DEATH IN LONELY CAMP

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 9, 5 October 1927, Page 10

DEATH IN LONELY CAMP

* REMAINS OF MAN’S BODY DISCOVERED Dominion Special Service. Auckland, October 4. Mysterv surrounds the discovery of the remains of a man at. Aratoro, ten miles from Te Kuiti, on Sunday afternoon. Two lads named Williams and Mjllar were on an eeling expedition, and they followed a small track leading down an inaccessible gully of the Mangapelii stream. At the end of it they were confronted by a cave tn which lav the dead body of a man. The father of one of the boys telegraphed to the police. They found the remains, which were ’ii an advanced state of decomposition, lying between what had apparently been the man’s camp situated at the foot of a cliff and the Mangapelii stream, about ten yards from the waters edge. Recognition was impossible. In a crude abode beneath a ledge of rock were found blankets, false teeth, a mirror, a tooth brush, and a manicure set. There was no food . and no cooking utensils. Plugs of gelignite were found attached to. sticks; they had evidently been used for killing fish . for food. It is surmised that the man met his death about eight or nine months ago; anil that he was either on his way to the river for water, or returning to, his camp, as a tin was found banging from his neck bv a piece of rope. The remains were buried near the spot where tliev were found. The District Coroner held an inquest at Kopaki, but no evidence that would lead to’ the identification of the body was .forthcoming. No one bad been reported-.missing in -the district iu. recent months. The -inquest was adiotiftied sine die.’ Ihe opinion is expressed by some people ..that the man was a* fugitive from justice,.