SOUTHLAND MAN’S DISAPPEARANCE

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27666, 24 May 1955, Page 12

SOUTHLAND MAN’S DISAPPEARANCE

Police Appeal Far Information MOVEMENTS OF CAR (New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, May 23. In their efforts to solve the mystery of the disappearance of Mr J. X Hughes, the 34-year-old Mafcarew# slaughterman who has now been mining for more than two months, tin police are hampered by lack of Hd formation about his movements aftei he left Dunedin at 10.30 pjn. on March 14 to return to Makarewfc where he proposed to resume W* the next day. He was accompanied in his Rover car by another man. “We know that this car was in Invercargill on the afternoon of March 16, but Hughes was not in it. It wai then in charge of another person," said Detective-Inspector F. N. Apfin, head of the force of detectives which is seeking to solve the mystery. “We know that after the car wai seen in Invercargill on March 16 11 travelled hundreds of miles, and we know where it went, but what we do not know, and what we want to know, is where the car went between 10.30 p.m. on March 14 and noon on March 16. That is the vital period in conducting any search.” Detective -Inspector ApUr. after * the car left Dunedin it might have headed in any direction, but it was reasonable to assume that it had headed south for Invercargill, be* cause Mr Hughes was anxious to return to his work at Makarewa freezing works. Even so, this still left a very wide area, and it was therefore impossible to determine where the search should begin. “What we want is information oi the car having been seen in a certain locality during the vital period, March 14-16,” Detective-InBP ector Aplin said. “It may have been seen at some secluded part, or sortie service station proprietor may remember itIf we can get this information it will pinpoint a place from which we can start a search. Any information at all would be welcome.” “Very Extensive Inquiries” “Some of the information may not be of much value, but we will sift the wheat from the husks if people will ve us th® information,” he saidWe are, of course, making inquiries, very extensive ones, but necessary m su ch a large area.” . The police are also anxious to obtain information about the whereabouts ot a rifle, suitcases, and o Jer property which was in the car when it left Dunedin on March 14. „ “This property may hav? been left with someone, and if so we would li*® the person to come forward and giv® us the information.” Detective-Inspec-tor Aplin said. Asked whether the search he sooke about was a search for the body of M£ Hughes. Detective-Inspector Ap* ,n said: “That is a reasonable inference. Hughes was a good, steady type man, not at all the type who was likely to have gone away without telling anyone. Besides, the case has received so much publicity that Hughe* would have come forward by now n he was alive.”