DETECTIVES SEARCH SHIP

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1931, Page 5

DETECTIVES SEARCH SHIP

£ 5 oO STOLEN IN NORFOLK ISLAND, APPARENTLY NOTHING FOUND. By Telegraph.-—Press Association. Auckland, June 23. Upon the arrival from Norfolk Island last nigh't the steamer Hikyrangi was boarded by detectives and, searched. It ig understood that they were, looking for a sum of £5OO in notes recently stolen from the Administrator’s safe at Govr ernment House on the island, If is understood that nothing was found on the ship. The report that during the night a thief had entered Government llousp and stolen a large sum of money and many medals startled the residents of the island within a few hours of the. conclusion of the “Bounty Day” anniversary celebrations on Monday, June 8, writes the Norfolk Island correspondent of tjie New Zealand Herald, The nfppey stolen consisted of £5OO in Australian bank notes, which were kept in the safe in the office of Government House, All the military medals possessed by the Administrator, Colonel A. J. Bennett, which were algo kept in the safe, were also stolen, A man going to liis work on Tuesday morning found the safe key and the riiedals strewn along the road leading to Rawson Hall, and fully a, mile from Government House. Inquiries led to the safe being found open and the £5OO gone. The Administrator was the only person at home at the time of the robbery. After a very strenuous day at the celebrations he retired early. Mrs. Bennett ■ and the other members of the household attended the “Bounty Day” dance at Rawson Hall. The Administrator's private secretary was jn hospital, where he has been a patient for some weeks. The £5OO was a reserve kept in connection with the Post Office and Savings Bank. The sum of £3OO was in new notes, in their original blocks of £lOO each. Their numbers were immediately cabled to Australia and - New Zealand, The sum of £2OO wag in used notes. When all important drawers, etc., are locked, after the day’s transactions, the keys are kept in a special place. The thief had evidently discovered this and he had no difficulty in effecting his purnose. A very clear impression of a plan’s thumb print was found on the office door and a good photograph of this was obtained. The robbery has provided Norfolk Island with the greatest sensation it has ever had. It is practically the only topic of conversation. An expert thief from the mainland is evidently operating, as two stores and ope or two private houses have been robbed in a practically identical manner. On returning home from a concert an islander discovered that £3O left in his care, which he thought he had hidden securely, had been stolen during his absence, No clue to the thief has been obtained, Petty thefts are reported from al! directions. One young lady returned hoine and found practically all her wardrobe stolen. At one guest-house a quantity of bedding left bn the clothes' line at night was missing next morning.