Robbed at Point of Revolver

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 25, 22 October 1937, Page 6

Robbed at Point of Revolver

Onr Own Correspondent.)

PALMERSTON HOLDUP Jaxi-Driver Relieved oi About £45 JWO YOUTHS' CRIME

rTTom

PALMERSTON N., This Day. r Two youths staged a daring holdBp a.nri robbeiy at revolver point in Palmerston North last evening, tbe vlctim being a well-known taxt-driver, Mr. Tom Seel, *~T" i The incident, wMcK bore evidence of pavlng been well-planned, was staged' W the Esplanade drive just outside tbe {Entrance to the motor camp. 1 The site was well selected as it is jkundreds of yards from the nearest Wbitation and witb the dense bush on j#ne side and a thicfc shelter belt of ' Jtrees on the other, was enveloped in pomplete darkness except for the illu*. plnation of car lights dimmed. Mr. Seel, who drives for Amalga*. Ed Taxi Cabs, was on the Church t stand near the Police station i he'was approaehed by two yonths j— one wMte and the other a Maori. It jwas shortly before 8 o'clock * and the pair nsked that they be taken to the ttotor-camp. The white youth took the pont seat beside the driver while the fefaori boy sat in the back. The Fitxaerbert avenue xoute was taken and no ■top was made until outside the camp jmtrance. Mr. Seel was the first to get out and Ikea the lads followed, the white hoy standxng on his left and the Maori on h-i right. "X had a presehtiment," Mr Seel said last evening, "that they wero not going to pay thelr fare but that disappeared when the Maori boy asked me if I had. any change. I told them the ride wonldcost them 2/-. "I pulled out a handful of silver, expecting the Maori to hand over a pound Jhote. It was then the white youth ptated that they didn't want any jehange— his exact words wero 'we Bon't need no change' — and I noticed jthat he had a revolver levelled at my ■tomach. He then ordered me to drop jthe money I had in my hand on the bround. ■ r : "Collecting my wits as hurriedly as B could I stepped back a pace and kimed a kick , at the weapon but Wissed. I waslthen informed that if I gnade another move I would he 'drilled.^ FThen came a second command to drop kll the money on the ground which I jdid. There must have heen about £45 ftt BIL "The white youth them told me" to jjget haek into the car and with his refvolver still levelled, he followed m« jaround the car, I was then ordered to ko and keep going. I can tell you 1 jiras very pleased to get out of it." , The white youth is described by Mr, jSeel as hcing of about 18 or 19 years iof age. He was slovenly dressed, had ko hat but wore a zough-looking brown Seoat, grey trousers and a grey mufTler jjferonnd his neck. j The Maori hoy he would say was be tween 17 and 18 years of age and of stouter bnild than his companion, Ht * also had no hat but was wearing a hlue blazer and dark trousers. Both have probahly overcoats for sleeping out.