MAN-HUNT ENDS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 200, 22 May 1944, Page 4

MAN-HUNT ENDS

Missing Maori Youth Found Dead EXTENSIVE SEARCH AT TOKOMARU BAY (By Telegraph.—-Press Association,) GISBORNE, May 21. A I'.vo-dny search for tt 15-year old" Maori boy. Tai Matti, who has been missing from Bexhavcu Station, Tokomaru Bay, since Thursday night, when the body of Mrs. Lois Rosamond Mill, aged 39, was found under her lied witli her head battered and a- licit tight round her throat, concluded lute yesterday with the discovery of tile youth's body in a scrub-covered gully 300 yards from the homestead. There was a gunshot wound in the boy's head and a shotgun beside the body containing an exploded cartridge. Several live-rounds were found in his hip pocket. More than 100 settlers were organized, and night and day they had been on the alert, concentrating their efforts on (lie bush within a 15-mile radius of the Bexhit ven homestead. Some were on foot ■and others on horseback. In Possession of Shotgun. The search party was well armed, for the missing employee was known to be in possession of a shotgun and several cartridges. The police were armed with rifles and automatic revolvers, and settlers had brought whatever shotguns and rifles they could muster. Tlie country being searched was most difficult, being rugged hill country covered with bush and scrub, giving the quarry an advantage. Shortly after the arrival of the police from Gisborne al midnight on Thursday tile weather began to deteriorate. The police were not clothed for outdoor work in wet"weather, and their uniforms soon became mud bespattered. Ou Friday night, heavy rain began, and yesterday morning the Bexhaven station was isolated from wheeled traffic. The station is 25 miles inland from Tokomaru Bay, on the Ihungia road, and the road for seven miles bogs up in bad weather. Cars attempting tbe journey yesterday morning were either axle-deep or could not be kept on the slippery portions. Catering Problem. A serious problem was caused in catering for the large number of men who had joined in the search. On Friday night 22 police and neighbouring settlers crimped in the homestead and station buildings, and at, 9.30 a.m. yesterday the party was still without, breakfast. They were still waiting for food to come from Tokomaru Bay. The position was intensified yesterday with the organization of many more settlers. Pack horses were used to take supplies of food to the station.

Police Inspector D. A. Mac Lean has expressed admiration of the settlers. They assisted the police under the worst possible weather in the search of the homestead and neighbourhood.