THE RUAWARO MYSTERY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 4260, 4 November 1933, Page 1

THE RUAWARO MYSTERY.

£IOO REWARD OFFERED. Important discoveries have been made by the police at Ruawaro, following the finding of part of a double-barrelled 12-bore shotgun by Detective Allsopp and Constable MeEachern when they were probing a swampy creek bed early this week. As the result of a search, in which more than a dozen detectives and constables were engaged in digging gnd raking the marsh, the investigators have recovered the whole of rifle. The ownership of the rifle is unknown, but the shotgun belonged to Mr Samuel Pender Lakey, who disappeared from his farm at the time of the mysterious death of his ivife, Mrs Christobel Lakey. The discovery of the shotgun is regarded as being of the utmost significance in regard to the theory that the Lakeys were both murdered, which has been the basis of the intensive police investigation. The creelk bed where the guns were recovered is little more than a mile from the Lakey farmhouse, the spot where the weapons were found being 100yds. from the huge swamp leading from Lake Whangape. The creek, however, does not run through the Lakey farm, but is on an adjoining property. The discovery was made when Detective Allsopp and Constable MeEachern were occupied on a systematic search of the creek, which is short and carries little water, although its banks are boggy. They were using gum-digging spears when Constable MeEachern struck an article which proved to be part of the shotgun. Little could be done because of the late hour and the constables stood guard in pairs at the spot during the night. They carried handcuffs and had orders to watch strictly against any possible intrusion. The officers are now engaged in uprooting other patches of the creek bed for further clues.

The police know that Mr Lakey’s shotgun, which was missing at the time of his disappearance, was hghly prized by thp owner. Efforts are now being made with intensity to trace Mr Lakey’s body. The police are concentrating on dragging the Waikato River and the water lanes between there and Lake Whangape while a large party is still engaged in beating the scrub and examining the marsh along the creek where the guns were found, indicating that the police still think it possible for any criminal to have secreted the body not far distant from the scene of the supposed crime. The surrounding country certainly affords ample cover, and although it has been searched with striking thoroughness, the police are leaving nothing to chance. The ground is being traversed again and again in the hope that even the slightest clue indicating where Mr. Lakey’s body is will be obtained. The weather at present is favourable to the investigators, who are able to reach many likely points. There is a much more hopeful outlook from the point of view of the police. Numbers of settlers, informed of the latest development, hastened to the assistance of the officers. Feeling in the district is that the police are now much nearer a solution of the mystery, and residents, who are increasingly anxious that the case should be completed, have aided their enquiries greatly with a considerable amount of information.

Soon after the discovery of the guns the police and several settlers searched the adjacent swamp land anew. The searchers made their way for long distances out on to the quaking morass. The character of the swamp now receiving attention is a matted surface of reeds of no great thickness, surmounting varying depths of soft mud. The area is convenient to the Lakey property. Searchers also looked for a milking bucket believed to be missing from the Lakey farm. Police Commissioner Wohlmann lias offered a reward of £IOO to any person finding the body of Samuel Pender Lakey, of Ruawaro.