Gave Stranger £50 In Victoria Street

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 805, 28 October 1929, Page 1

Gave Stranger £SO In Victoria Street

MONEY RESTORED MAORI’S MEMORY LAPSE After giving £SO to a stranger in Victoria Street for safe keeping on August 15, a Maori from the country did not turn up again to claim it. The final act of the drama was played out before Inspector Hollis at the Central Police Station this morning, when the Maori, who had been traced by the police, received his £SO again after a lapse of more than two months. He said he had forgotten about it. On August 15, Mr. J. H. Marks, who takes a position as traffic inspector at Whakatane tomorrow, was dining at a restaurant in Victoria Street. At the same table sat a Maori, who, during the meal told Mr. Marks that he was in possession of a large sum of money. Mr. Marks told the Maori to go home with it, but the Maori asked Mr. Marks if he would mind keeping it for him until the following day, when they would meet at the corner of Victoria and Queen Street. HANDED TO POLICE Mr. Marks agreed, the Maori thereupon handing him £SO made up of five £lO notes. Mr. Marks was at the appointed place at 9.30 a.m. next day, as agreed, but the Maori did not appear, and the custodian of the £SO handed the sum to the police. The police investigated the case, having only the description given by Mr. Marks, together with the fact that the Maori was supposed to have said he came from the Raglan district. The Native Department in Auckland was eventually consulted, and the search was directed to Taumarunui, where a Maori, answering to the description given by Mr. Marks, was said to have received £193 through a native land deal. The Maori was Mr. T. Maimoa Toatana, a bushman, of Whangapuroto, and he was questioned by the police and told to come to Auckland and get his money. In a statement to the police the Maori said he could not remember what he had done with the money, though he knew he was £SO short. He had not said anything to anybody as he was frightened to admit his carelessness. On Saturday evening the Maori presented himself to Mr. Marks for identification and the formality was repeated this morning before ■ Inspector Hollis, who handed the £SO bflek to the Maori. Had the inquiries not proved successful within a specified time, the money would have been handed over to Mr. Marks. It is understood, however, that his extreme honesty will not go unrewarded by the grateful owner of the missing £SO.