MYSTERY IN LONELY VILLAGE

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 204, 26 May 1938, Page 12

MYSTERY IN LONELY VILLAGE

Disappearance Of Indian

POLICE INVESTIGATION

Dominion Special Service.

Auckland, May 25.

Although inquiries and a search for the Indian storekeeper, Delu Desai, aged about 42, who has been missing from Taharoa, Kawhia, since May 7, have been intensified during the past, few days, no trace has been r'.mnd . id the belief is common in the settlement that he has been the victim of foul play. The missing man disappeared from the settlement without saying good-bye to his friends, and the police were communicated with over a week ago. A more intensive search of the district will be carried out by the police within the next few days, ami two additional constables arrived from Hamilton to-day. They will assist Detectives A. J. White and J. Hayes, of Hamilton, who have been conducting inquiries for nearly a week. Inspector C. W. Lopdell, officer in charge of the Hamilton district, visited the ‘settlement to-day and gave instructions for the scope of the inquiries to be broadened. Unless some trace is found of the Indian shortly, further police reinforcements will be drafted from Hamilton.

The work of the police is being made more difficult because an epidemic of measles broke out in the settlement about four days ago. The missing man assisted his only compatriot, Bliagvanji Desai, iu the one general store in the settlement.

Inquiries have been hindered because of the difficulty of access to the settlement, which is situated fifteen miles in a direct line south of Kawhia on the west coast. After a journey of about forty miles around the Kawhia Harbour, travellers are forced to take a boat across a lake, which: is about a mile wide. The boats have to be profiled by poles, because of the density of the weeds and raupo. After crossing the lake, a range of hills must be traversed before the settlement is reached. The village is situated right on the coast, and is almost surrounded bv sand dunes.

“NEVER LEFT TAHAROA”

I Police Inspector’s Statement

By Telegraph—Press Association.

Hamilton, May 25.

“I am prepared to say it is abundantly evident that the missing man, Delu Desai, never left Taharoa. Our job is to find him,” said Inspector Lopdell, when commenting on investigations being carried out into the disappearance of Delu Desai. Reports concerning the matter wfere being published without, reference to or verification by the police, he added, and the police could not vouch for their authenticity.

“What has happened will only be known when Desai or his body is found,” he said. ,