CLAVERLY MYSTERY

Evening Star, Issue 23100, 28 October 1938, Page 8

CLAVERLY MYSTERY

MISSING WOMAN CLEARING A SLIP POLICE AND PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES [Per Dkited Press Assocutioh,] CHRISTCHURCH, October 28. The mystery of the strange disappearance of Mrs Harriet Jane Patience, of Claverly, daily deepens with the activity of the police becoming more animated. She has been missing now for 24 days. Mrs Patience is GO years of age and wife of Mr Arthur John Patience, a Public Works employee, formerly employed at the Claverly camp. She was at the time of her disappearance living with her husband at the camp, where lie was working on the South Island Main Trunk construction work. To-day nine police from Christchurch, augmented by some Public Works employees, began to clear away a slip, a mile north of the site of the former Claverly camp. This particular slip is at the north mouth of the tunnel which the men 'were constructing, and was piled up from material cut from the hillside and tipped over on to the beach. To-day the men were digging up the sand at the bottom of the hill and gradually working their way into the slip, which is mainly composed of clay. This has been the main scene of their efforts up to the present. Thick patches of scrub and bush and numerous lagoons will all have to be carefully examined, and this adds to the many obstacles. Detective-sergeant J, Bickerdike is in charge of the men. At tho time of the disappearance of Mrs Patience, some of the men at Claverly had already left for the new camp at Taratuhi, two miles further up tno coast, and now Claverly Camp is completely abandoned, only a few of the huts remaining to show the site. Mr and Mrs Patience occupied one of the married men’s huts at Claverly, consisting of a bedroom, sitting room, and kitchenette. Their two young sons are at present working in Cheviot. Mrs Patience was seen on the night of October 4 at about 8 o’clock, covering the wood pile at the house to protect it from the rain. It is also understood that during the past few days she had been gathering wood from the beach to take up to Kahutara, near Kaikoura. It is believed that all their belongings had been packed ready to make the trip, but Mrs Patience was missing next morning, and nothing has been heard of her since. Mrs Patience, 4 who is 60 years of age, is sft 4in in height, and weighs about 9 stone lllb. She hoe hazel eyes and grey hair, cut short. She is of neat appearance. The police would welcome any information which can be supplied. They will have a big and difficult area to cover if the present search is unsuccessful.