MURUPARA THEFT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 13, 7 September 1931, Page 3

MURUPARA THEFT

WHOLE OF MONEY NOT YET RECOVERED POLICE INVESTIGATING There are no further deVelopments in connection with the finding of portion of the stolen Public Works Department payroll at Murupara on Friday afternoon, although it is now definitely confirmed that only portion of the money has been recovered, The box containing the pay envelopes, has been lodged with the Public Works Depqrtment in Rotorua and will be held in the same condition in which it was found in order that it may, if necessary, be produced as an exhibit in any court proceedings which may eventuate. The Maori who made the find was Heta Popo, a forestry worker and not a, roadman as previously reported. Popo was clearing a fire-break beside the road when he uncovered the box which was partially buried in soil and under brush close to a telephone pole. The Maori, after ascertaining the nature of his find, shouldered the box and carried it into the camp. The pay envelopes contained notes and silver but the only numbers known were those of a Small number of 10/- notes. The £200 reward which has been offered is to be paid to any person or persons giving information leading to the conviction of those responsible for the burglary, or for the recovery of the money. No reward has so far been paid to Popo. It is learned that since ftthe burglary, care has been taken to ensure that all camp pay-outs are condueted during the day so that large sums of money are not kept in the camps overnight. The responsibility for providing an armed guard where pay rolls are being transferred rests with the Treasury Department, but these are not providhd where it is considered that the safeguards taken by those handiing the money are sufficient. In all cases where large sums of money are carried to the camps, the clerks in charge carry arms. The police are still conducting investigations in connection with the finding of the money and yesterday Detective-Sergeant Thompson, of Hamilton, with Constables Brown and Malabond, of Rotorua, returned to Rotorua to report.