DISAPPEARANCE OF MR COTTON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 7926, 31 July 1886, Page 6

DISAPPEARANCE OF MR COTTON.

MYSTERIOUS AFFAIE: [By Telegraph. J [from our own cobbesfondent.] ROTORUA, July 30. Mr Cotton, of Lake Coleridge, Canterbury, who arrived here with. Mrs Cotton per coach from Oxford yesterday, is missing since 5.45 p.m. yesterday. It appears Mr Cotton had a bath at the Blue Bath at 4.30, then visited Mr Brent's Temperance Hotel, and asted the way to the Palace Hotel. Mr Brent's maid took him as far as the corner of the street, and pointed out his route, which he does not appear to have followed, for he was seen wandering about the Sanatorium Grounds. A large search party was out till a late hour, but could find no trace of him. The night was very dark, but mild. The search is still being kept up by horsemen and people on foot. A party of Natives is now being organised to help in the search. [Peb Press Association.] AUCKLAND, July 30. The following are the latest particulars concerning the missing tourist at Botorua:—Mr E. M. Cotton, of Lake Coleridge, Canterbury, who is a large runholder, although an engineer by profession, has been in somewhat delicate htalth for several months, and along with his wite, has been travelling for the benefit of his health. They spent a couple of weeks at Oram's Hotel, Auckland, and left last Wednesday morning, intending to catch the Taupo coach at Ohinemutu and proceed on to Napier overland. On reaching here, however, on Thursday afternoon, they learnt that the Taupo coach would not start until next Wednesday, and Mr Cotton engaged a special conveyance to take himself and wife through to Napier. Thi i was to leave to-morrow, their intention being to spend to-day in visiting the scenes of interest in Eotorua. Yesterday afternoon it was proposed that they should walk to" Whakarewarewa to view- the geyBers, which are very active, but Mr Cotton thought the walk would prove too fatiguing for his wife, after the long journey they had just completed, and said he would take a short stroll by himself. He left the hotel between half-p»st 3 and 4 o'clock, and appears to have gone to the sanatorium, where he bathed in the blue bath. He left the bath at half-past 5, and walked towards the township, and was overtaken in front of Mrs Morrison's Hotel by Mr Burrows, the architect. Mr Cotton was then stand ing on the middle of the road, and appeared in doubt as to his whereabouts. H« told Mr Burrows he was lookin g for his hotel, but seemed unable to recal the name of it, and walked to Morrison's. He went upstairs, and came down again almost immediately, and walked out into the street. It was observed that he seemed bewildered, and walked feebly, but no particular notice was taken of him, nor did anyone notice the direction in which he went. This was about a quarter to six

o'clock, and he was then within two or three minutes' walk of his hotel. The Palace. He seemed, however, in the darkness to have taken the wrong turning, and to have wandered back to Sulphur Point, for at a quarter past six he entered Brent's boarding-house there, and walked into the dining room, where the proprietor and his wife were having tea. They bade him " Good evening," but he took no notice of them, and walked through the room into the kitchen, where the servant girl asked him what he wanted. He said he was looking for his hotel, and on being further questioned said it was either the Palace or Lake House. She then walked some distance with him, and put him on the right track for Ohinemutu, but he declared it could not be that way, and said it was in an opposite direction, and she told him if he took that track it would lead him into the hot springs and boiling holes, but he appeared dubious about following the proper directions which she had given him.. The girl then left him and no more has been seen of him, although it,is believed that he returned to Brent's, as someone was heard moving about outside. Ten minutes afterwards Brent lit a lantern and went out, but no one was to be seen. No great uneasiness was felt at the Palace Hotel at his absence from dinner, but as he did not return and the night was very dark, Mrs Cotton began to grow alarmed, and Mr M'Rae and others got a lantern and went in search of him. . They were out for over an hour in paths amongst the titree on the site of the new township and beyond, fearing that he had been at the baths. They could find no trace of him, and on returning to the hotel and finding that he had not returned, they then started to make a further search, and on the way met Mr Johnston, the Government agent, who, hearing that Mr Cotton was missing, had come into Ohinemutu to organise a party. Lanterns and men were quickly procured, and a large number of searchers were out in a short time scouring the whole country. Search was continued until midnight, but without success. LATER. At daybreak this morning search was resumed, a number of horsemen being out, and a large number of Natives were induced by the reward of £2O offered by the Government agent (Mr Johnston), and a further sum of £lO offered by Mrs Cotton, to assist in the search. The unfortunate man's footsteps can be traced on the racecourse, for some distance down the Whakarewarewa track and in other places, but' up to the time of writing he has not been found. It was at first believed that he must have either fallen into a boiling spring or crawled into the scrub, and in his weak condition succumbed to the exposure, but a Maori has discovered his tracks five miles along the Taupo road; and thtre are still hopes that he may yet be found alive. Horsemen have gone out, and great sympathy is felt for Mrs Cotton. A search party has just arrived to-night from the Taupo road. Tracks were distinctly traced for a dozen miles, and were then lost in the fern at the back of Waikukua creek at Horohoro. Another search will be made to-morrow.