EXTRAORDINARY MAN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 714, 14 December 1933, Page 7

EXTRAORDINARY MAN

CAPTURED MANY THIEVES AT REVOLVER POINT WITHOUT HANDS. Mr. Albert Brett accepted ,a cigarette, applied a mateh and inhaled. Now that reads like the start of a short story with a sickening amount of detail, but really it serves as a good introduction to Hurlstone Park's nightwatchman extraordinary. There is something most remarkable in Mr. Brett applying that match, because he has been without hands since 13 years of age. His hands were torn off by a machine on which he was working. It makes little difference to Mr. Brett in his chosen profession, however, for he has captured dozens of thieves, overpowered and arrested others at revolver point. Yes, at revolver point. and if you want to know how a man without hands can hold a revolver Mr. Brett will illustrate at his home at Garnet Street, Hurlstone Park. To draw the revolver from his poeket is an easy matter, for he has learned to manipulate the stumps of his arms with wonderful dexterity. Attach'ed to the trigger is a cord, which Mr. Brett is able to draw tight, and release a bullet when the occasion demands. ■Canterbury police will .tell you that on more than one occasion lawbreakers have been enlightened and discomfited hy a terrific blow from one of those stumps. Othjer little thingis which come easily to Mr. Brett are dashing off a sprightiy water colour, mowing and clipping the front lawns, and threading' a needle. Threading a needle, he admits, is much more difficult than hitting sixes off the bowling of some of th'e lads in the nearby paddock!