ENTERS GIRLS' BEDROOMS
UNPLEASANT INCIDENT AT Opunake
The strange behaviour of a Chinaman at Opunake on the morning, of April 21 has resulted in Lum Wing being committed for trial at this week's sessions of the Supreme (Jourt at New Plymouth on a charge of breaking and entering a dwelling belonging to Mr. Plow Thompson, of Opunake, on April 21 with intent to commit a crime. From the story told, it appears that three young girls who were guests of Mr. Thompson for the Easter holidays were quartered in a two-roomed cottage on his property.. They retired late to bed on the nighis of April 20 (Easter Sunday), two of them sleeping in the bedroom and the other one in the kitchen. As there was" no lock on the outer door they placed' a chair against it to secure it from being opened. The precaution was a wise one, but it was apparently ineffectual, as at about 6.45 on the Monday morning the girls were awakened by a sound as of the chair being scraped along the floor. The one in the kitchen saw the door opened and a Chinaman came into the room. She tried to induce him to go out, but he mumbled something in Chinese and came right inside. The girl then ran into the other room, and putting on a wrap went to call Mr. Thompson. Undismayed, the celestial proceeded into the room where the two girls were in bed, and, in spite of screams by them, and the fact that they told the unwelcome visitor that the third member of their party had gone for Mr. Thompson, he quietly sat down on the side of the bed, but was promptly pushed off. The next move of the intruder was to try to pull the bed clothes off the girls, but they were too much for him in that. All the time he was muttering to himself in a manner that was unintelligible to the girls, but they distinguished something about "not sleeping all night." The Chinaman was said to have remained perhaps five minutes in the place and then leisurely and quietly departed, and he had disappeared when Mr. Thompson arrived on the scene. All the girls identified the accused as the man they had seen at a wire fence separating the properties on the previous afternoon, when a conversation had taken place about some fowls which appeared to have strayed on to Mr. Thompson's property. During the conversation, the Chinaman is alleged to have inquired of the girls how many there were of them in the cottage. One of them stated she had urged the others to break off the conversation with the Chinaman, and from the allegations made it would eeem that the quality of feminine intuition which then asserted itself would have been a wise guide to follow. The case will come before the court this week, and with the Midhirst manslaughter case, will make four criminal cases for hearing.—.Herald.Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLIV, 12 May 1924, Page 4
