THE MISSING MAN. FEARS FOR THE WORST.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume 1, Issue 8, 14 February 1914, Page 8

THE MISSING MAN.

FEARS FOR THE WORST.

There is still no news of Mr W. J. Hebden, the Dunedin representative of Messrs Mason, Struthers, and Company Limited, of Christchurch, who disappeared last week. Mr Hebden was well known in business,, cricket, and rowing circles in Christchurch, and the facts which were known in connection with the disappearanceV were easily ascertained. On Wednesday Mr Hebden booked a return passage from Dunedin to Lyttelton and telegraphed to friends in Christchurch that he was paying a visit to this city. A very intimate friend of the missing man declares that he is strongly of opinion that Hebden never lived to reach Lyttelton. No circumstance points to anything but that he went overboard. His books and affairs at the office were quite right, his private financial affairs Were on the right side, and his personal relations were of the most happy. Some 18 months ago he had an attack of sunstroke which had the effect of making him queer for half-a-day. A fortnight before he -left Dunedin on this last trip he had another attack whilst spending the week-end at Brighton, and the Sunday before he had another. The friend who writes says that it appears probable these attacks terminated in giddiness during which he fell over-' board. The fact that he did not occupy his bunk points to this as being the likeliest theory.