"SOUTHWARD FROM SURREY HILLS."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10006, 31 March 1910, Page 5

"SOUTHWARD FROM SURREY HILLS."

AGAIN STOLEN.By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, March 30. Thte picture by Leader, "faouthward from Surrey Hills," which was stolen from the Art Gallery in 1908. has vanished again. When ]the caretaker unlocked the doors an 1 o'clock/this afternoon, he saw the fram6 hanging in its customary place on the south wall, but the "Leader" had left. The canvas was in its place last Sunday when the gallery was open to the public. On Sunday evening the doors were locked, and remained fast till 1 p.m. to-day. On the previous occasion the thief entered a window at the back of the building, rolled up the picture and crept quietly away. This time the side window facing the north on the west side of the porch has been broken just below the catch at a point to conveniently allow a hand to pass through and push" back the fas- ; tening. The dust coating at the top of the lower panes shows marks recently made, they very strongly | suggest the trail of fingers, and j look as if they had been put on from ! the inside on the return journey by the robber.

The disappearance of the picture was at o-ice reported to the police. When it was stolen before the thief or someone representing him offered to restore it for £IOO, and after unsuccessful attempts had been made to trap him, £SO was paid, and "no questions asked." Threats were made that the painting, which is valued at £I.OOO, would be destroyed, and the then Mayor considered it bent to accept the robber's terms. Opinions varied at the time as to the propriety of yielding, and the opinion was expressed that the ransom of tfie picture would encourage trade in this line of business.