23-YEAR MYSTERY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1718, 8 January 1920, Page 3

23-YEAR MYSTERY.

CLEARED UP AT LAST,

REMARKABLE EKETAHUNA CASE

Twenty-three years ago a man residing at Uongokaka, near Iskelalunta, went away on a holiday leaving his father, who was about 63 years of ago, in charge b! the- home. From chat time until a tow days ago the whereabouts of the lather has been a mystery, though at the time a search party was organised and the bushy country of the district scoured intermittently for weeks, without success. A low days ago a resident of Kbiigokakd discovered a boot in tbo open bush on the top of the ridge on Mr Hugh, 'ucs property between Rougokako anif I‘utara, and on further investigating; ihe skeleton of tt man was found. Tho s: iptel to the ancient tragedy was enacted before Air J. 1). Wilson in the (V>roiiors Uourt-at Kketahnniv, when the skeleton remains wore proved to be those of the missing man, William Samson Collier. A verdict of “death from exposure and starvation through losing his way in the bush” was pronounced. Tho remains were identified by means o( a pocket knife ami boots found with thp skeleton. I : A remarkable thing about the whole affair was tho wonderful state of preservation of a hat which was found with the remains. It was little the worse. for its exposure to the I vigorous climatic conditions of 23 long 1 years, ■ 3 mm S ■■■ - SSSS