VALUABLE PICTURE WAS TWICE STOLEN

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19036, 3 April 1930, Page 1 (Supplement)

VALUABLE PICTURE WAS TWICE STOLEN

WELLINGTON TREASURE CONSIDERABLY HARMED. (Special to the “Star.”) WELLINGTON, April 3. There is in the Art Gallery, Wellington. a picture which has an interesting history. Its value is placed at not less than 500 guineas, and it has been twice stolen. On the first occasion, it was restored on payment of ransom, but when the thieves sought to obtain the ransom on the second occasion the police kept the rendezvous and arrested the man who was returning the picture. This man was able to show himself to be an innocent accomplice, knowing nothing of the theft, while the prosecution of the other men failed. The picture is W. B. Leader's “Southward of Surrey Hills,” which was presented to the Academy by the late Mrs F. A. Rhodes. It is about twenty-two years since the picture was stolen. At that time there was no resident custodian, and entrance was obtained through a window at the rear of the premises. A ransom was demanded for the return of the picture, this being paid privately by two or three wellknown citizens, a rendezvous being kept at which the picture was handed over in return for the money. A few months later the picture was again stolen in a similar manner, and once more a ransom was demanded. This time the matter was placed in the hands of the police. A rendezvous was arranged, and when the messenger arrived with the picture he was arrested, lie denied all knowledge of the theft himself, saying that he was merely a messenger conveying a parcel for something which was to be given him in exchange. Other arrests were made, but the prosecution was unable to secure a conviction. The picture was recovered in a much damaged condition. It had been taken from the frame and folded into four, and, being an oil painting, it had crackcej along the folds while the centre was considerably broken. At this time Mr Cooley, a well-known English picture restorer, was in the Dominion, and his services were obtained and the pic- j ture restored with great success. To-day the picture hangs on the south wall of the Art Gallery, at the back of the dais, and appears little the worse for its experience.