LITTLE BOY'S END

Evening Post, Issue 113, 10 November 1930, Page 10

LITTLE BOY'S END

DISAPPEARED AT SHOW

DISCOVERY OF REMAINS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) GISBORNE, 9th November. A mystery that has been the cause of'endless inquiries throughout Australia and New Zealand, in tlie course of which scores of people, including sideshowmen, wero examined, was solved yesterday when a skull and other bones, a pair of sandals, and part of a pair of trousers were found in the Arapuni lagoon. v The clothing was subsequently identified by Henry Foote as that of his son, Harry Boyd Foote, aged five years and nine months, who disappeared during the afternoon of people's day at the A. and P. Show last year. The boy was with his mother at the show, where some thousands of people were present. He got permission from his mother to purchase ice cream from a tent which they were passing, and that was the last seen of him. , Tho disappearance was reported to the police that afternoon, and extensive inquiries were made. That evening was very stormy, rain coming down in torrents, accompanied by terrific wind. A boy answering the description of the deceased was reported to have been seen by several people in different localities, but though every clue was followed by the police no trace, of him could be found. For days afterwards the police patrolled the rivers and beaches nearby, Boy Scouts undertook a systematic search, and r hundreds of the public assisted in every way. Inquiries were made of all sid.eshowinen on the ground, and telegrams were sent ■to every police station in the Dominion, the inquiries being later extended to Australia. As months passed and no word was received, the whole affair was practically given up as "a mystery. On Saturday a farmer reported to the police that while out looking for his cows on his property, which is between five and six miles from the showgrounds, he found a small skull, some bones, and a sandal. As at various times remains of old-time Maoris had been found in the locality, he was of opinion that the bones belonged to some early Natives of the district. ' The police, after hearing his story, communicated with Foote's father, and he accompanied them to the spot, where he identified the remains of the trousers as those worn by his son at the time of his disappearance. The body was found on a small island near the middle of a swamp; On each side of the island runs a small creek, which is now dry, but, which in flood time is full of water. The whole story will, of course, never be known, but it is suggested that the lad^got into a drain or a creek leading into the Waipaoa River, or even into the river itself on the night of his disappearance, his body being .carried down the river and up the creek at the side of the island, and remaining there as the flood waters went down.