KARAMU MYSTERY

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 6, 6 July 1935, Page 10

KARAMU MYSTERY

PUZZLE FOE, POLICE

LARGE PARTY ENGAGED

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) HASTINGS, July 5. Despite unceasing efforts on the part of the Police Force the manner in which Joan Rose Rattray, the six-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Rattray, Karamu Settlement, died remains undetermined. Every, possible clue which has so far come into the hands of the police has been followed up to the furthest point, but the police are unable to say that any definite progress has been made. It is not impossible to believe that it was daylight when the little girl was taken to the place where she met her death. From inquiries made among residents locally it appears to be unlikely that the girl was taken along the road before dark, but that theory is not now considered so sound as it was yesterday. At exactly what point the girl was picked up, at what time she died, and how she was taken there are among the preliminary and most puzzling problems that face the police at the moment. Some light on those points would lead,an appreciable distance further towards the solution of the mystery. Much attention has been given to the search for the schoolbag which was always carried by Joan Rattray. It was thought by the police that it might have been thrown into the swampy area of the creek-bed near where the body was found. It is closely covered with willow trees. A party of men searched in the vicinity yesterday afternoon and again today, but no trace of the bag was found. MEN FROM WELLINGTON. Officers who arrived from Wellington this afternoon were Detectives H. E. Campin, F. Hayhurst, and also Detective Power, Palmerston North. SubInspector T. Carroll is expected from Wellington tomorrow, and probably Detective-Sergeant T. Y. Hall. A large number of-the public, including the Mayor of Hastings, Mr. G. A. Maddison, attended the funeral of the victim at the Hastings cemetery this afternoon. The funeral was conducted by Canon Mortimer-Jones, vicar of the parish of Hastings. The Mayor offered his own, the coun- I cil's, and the town's sympathy with the | parents. Joan, he said, was a great favourite among her playmates at j school and the community joined in a very real sense with the parents, in their mourning.