LIBRARY THEFT

Hokitika Guardian, 21 October 1933, Page 2

LIBRARY THEFT

VALUABLE MANUSCRIPT STOLEN

A FINE OF' £25 IMPOSED

(Per Press Association — Copyright )

WELLINGTON, October 20,

Removed from Turnbull Library in the early part of this year, and later recovered in Sydney, a manuscript diary entitled “Dr Bambridge’s Voyage to New Zealand in 1841,” valued at £SO, was exhibited in Court to-day, when Frank Bradford Lewis, aged 22, a gold buyer, was charged with stealing it, He pleaded llot guilty, but was fined £25, or in default two months, . i

Mr Page remarked that he had taken into consideration the fact that Lewis was relatively a young man. An order was . made for the return of the diary. It was stated that Lewis was engaged last March at Sydney to come to New Zealand aiid buy Maori curios and old books. He sent over the stolen manuscript, and it was recognised by the chief librarian at Sydney .as belonging to the Turnbull Lirary.

Mr Johannes Anderson, of the Turnbull Libary, said that books could not be borrowed from the library, and if they went out, they could only do so in an underhand way.