Mail Robbery was Work of Experts

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 586, 12 February 1929, Page 1

Mail Robbery was Work of Experts

REGISTERED BAGS ONLY

SEALS LEFT INTACT Press Association WELLINGTON, To-day. Inquiries regarding the robbery of the Wahine's registered mail reveals that about 450 bags of mail were brought up by the vessel on her trip from Lyttelton on Saturday night. All mail matter on the vessel is stowed under lock and key in No. 3 hold in the after part of the ship. In view of this fact it is thought in some quarters ‘that the pillaging was done before the bags were placed on the Wahine. It is understood that in each instance the string fastening round the top of the bags was cut ancf then retied. The seals were left intact. JNone of the bags containing ordinary mail matter was tampered with, and the fact that attention was devoted solely to bags containing registered letters is held to suggest that the robbery was the work of experts. Mails for the North Island received at Lyttelton by the train arriving about the time of the express are placed in the custody of postal officers. The bags are placed in nets on the wharf and are tallied ori to the ship. The nets remain round the mail bags in the hold so that they can be removed easily on arrival at Wellington. An officer of the ship is in thf* hold during the whole time the mails are being stowed. On the Wahine mails are placed in a separate hold. Immediately the mails are stowed the hatches are put on and the bars holding the hatch boards on are locked, the key being held by a responsible officer of the ship. The hatches are unlocked after the steamer enters the Wellington Heads, the mhils are swung out on the wharf and are loaded into lorries by postal officials. A. running tally is made of the mails when they come off the boat by an officer of the Postal Department and a detailed tally when the mails are received in the mail room.