ROMANCE OF A RING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2710, 20 March 1924, Page 4

ROMANCE OF A RING.

SHIPPED IN BALE OF WOOL

RECOVERED IN WOOL STORE IN MASSACHUSETTS. The romance of a ring is told in some correspondence which the Mayor of Wellington, Mr R. A. Wright, M.P., handed to a “Times” repoi-ter. In June, 1920, Mr Hubert L. Lewis of Moroa, Alfredton, about 40 miles or so from Wellington, informed Messrs Levin and Co., that he had lost a gold signet ring in a bale of wool.

In November last the Mayor received a letter from Massachusetts, stating that the ring had been found in a bale of New Zealand wool which had reached there through the London wool sales. The bale had been shipped to London and then to America, where the ring was found. On November 15th, 1923, the Mayor i*eceived the following letter from the Pacific Mills, wool office, Lawi’ence, Massachusetts: — “I take the liberty of addressing you regarding the finding of a ring. This ring was found in a bale of woof at the Pacific Mills, wool store Lawrence, Mass., U.S.A. It struck me that it might be a keepsake and of value to the looser for the associations connected with it, so for that reason 1 ask your assistance in locating the owner. The ring is what in our country is termed a signet ring, and on the inside i« engraved as follows: From A.L. and L.E.L., 1917, WGTN., N.Z. The face of the ring is engraved with the letters H.L,L, If after reading this letter you decide to assist in locating the owner and ai’e successful, the ring is held subject to your order.” This letter was published in due course, with the exception of the description and in reply the Mayor received the following letter on December 18th from Mr A. E. Mubin, a director of Messrs Levin and Co.—

“With reference to the paragraph in the Press regarding the finding of a signet ring in a wool bale in Massachusetts, it is probable that this belongs to a friend of ours named Mr Hubert L. Lewis. Mr Lewis wrote to us from Moroa, Alfredton, on June .oth., 1920, as follows: — ‘I lost last December in a bale of wool sent from Moroa, a gold signet ring which was engraved with the monogram H.L.L., and inside it had engraved from A.L. and L.E.L., Wg’ton, N.Z. 1 value it as a keepsake. If was given lo me when I left to go to the war by my father who died during my absence. 1 am wilting to ask you if by any chance you have heard anything of it.’

“If the ring mentioned received by you conforms to the description given by our client, we shall be glad to receive it and forward it to him. He will doubtless he glad to receive it after its long wanderings and be thankful to the good people who have so thoughtfully restored it to him.”

Upon receiving the correct description of the ring the Mayor immediately communicated with the Pacific Mills, Massachusetts, and on Saturday received the following reply, dated February 7th: — “Replying to your letter of December 29th., 1923, will say I am delighted that you succeeded in locating the owner of the ring, and am sending ring under separate cover to you. I appreciate the time spent and interest shown by you in this matter, and take this opportunity of expressing to you my hearty thanks for your co-operation. I am pleased to be privileged to be of .service to one of our soldiers, and if opportune please convey to him my best wishes for health and happiness, also suggest he keep a firm hold on his ring in the future, for if I get it again I shall surely keep it. We of Lawrence are proud of our city and its mills, and I am taking the liberty of sending you some literature, so that you may know just why we feel that way. Hoping in due time the ring arrives 0.K.. and with best wishes for the future prosperity of Wellington as a city, and you, My Dear Sir, as its Mayor.” The ring came to hand on Monday when the Mayor received an intimation from the Customs officials. When the .story of the ring was explained to the authorities the Customs duty was waived and the ring is now in the possession of the Mayor. Unfortunately the owner lias since left New Zealand and is believed to be in Fiji but bis whereabouts are known and will be communicated to the Mayor when the ring will be restored to its owner forthwith. The Mayor stated that when the first letter was published he received about a dozen letters from different people all of whom had lost rings in a similar manner and giving descriptions of them. One of these was from a woman in hospital whose husband the owner of one of the lost rings, is now dead.