ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1916, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

COASTAL PICTURES. The programme to be submitted by the Egmont Pictures at Opunake, Raliotu and Okato next week is an unusually strong one. The "piece de resistance" is ''The Mystery of the Diamond Belt." We have been told scores of times of the powerful character of Sexton Blake, the great detective of modern fiction, and in this visualised version of one of his most exciting cases it is more prominently brought out. Briefly, the story is as follows:—George Marsden Plumrncr, head of a gang of international crooks, whose daughter is aware of his position in the world of crime and does her best to dissuade her father from his mode of living, reads an advertisement of Messrs. Brahm and Son, diamond merchants, for a typiste. He compels his daughter to apply for the position, which she obtains, and instructs her to inform him immediately she becomes cognisant of any ''big deal" that Messrs Brahm and Son contemplate, .lack Brahm, son of the senior partner of the firm, is attracted by her beauty, and the young couple are soon on affectionate terms. Very soon Nora learns that her employers have brought off a "big deal" by purchasing for £lO,000 a magnificent diamond belt, and, terrified by her father, discloses the fact to him. 'Plummer disguises himself, and under the title of Lord Cosmo arranges that the younger Brahm shall take the belt to the Regent Hotel later in the day. From this on the excitement grows by leaps and bounds. Jack Brahm h ingeniously deprived of the diamond belt, the gang gets away, leaving Jack locked up iu a room with the bell wive severed. Sexton Blake takes up the case and discovers a blood stain on a table cloth. He telephones for Tinker, telling him to speed to the Regent Hotel and bring Pedro, the bloodhound, with him. Tiie dog* is seen tracing the fugitives through the busy thoroughfares of London, and at last locates the house. Now comes the battle of ingenious and clever brains, criminal versus detectiveSexton Blake using his wits in an almost superhuman manner, Marsden Plummer brilliantly inventive, and endowed" with great talents, becomes involved and adds to the tenseness of the already overpowering situation. Amidst the ferment of excitement Sexton Blake steadily comers the gang, and they begin to make plans for their escape. Every moment now is thrilling, and the denouement is superb. The Patiie Gazette contains the. following:—lrish Sea Wreck, Training in .Musketry, Trophies of War, Bravery Rewarded, Signalling Corps, Scenes in International Camp at Groningen, The Dogs' Derby, National Volunteer Reserve, Destroyed by the Huns, Essex Bomb Raid, Tiie Wrecked Perambulator and the Baby they Failed to Hit. Bantam Battalion, anil Gems of the French | Artillery.