REMARKABLE STORY OF DIAMOND RING

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5320, 5 February 1947, Page 6

REMARKABLE STORY OF DIAMOND RING

SOLD, LOST AND RESOLD maori woman charged '.VITH THEFT - The tale of the peregrinations of a diamond ring, that soimdecl like a story of Hans Andersen, 0 was told in the Rotorua Magistrale's .C'ourt yesterday, when a 2Iaori woman was charged with stealing it. Although defendant r1eac!?d vuilty, Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., discharged her under Section 18 of the Eirst Offenders? Probation Act and made-an order that her name be . not published. The ring. which is the property of Mohammed Khan, was valued at £40. Senicr-Sergeatu N. S. Milligan told the Court that ; b;mt a month prior to Noveu-bor z7 last, Knan toolc the ring to a Rotorua jewellor's shop for repair?, out when ht* called on the date meni:oned. it could not be fovn.l. A shoy assistant then reealled that about it Wt'oii jjreviiuisly a man whom shfi evidently idimtified as the owner, /•u{-. who actually was a Maori, had been Jianded tho ring. Thi.s rustomer had taken in an ex-servieeman's badgc to ite repaired, and when the paewt -.'onlairing the Nng was hardCvt u> tuni, hc pahi tlie assistant 6s. dd„ ti!:- i-ost of ihe repair wf ihe Oadye. It. explained later to Ihe police chai. he thoughl the ring had been sold eo hiiu. He hande.d it to his wife, who place.I i - very iitih- value on the artiele, and l kept it in her hanrfbag until she lost ii in lown. Defendant had fomd it anti. afier kceping it for tnree days in ar.trri pnrion of its being advertised for soi 1 it i j aiijther momber of the jewellery tiv.n. who did not identify the ring the uite that had hee?i mistakcrly hanilcd out, for £12. Latev defendant, a neighbour of tlie Vvu'nan who liad lost the ring, heuvd 01 ihe inoairie- timi were being made for it. an i explained how it had coine into hei possessi.ui, and how she had disposed of it. Tnat was how she now

found herself in Conrt. "1 think'the best^thmg I can do to elo e the. matttr is to diseharge you," said ihe magistruie: "The old ihiidren's saying ffindings keepings' is not alteyethee true. If you lin t an artiele. the ouly safe way is to take it to the. police sta.ian and if the real owner is not found yn '2 iMmths' timo, the propc-y will be lianded to yo.." Defendant was discharged and an ordor mudo for the totara of the ring t,j the urigina) owner.