AT GUN POINT - Auckland

[NZBC]

AT GUN POINT ANOTHER HOLD-UP CHINESE THREATENED

Another armed hold-up on Friday night in which two men demanded money by menaces from a Chinese, who was threatened at his home by a man holding a loaded revolver, is being investigated by detectives. This incident took place at the home of Mr. Fong Kui, 235. Balmoral Road, Sandringham. at 11.10 p.m., about 50 minutes before the hold-up in the fruiterer's shop in Remuera Road, when Mr. Francis Wong Hop was attacked by two men and struck and injured on the head with the butt of a revolver. Mr. Fong Kui. who works in a laundry in Princes Street, lives at the rear of a shop in Balmoral Road with his wife and three children. Shortly after 11 p.m. he was about to go to bed when two men, after knocking at the back door, opened it and walked in. One was dressed in khaki uniform and the other was a civilian. The civilian, brandishing a revolver which he pointed at the surprised Chinese, demanded that he hand over his money. "We'll Shoot Her" Afraid to show any resistance to the two intruders. Mr. Kui turned out his pockets and placed the contents totalling IG/ on the scullery table. He then called out, "Pat, come here!" to his wife who was in bed. "We don't want her here. We'll shoot her if she comes out," said one of the men. Hearing this remark Mrs. Kui was afraid to leave the bedroom. But Mr. Kui's son, aged 10, ventured out to see what was happening and joined his father. They were told to stand up against the wall by one of the men, Avho said, "I'm going to finish you off. You'll know us again." This was evidently an idle threat for nothing happened. The men did not take the 16/ which had been placed, on the table, but before departing they stole a five-valve radio set and. Mr. Kui's overcoat, jumped into a motor car which was parked outside and vanished. Mr. Kui was told that if he left his house before five minutes had expired he would be shot. He is unable to saj' whether the man in uniform was an Allied serviceman or a New Zealand soldier. But he is certain the revolver pointed at him was loaded, because he could plainly see the cartridges in the cylinders. Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 235, 4 October 1943, Page 4

[NZBC]

ARMED HOLD-UP

TRIAL OF CIVILIAN

SAILORS TAKE THE BLAME

Edwin James Jarvis, boot repairer, aged 23 (Mr. Sullivan) stood trial to-day before Mr. Justice Fair and a jury, on two charges of armed robbery from Chinese fruiterers, alleged to have been committed conjointly with his brother Colin Jarvis, at present in hospital. In connection with the same series of circumstances two American sailors had been dealt with by an American court. Alternative counts of theft of a wireless set and other articles valued at £15 from Fong Kui and theft of £6 in money from Wong Hop were preferred against Edwin Jarvis.

Outlining the case for the Crown, Mr V. R. Meredith said that on the night of October 1 a Chinese, Fong Kui, was held up at his home in Balmoral with a revolver and robbed of a wireless set and other articles, and some hours later Wong Hop was robbed similarly at his shop in Remuera of £6. Four men were concerned in the hold-ups, two American sailors and two others who were in a stolen motor car in which the party drove to the two places ana drove away. All who had taken part in the armed robbery were equally guilty, whether they were actually in possession of the revolver or not. One of the American sailors called to give evidence, said he had had his sentence and would rather not take the oath. Persuaded to do so, he said he saw the Jarvis brothers in possession of a revolver when the party was in a park, bo far as he remembered it was on the suggestion of Colin Jarvis, not Edwin, that they drove to the shop in Remuera where Wong Hop was "beaten up." Witness Declared Adverse The other American sailor declared that what he said in the Lower Court was untrue. He had got 10 years, and didn't care if he got any more. He now proposed to tell the truth and take all the blame. He said he found the revolver under the seat of the car they were driving in, and directed the Jarvis brothers to drive to a Chinese house in Balmoral where he and the other sailor had business, but did not tell them what the business was. When he and his friend came back to the car with the radio they said they had bought it. They were driving about when they asked Jarvis to stop at Wong Hop's shop and he went in with his sailor friend while the Jarvis brothers waited in the car for them.

After Mr. Meredith had proceeded with his examination to this stage he applied to have the witness treated as hostile, and was given leave to cross-examine.

Cross-examined, the witness denied that he heard a revolver fired in a park when the Jarvis brothers were there, before the trip to the Chinese shops. He had said in the other Court he saw the Jarvis brothers with the revolver in the park,, but that was untrue. He then went by a statement made before the trial when he wanted to get off as lightly as possible. It was for the same reason he made the other statements implicating the .larvis brothers, which he now said were untrue. To Mr. Sullivan, witness declared that the accused did not know what the visits to the Chinese places were for.

Evidence of Robbery Fong Kui, laundryman, and Francis Wong, fruiterer, testified that on the night of October 1 they were held up by the two American sailors at revolver point and robbed, respectively, of a wireless set and overcoat and of £6. One of the Americans was in civilian clothes and the other in New Zealand baftledress. They did not see anything of the accused man Jarvis. Wong said he was violently assaulted.

Alec Taylor, night patrolman, gave evidence of seeing two men hurry from Wong's shop to a car and drive away. Before that a man in American sailor's uniform had got into the car. and there was another man at the wheel. Accused was the man at the wheel in the car.

•Detective-Sergeant Bayliss gave evidence of the arrest of accused on October 5 in Parnell in company with his brothei- and the two American sailors. Accused was then in New Zealand battledress, as was one of the American sailors. The other American was in New Zealand battledress, and accused's brother was in American naval uniform. In a statement accused said he and his brother were in the car when the Americans visited the Chinese houses in Balmoral and Remuera. (Proceeding.) Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 33, 9 February 1944, Page 6