MAIL ROBBERY

Hokitika Guardian, 14 March 1929, Page 2

MAIL ROBBERY

TRIAL OF FOUR MFN

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, -March 13

The hearing of charges in connection with the robbery on the Wahine was commenced to-day. Thomas Gordon, a taxi-driver, aged 21 ; Arthur Henry William Bevan, a plumber, aged 20; Richard Ryan, a motor mechanic, aged 31, and George Wilfred Ryan, a taxidriver, aged 24, were charged that between February 9th and 10th, at Lyttelton and at Wellington, they did steal postal packets and sums of money amounting in all to about £l7l os od, and also a gold watch, a pen and ring, to the total value of £lB4 os od, the property of the PostmasterGeneral.

Seven witnesses gave evidence o'! having posted money and other valuables in Dunedin and Christchurch. One witness, Ada Dick, of Christchurch, who had posted two five-pound notes and two one-pound notes, had first of all taken their number. She identified one of the £5 notes.

Reginald J. Day, a night watchman on the Wahine, said that he knew Richard Ryan by sight. On February Bth lie saw Ryan sitting beside the mail hatch of the Wahine at Wellington. This was between 7 o’clock and 7.30. There was another man with Ryan, but witness could not say who lie was. He looked about 20 yeai s ot age. At that time the mail was being loaded into the hold, and Ryan and his companion could see this. “On February 9th at Lyttelton,” continued witness, “ 1 again saw Ryan |, v the hatch. It would be about p.m. and he was then talking to one of the sailors. This was the night we left for Wellington. So far as T know the mail were not being loaded at 0 p.m., although they were due to be about then.”

Witness went on to state that on Wednesday, February 6th, while he was walking along the wharf on tin way to the Wahine, at Wellington, between 7 and 7.30 p.m., lie saw Richard Rvan and another sitting in the bay ... a, window of a shed. Roughly speaking, this would he about 50 yards from the' mail hatch. From this position, Rvan could see the mails being loaded. The further hearing was adjourned until to-morrow afternoon.

“Don’t smoko in bed,” advised a London coroner at the inquest on Miss Emma Parry, an elderly lady who was suffocated owing to her bedding ig»iing. She fell asleep while smoking a cigarette. Smoking in bed is a bit risky, certainly. So is smoking out of bed sometimes. There’s constant risk in smoking some tobaccos. Look at the foreign brand—many of them more or less, full of nicotine. Then habitual use may gradually poison the svstem. This cannot be said of our New Zealand tobaccos. Their purity is beyond question. Hardly any nicotine in them. This is party owing to the soil in which the plants are cultivated and partly due to the fact that the leaf is toased. Result: A delightfully sweet, cool and fragrant smoke of quite exceptional flavour. You may “(ill up” as often as you please with these baeeios —they won’t hurt you. Favourite brands: “Riverhead Gold” (mild aromatic). “Cavendish” (sportsmen favour it). “Navy Cut No. 3” (a blend of choice medium flavoured), and “Cut Plug No. 10 (a rich, dark, full-strength sort.) —Advt.