STORE BURNT DOWN

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 65, 9 December 1938, Page 8

STORE BURNT DOWN

State Of Fear Among Natives A .MYSTERY RECALLED Dumimiix Special Service. ALCKLANI). December 8. The small corrugated iron store at. the remote Native settlement of Taharoa, in which the Indian, Dalu Desai, was employed before bis mysterious disappearance earlier in the year, was burned to the ground early yesterday morning. The general store, which contained a fair amount of stock, and the living quarters at the back, were both demolished. The building was owned and occupied by Bbagvanji Desai, another Indian. Detective-Sergeant J. Thompson and Detective A. J. MTiite, Hamilton, arrived at Hie settlement yesterday. Detective White was in charge of the long, hazardous, and fruitless search for the missing man, which commenced on May .17 this year, and which lasted till about three weeks ago. Dalu Desai, who was employed at the store at the time of his disappearance, was reported missing on May 7. The search for the missing Hindu, on which no fewer than 30 policemen were engaged at one stage, included the dragging of Lake Taharoa twice and an extensive combing of the sandhills and scrub on the west coast with spades and gum spears. Although a neatly wrapped parcel of clothing, which was identified as being the property of the missing man, was unearthed in the sandhills toward the end of Slay, no other clues of titty importance were ever discovered. The disappearance of Dalu Desai threw the 100 Native inhabitants of Taharoa into a state of panic and for weeks farming operations were at a standstill. The fire last night lias renewed their state of fear. A reward of £250 was ottered by the Police Department at the conclusion of the search for information leading to the discovery of the body of Dalu Desai.