ISLAND MYSTERY UNSOLVED

Hokitika Guardian, 31 August 1931, Page 8

ISLAND MYSTERY UNSOLVED

No light has yet ‘been shed on the big robbery which occurred at Norfolk Island some weeks ago. According to officers of the steamer Hikurangi, which returned from the island, no arrest has been made, and the Australian detective who was sent from Sydney to investigate the theft has returned home. The robbery took place on “Bounty Day, ’ the sum of £SOO and a number of military medals being stolen from the safe in the Adminstrator’s residence at Kingston. The medals were found on the iollowing morning, together with the key to the safe, on , the road a mile away from the place where the robbery occurred, but an exhaustive search failed to reveal the notes. Every precaution was taken to prevent the money being smuggled away from th'e island ei h-i to Australia or New Zealand, the crews of visiting vessels not being allowed to land and many packages being searched by the Norfolk Customs officials. The Sydney steamer Morinda, which arrived at the island while the Hikurangi was there last week, brought a rumour that one of the stolen notes, the numbers of which are known, had been found in the backblocks of Australia, but the repoit has not been confirmed. The robbery is still talked about a good deal among the islanders, as it was the most sensational happening that has occurred at Norfolk for many years.