A MOST UNPLEASANT OCCURRENCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 677, 30 November 1909, Page 8

A MOST UNPLEASANT OCCURRENCE.

■ ; : ROBBING A >'■■'* <■, (Bi Tdcerepb-Prfw Aseodationj ,; ! ' '■' ■''•■'■;■■•,'!'' 'ChrtstcKiirch, November 29. • - A' most unpleasant occurrence was discovt ered when the Roman Catholic Cathedral was opened yesterday. morning. On the walls of the building are hung a number of small ' wooden boxes, receptacles for voluntary contributions for pious cr charitable purposes. Seven of these- boxes had' bcon taken from.■',their supports, forced 1 open r and the contents abstrßcted. ..The boxes had evidently, been prized open with a chisolor some sucfi:instru- ;; ment; and after tho money:, had beenttakon" we're thrown oh-tho floor, where they wcro;ly-' ing .when the theft was discovered: . It ie im-.' possible to'state what,sum<was secured hy the ? thieves','but the estimate places it at not more than five or • six pounds. Tho thoft was. committed 6ome time between Saturday eveningi' and, Sunday morning. The main'door of the cathedral was. locked, bot a door leading fromthe vestry was open. Tho intruders confined theiriattentions te the.boxes, 'without attempt.'' ing anything on the safe which, contained the '■■'■ altar plate. It is. said some snspicious-looking characters had been seen about the building on ■> Saturday_evening; but, x of course, it is'impossible to connect them positively with l the crinuj. ■■ The occuiTcnce ■ has .created. great indignatiob -; among .the congregation.' • '...' .:.-':

TWELVE OTHEE CHOBCHES ■ , Christclnireh, November 29^.'•; : Eemarkable and disturbing; oriincs-.'have; taken plaoo in- Christchuroh during the past : three or four \yeeks. It appears that a, large' number of: churches' have been burglariously ; ; entered, and their contribution boxes' and r&--'-oess cupboards forced open and searched, ahd; ,: ., ■'-. any, casn which-might be found-iu'them apprc* priated.; In most ohurches, and: in.all dorionii-'. nations, it is a custom to. have', affixed to tho , walls small , wooden'bdScas to receive 'gifts','of'■"■'■' charitable or pious people, the funds eo raised being devoted to. church purposes. The thieves r appear , to have given"'particular' attention ,to : > these boxes,; Which , wore smashed open-'aiid ~ ' rifled. 11l no , case investigated did it ap pear that there had been any serious loss, or ; that church plate had ■ been appropriated: • Tho v majority of the offences occurred. in carnival . ', week, but it appeared: that the thieves are still : carrying on their work. At tho Boman Caiholio , Cathedral, a burglary occurred on Saturday, night last. 'AhioDg the oth-er ohnrches on- : tered ijere St. Mioliael's, St. John's, PhUUps-,; .. town, Papanui,' Kiccarton, Hakwell, &rdenham,' : .: Opawa, and New Brighton Anglican Churches; : St, Peter's Presbyterian,, High Street Method. /"■■,■ ist, and New Brighton Methodist,; ■;-'." : .■;,".■'.