNUSUAL STORY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16651, 22 May 1928, Page 11

UNUSUAL STORY

LAD'S CURIOSITY LEADS TO HIS ARREST An unusual story, which shows how the curiosity of a .Maori boy was responsible for hi.s arrest,- is related from Yvaipawa. It is stated that at about 10 p.m. on" Thursday an operator in the \Vaipawa telephone exchange noticed something strange- on Mr. John Winlove's store line.

Failing to get any response to his calls, he then communicated with the police. A constable at once proceeded to (lie shop, and suspicions were aroused when ho found a pair of boots and socks outside a window. The owner of the store was communicated with, and eventually, after an exhaustive search, tfho 'constable and Mr. Winlove found the crouching figure of a Maori boy behind tho shop door. Investigation revealed tho fact that tho would-be burglar had gathered some loot, but instead of getting away he became fascinated with the telephone. This fascination led to his tinkering with tho instrument, and it was this tinkering which resulted in tho operator telephoning the police, It was subsequently ascertained that the boy had also broken into Williams and Kettle's place, and after collecting a few things had gone to try his luck at Mr. Winlove's shop, where ho was caught in the act, through his curiosity over a, telephone.