THEFT ON HIGH SEAS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 797, 21 April 1910, Page 6

THEFT ON HIGH SEAS.

IADY ROBBED ON THE MOERAKI EFFECTS WORTH £120 TAKEN. : ■'■"'■ A TRIMMER ARRESTED. . There was considerable excitement in the ■ vicinity ;bi, .'the ••'wharves, yesterdaymorning, when >it became'.known that, the s.s. ; Moeraki, from Sydney,, had, upon :-. arrival at-the Heads, hoisted the "Police'.' '~ signal. . It will be remembered that the vessel •left Wellington for 1 Sydney on April 8. Among the passengers was' Miss Ethel Miles, daughter .'., of Mr. A. H., Miles (Murray, Roberts, and Co.), who was en route tb England. It appears that upon • the first day out, Miss Miles was alarmed l'to find, that a dressing-case containing' jewellery .-and other property, to .the value-: of .£IOO/:;together -with .£2O, ia money, had.been'stolen from her cabin'.' On the arrival of the' boat at. Sydney -the matter .was reported .to the police, but a search, failed to reveal either the stolen property or'the culprit, or culIprits. The police authorities in Sydney) 'however,;surmised that the missing goods had not been taken ashore from the vessel, which commenced her return journey last Saturday. Detectives Lewis and Andrews boarded the vessel in the stream yesterday morning, but despite . the ; fact that they searched in many likely,places, nothing was:'. found which would give' any clue 'as to the offender or the whereabouts of the stolen property. When the boat was brought alongside the wharf the crew received instructions that none of them would be allowed to land in the meantime; . Once again the police officials mentioned ! proceeded- with .the search. - Just when it seemed .likely ' that their efforts would-be in vain, they .discovered •in the forecastle, in a pair of underpants, alleged. to belong to a trimmer named Joseph Walkor, a small, package containing some of the missing'jewellery. Later more of : the goods were found in th& . forecastle in a box which, it is stated, also belongs to Walker. Before the detectives left the. vessel they, also located, most of the remainder of the missing . goods.'-.Walker, who was arrested, is a native of Victoria.. He signed on thl vessel'iin Australia, some little time-ago. - The goods .'in question include, in addition to some articles of clothing and : papers, gold rings, bangles, jewel boxes, «ilver?backed brushes, and numbers of other personal effects. Walker, who is«nly a young man, .will : appear before! Jlr. Riddell, S.M., this morning.