MAORI JEWELS

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 23, 21 October 1921, Page 4

MAORI JEWELS

MEN CHARGED WITH THEFT

A REMARKABLE STORY Two men will arrive in Wellington under arrest, probably on Alonday next, having been extradited from Australia on a charge of having stolen jewellery valued at. over .£4OO from a Maori woman, Niniwa Heremaia, resident at Lyall Bay. Tho story of the loss of the jewels is romantic. The owner of the jewels is a Maori princess, and is reputed to be a wealthy member of the Maori race. Amongst her possessions are Alaori gems that, from the Alaori point of view, are priceless, and she owns other gems of exquisite design, to which is attached a deal of historical value. Early'last May, two men, one of whom she know, visited her, and informed her of tho projected visit to Willington of a party of entertainers. They told her, she states, that financial aid was necessary, and she gave them money and a quantity of jewels, on which they could realise, after they had, according to her story, made certain arrangements with her.' They then left; but nothing more was seen or heard of them, and the concert party did not arrive in Wellington. The Wellington police, who were notified informed by cable the police in all the Australian States. Detectives Truskett and Wilson, of the Sydney Criminal Investigation branch, took charge of the inquiry, and a day or so later a message was received from Adelaide that two suspected men were in that city, for whose arrest a warrant from New South Wales was necessary. Before Truskett and Wilson could get on the job, however a second wire informed them that tho ’two had left Adelaide for Broken Hill The officers sent a further batch of telegrams to the Barrier detectives, and a few days later received a reply to the effect that the men whose arrest was desired had been detained. Tho warrant was forwarder! and the actual arrest was reported. Detective IV. D. Thom, of Wellington, will accompany the suspects to New Zealand. i The jewels consist of a large t’atii Tan"i Wai greenstone worth £l5O, a stone valued at £2O. two whalebone meres worth £l5 each, and an 18-carat. diamond bracelet, and another with diamonds and rubies worth respectively £75 and £55. The export of Maori jewels is prohibited by New Zealand law. When charged in Australia, the two men alleged that the jewels were in the custody of a lawyer in Palmerston North. They stated that the gems had been given them by the woman, to be realised on if the occasion arose.