LIVING IN DUG-OUT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 728, 30 July 1929, Page 16

LIVING IN DUG-OUT

ARREST ENDS GIPSY ROMANCE STRANGE ARRAY OF GOODS (Special to THE SUN) HASTINGS, Monday. A young man and a girl, who have been living in a dug-out near the Ngaruroro River bed, today had their gipsy-like romance brought to an end, when they were haled before the police court. Arrested near Fernhill, Robert Forbes Raverty, an Australian, aged 22 years, and Irene Campbell Pryce, aged 17 years, were charged with breaking and entering the store o£ Louis Gumbley by night at Fernhill on Thursday last, and with committing a crime therein. The girl was dressed in a shirt and trousers, and a ragged coat, and both she and the man presented an unkempt appearance. Goods collected by the two police officers who arrested accused were of extraordinary variety and quantity, and almost covered the floor of one of the rooms at the police station. There were seven rugs, two pairs of extremely ornate men’s shoes, a pair of trousers, some hundreds of cigarettes, tins of tobacco, many boxes and packets of chocolates, a number of white handkerchiefs, tinned foods and articles too numerous to mention. Apparently the couple had been living in their rude abode for some time and had been doing their cooking in an old billy and kettle. Detective Farquharson, who, with Constable Alsop, arrested the couple, said that further charges were pending. The man was remanded in custody and the girl released on bail totalling £IOO. The girl's parents took charge of her, and before she left the police station she had discarded her ragged masculine attire and was dressed in a smart costume.