THE BLACK PERIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 53, 20 July 1912, Page 5

THE BLACK PERIL.

THE FASCINATING MINSTRELS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christclnirch, Last Night. The local police are- concerning them- *" selves with the fate of three girls who ' attached themselves to three' membera og Keran's Minstrel Company. They were kept in a boarding-house by these men, but were left behind when ther company loft for Ashburton. Acting on a telegram from the father of two of the girls, the police investigated the matter, and it was found that the girls had been left destitute and actually owj ing a small sum for their board. The | facts alleged are that two of the girls, aged lifteen -and eighteen, are sisters, whose mother keeps a boarding-house in Auckland, and from what is gathered the father is believed to be a wharf laborer who has Samoan blood in him, and the mother is believed to be a„West Indian. The sisters are, therefore, very dark in complexion, and might very well pass as members of the company. The third girl is a white girl. She was staying with the sisters in Auckland. It is understood that the three girls became acquainted with the minstrels at the mother's board- • ( ing-house, and they left their home some time after the minstrels left Auckland, and joined them 111 Christchureh. They lived in the same boarding-house for a week. The sisters say that - they left home in consequence of a disagreement '* with their the other girl accompanied them. Their idea was to join the troupe if possible. They deny that there was any impropriety as far as their relations with the minstrels were concerned. Their friends left them promising to send money to take them south later on. It has come to the knowledge of the police that some other white girls followed other minstrels in the same company from the north, and stayed at the same boarding-house. It is believed that they have returned to Wellington. A telegram was received from the Auckland police this afternoon, asking that the three girls be sent north. The local police are making arrangements to comply with the request. , THE MANAGER'S STATEMENT. ■ Timaru, Last Night. Kcrsand's Minstrels are now here. A Herald reporter interviewed the manager regarding the statements telegraphed , from Christchureh. Mr. Westmacott said that this was the first he had heard about girls coming from Auckland. On arrival at Lvttelton three girls who came down yivitli the minstrels were sent back. As for the Auckland girls the men had taken care not to let the management know. The sub-manager, Mr. Suyder, ..said:... . . "We have the greatest trouble to kce.p - girls away from the members of the company,, and if the girls will persist in running after us what can we do?" Both averred that they did their best to prevent girls following the men from place to place, and had a standing threat of immediate dismissal if the men encouraged it.