DARING BURGLARY AT THE COLONIAL MUSEUM.

West Coast Times, Issue 132, 19 February 1866, Page 2

DARING BURGLARY AT THE COLONIAL MUSEUM.

(From the New Zealand Advertiser,

Feb. 12.) | A daring and successful burglary was committed at the Colonial Museum on Thursday night last. It appears that on that evening the Museum was locked up at the, usual hour, and everything left safe, but when the custodian' returned on the following morning he found that the place had been broken into, and a further search proved that property to the value of about £200 had been abstracted. The mode of ingress was ingenious, and showed that tho burglars were, thoroughly acquainted with the place, and with the way in which it was usually left at* night. They cut a hole in one of the lower panels of the front door, which is double, one side being fastened by bolts running into the floor and ceiling, and the other being locked. Having cut the hole, they drew the lower bolt, and either shook the door until the' upper one fell out of its pla^o, or, knowing that it was not fastened, as is believed to have b-en the case, it being situated rather awkwardly high for fastening, they quietly walked in. They were provided with a light to assist them, for they left behind them the primitive sort of candlestick which they used, and which consisted of a piece of wood with three nails stuck in it to form a socket. They are supposed to have left the candle bui'ning when they made their escape, for none was left when the holder was found, and it is only fortunate that fire was not added to robbery, or the whole of the valuable collection would have been lost. , Once inside, they showed their knowledge of the premises, and tho value of its contents, by choosing those articles which were, at the same time most valuable and most portable. Of theso we may mention two chronometers belonging to Doctor Hector, several handsome binocular glasses, some- Maori meres of ponamu stone, and a quantity of ornaments of the same material ; a massive gold ring, with the name of ' Napoleon' inscribed on it in old English characters and containing a lock of the great Emperor's hair; a decoration of the Leginn d'Honnour of his loign ; a silver medal of the Protectorate, having the head of Oliver Cromwell cut on one sido and a lion couchant on the other. Ii is a curious fact, however, that they did not attempt to take away some specimens of gold which lay- ready to their hand ; but, of course, we cannot impute that to their honesty, and it is supposed the specimens escaped their notice from their believing they would get a valuable haul in the laboratory at tho back of the building, into which they also broke, but wore not rewarded for their pains. None of tho property has yet been recovered, though a reward of £100 has been offered for the apprehension of the thieves ; but from tho information we have received we believe that the police have very strong suspicions as to the culprits. The property taken belonged ohiefly to Doctor Hector and Mr. Mantell, and is no small loss, although "it might havo been worse," for many very valuable articles escaped the rapacity or power of carrying of the burglars. Hitherto but little precaution has been taken in the admission of strangers to the Museum, nothing further being required •f tkvm tlum that they «houl4 eßtv?

their names in a visiting book, but this loss has taught those interested in the valuable collection kept there, to be more cautious, and a written application to the custodian will in future be required before permission is given to >— Msxamine the Museum. Mr Mantell is custodian of the Museum, and has under him Mr Gore and Mr Donuell as assistants, but no one was left in charge of the place at night, and therefore every facility was given to any ono wishing to help himself dishonestly to its contents. This also should be provided against, as the building stands in a rather unfrequented part of the town. MBT OF AimCIiKS BTOIEN.

Largo Chronometer — Ross, maker, examined by Poolo, London. Small Chronometes in caso — Arnold, mnlcor, Watch size, silvor, in small Mahogany case. Large Binocular Fiold Glass. Small Binocular Field or Opera GHobs— J ' Beverly, maker, Dunedin. Half of small Opera Glass. Massive Gold Ring — with lock of Napoloon's hair, and "Napoleon" in old English raised lettors around tho band.

Polished Pebble from tho Islo of Wightfigured in "Thoughts on a Pebble." Voval, about 2 iv. by I£. , Largo Silver Medal — nearly 3 inches in diaj • meter : (a.) Portraits in high relief of tho seven Bishops j inscription, " Witdoin hath builded her house, sho hath hewn out her seven pillars." (5.) In high relief, two ecclesiastics digging under a church, an arm from tho clouds holding up tho steeple : inscription " Tho gates of Hell shall not prevail." Silver Medal of seven Bishops — On ono side tho Eisliop3. on tho other tho head of the Archbishop Sancroft. Bronze Medal — with crushed loop for suspending. Crown-piece of Her Majesty — with tho arms, Ac, as in tho florins. Silver Mednl of C^livor Cromwell— a littlo larger than half-a>cvow_. Cromwell's head on ono side, a lion on tho other. Silvor Medal — (half-a-crown size) of Queen Caroline. Silver Medal, rather larger— with fornalo watering palm trees. Silver Eussian Coin— 2o kopecks, rather larger than a sixpenny piece. Platinum Russian Coin — 2 roubles, double eagle on reverse, about the size of a sovereign, very heavy, and does n6t ring. Shilling of Queen Elizabeth. A Three small Persian Gold Coins --about the size of a silver twopenny piece. 1 Pink Topaz, 2 Turquoises, 1 Emerald, 1 Sapphire, dark blue. (Small Silver Box, with initials.) Chinese Lady's Brooch, about 24 by 1\ in. — large pink stone between two green ones, set in brass. Decoration of the Legion of Honor, Napoleon 1., in red case. Two| Hei Tikis of Greenstone— one large dark one, with mutton fish eyes j one lighter, ■with one shell eye and one sealing wax eye (commonly called Maori Gods). Eighteen or morePonamu (Greenstone), Eardrops and pieces— small Gold chains in two' of them. Two Shark's Teeth and Needle of human bone. One Mere Ponainu— about 15 by 4 inches. Agate Pestle — about three inches long;

About seven pieces of Adzes of Fooamu. Small Silver Medal of Charles ll.— rather larger than a shilling- tho King seated and an angel crowning him. Pour small Hazel Nuts— with small gems in them . Carved Maori Adze Handle— " Haukaumatu," about 18 inches long. Carved portion of Pipe Stem— about 5 by 3 in., of slato Thins^pne, about one-third of an mch — 3 by 2 in oval, polished on both sides, transparent in centre, purple border. Centre and Drops of Roman Pearl— Centre about 1£ by 1 inch, and Drop 3 about | iuoh long. Dark Coat and Black Felt Hat.

A first part of Napoleon's second volume o tha Historic de Jules Gesav (bays the Alhenceum) is in typo, and copies are in tho hands of the translators. Nho opening chapters relate to the A Gallic campaign of a. v. a. 606. Her Majesty has sanctioned tho publication of the correspondence of King George 111. with Lord North, between (he years 1769 and 1782. The letters are in the ltoyal Library ai Windsor. / Unravelling. — A man coming home late one ' night, a little more than " half seas over," feel- ■\ ing thirsty, procured v glass of water, and drank it. In doing so he swallowed a email ball of silk that lay at the bottom of the tumbler, tho end catching in his teeth. Feeling something in his mouth, and not knowing what it was, he began pulling at the end, and the little ball unravelled, he soon had several feet in his hands, and still no end apparently. TerriQed, he shouted at tho top of his voice, " Wife, wife ; I say, wife, come hero, I am unravelling ?" Tub Oysteii.— -Open an oyster, retain the liquor in the lower shell, and, if viewed through a microscope, it will be found to contain multitudes of small oysters, covered with shell, and swimming nimbly about — one hundred and twenty of which extend but one inch. Besides these young oysters, tho liquor contains a variety of aninialcuke and myriads of three distinct species of worms Sometimes their light reBembles a bluish star about the centre of the shell, which will be beautifully luminous in c, dark room.

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