SMART DETECTIVE WORK.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 23, 21 August 1917, Page 5

SMART DETECTIVE WORK.

In commenting in the House of Representatives last week on recent defalcations that have taken place in the Civil Service, the Minister for Internal Affairs paid a tribute to the manner in which a Wellington detective effected the arrest of an offending civil servant at the Porirua Asylum. The Hon. G. W. Russell related (states the New Zealand Times) how the civil servant in question ingeniously tried to shift blame of a large theft on to other shoulders when approached by tlie detective at Porirua. The latter, realising that if the arrest was to be effected it must be made promptly, and although he had no warrant for arrest with him, promptly levelled the suspected thief to the ground. A short, sharp struggle took place, and the detective triumphantly exhibited a roll of some two thousand notes he had taken from the man's pocket—clear proof of his guilt.

"And yet," remarked Mr Wilford, who had listened appreciatively to the story with other members of the House, "the Government did not give one penny reward to the detective." The Minister replied that possibly if representations were made the detective in question might receive some recognition for his smart work. It is believed the detective referred to is Chief-Detective Boddam, <>r Wellington, who was accompanied at the time of the arrest by Detective Mason.