STRANDED.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1497, 20 July 1912, Page 5

STRANDED.

'ADVENTURES OF THREE GIRLS'. , POE'ICB HEIJ SOUGHT. (By Tclcgraph.-PrcEß Association.) Auckland, ,Tuiy 1!), •"Stranded in ChristcliuTcli" was the taxt of a telegram wliick came over tho wires to Auckland last night, in response to general inquiries distributed tiirouirhout tlio Dominion by (he loml police in connection with the (surreptitious di-pnr-tui'o 01 throo girls from .their.homos in Auckland ono night lust week. A further wire from Cliri.slchurch stated that-the jfirls in question were reported to have loiiowed a. negro minstrel (roupo to that A- representative of tho "Star" made some inquiries this morning of tlio.mother ot two of tho trirls. She is a half-caste .*<aon. Her distress over tho occurrence was very apparent, and die statod that slio was at a complete loss to account lor the. action of her daughters. On« ol them, has just turned 17, and the other is only H. Tho third member of the absconding (no is a whito girl, need about 18. The mother of the W first Mined positively disclaimed any knowledge ot an acquaintance having spruue up between liw girls and any members ot a'minstrel troupe. As a matter of iiict, she Bind, those people left Auckland lully three weeks before her dnu<>hters went away. She felt that somo undue power or persuasion must have hcen brought.to Lear on them, as their home liio had been apparently comfortable and happy. Her first knowledge of,the departure, the mother elated, was gained ear y tho next moraine, when one of tlio children enmo and (old hor (hat their eldest sister was not in her bed. •■lnvestigations, showed that both girls had mysteriously disappeared. The elder ono had gone out tho previous evening with Hie stated intention of going to tho theatre, while the younger girl wns thought to bo in bed. • "

irom information now to hand, it i'e apparent that the trio left bv the Xlnin 1 runic train that night for Wellington. It nppo.xrs. that tho older of the-two Bisters.is-musical, nnd she was allowed considerable freedom for talduß part on evening outings. She nnd'the Kingslnntt girl wcro constant companions, but the younger sister rarely went out with them at night. ; "I really don't know why. they took my Üby away with them," sobbed the mother, in referring to the smaller girl. Tho father of one p>l and the mother of tho other two attended at tho Police Station this morning. In responso to inquiries of tho police, the latter produced tho amount of tho fares necessary for tho return of her (laughters' from Christchurch, but tho former appeared to hesitate over the matter. Of coura, tho police can make no charge against tho girls for anything that has happened, They havo merely been prosecuting inquiries at tho request of tho parents concerning tho whereabouts of tho girls. Now that they havo been found, it remains for their relatives to decide what action shall bo takeji in tho direction of securing their' return.

WANTED TO JOIN TJIE TROUPE Christchurch, ,Tuly 10. Tho local police are. concerning thmn* selves with fclio fato of three, girls who attached ■ themselves <to .'.three. members Qi Konsand's Jliustral Company. They we're kept in a boarding-house by these- men? but were loft behind. The company l left for Askburtan. Actiing on «.. telegram from the father of two of tho eirlsf the police investigated tho matter, and it was found that the girls had been, left destitute, and actually owing a small sum for their board. Tho sisters say that they left 'homo in consequanco of a disagreement with their .parents, .and tho other girl accompanied them.- .Their idea was to join the troupo, if possible. They deny that there was any impropriety as far as their relations \nth; the-minstreli were ooncornetli'-'Their friends''left them promising to send money to take them Bouth later on. It has como to tho knDw_lodgo i of tho police that so-mo ether Vhite. girls followed other minstrels in tho same company from tho north, and stayed at tho samo boarding-house. It is believed that they have retimed to' Wellington. A telegram was received from tho Auckland police this afternoon, asking that tho three girls bo,.sent north. The local pedico are making arrangements to comply with tho Tcquest. ■

."WHAT CAN WE DO/" • ■ Tlmaru, July 19. Kci'saud'e Minstrels being now here, 11 "Herald" reporter interviewed the manager Warding statements in a Wegraiu from Ciiristohiircli. Mr, Westmucott Biiid tliis was tlio first ho had heard about the girls coming from Auckland. On arrival at Lyttelton, three girls, who camo down with tlio minstrels, were sent back. As for tho Auckland girls, the men had taken caro not to let the management know. Tho sub-uinnager (Mr. S.Uyder) said: "Wβ have- tho greatest trouble to keep girls away from members of the company, and if girb will persist in running after us, what can we do?" Both averred that they did their best to. prevent girls following tho men from place to place, and hn<l a standing throat of immediate dismissal if tho men encouraged it.