CLOSELY GUARDED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20648, 24 June 1935, Page 14

CLOSELY GUARDED.

Mysterious Happening at Auckland. INVENTOR UNDER PROTECTION. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, June 23. The greatest secrecy is being maintained by the Auckland police in connection with the assault last Wednesday night on Victor Penny, aged 35, married, at the North Shore Transport Company’s depot at Takapuna. There is a policeman on duty in the room Mr Penny occupies at the Auckland Hospital, and another is stationed outside his home in Takapuna. Senior officers refuse to discuss any aspect of the ease which, it is understood, is being directed by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Wohlmann, from Wellington. Several Auckland residents connected with Mr Penny, in various experiments he has conducted in radio and other electrical work have heard allegations of a mysterious force said to have been discovered by him in the course of his researches. Nobody can be found, however, who has ever seen the force exhibited, although rumours as to its effects are numerous. Experiments in Wireless. It is know’ll that Mr Penny has been actively interested in wireless for about fifteen years and that like a majority of amateurs, he has carried out experiments. He has made microphones and covered certain features by patents, and has also interested himself in beam wireless and television. As far as can be ascertained nothing ■was stolen from Mr Penny when he w T as assaulted, although it is understood he often carried papers relating to his radio w r ork. He. is suffering from concussion. His condition to-day is not serious and is improving. Mr Penny's wife has a lady friend 1 staying with her. “I do not know why the police are guarding our house,” she I said. ‘‘l did not request protection, although I feel grateful' for it now. I saw a man outside and I asked him if he was a policeman. lie said he was. I asked him what he was Jhere for, and he replied that he did not know,”