RUAWARO TRAGEDY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 286, 31 October 1933, Page 2

RUAWARO TRAGEDY

INVESTIGATION WORK. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Oct. 30. A sudden chango occurred in the investigation of the Ruawaro mystery today, when police searchers decided to continue the search. To-night they were very reticent, but it is understood they have recovered another article which may eventually disclose the ■ whereabouts of the missing shotgun owned -by Samuel Pender Lakey, who disappeared frqm his farm when his wife, Mrs Christobel Lakey, met her mysterious death. A striking aspect of the case is that the police discontinued the search, for the time being, at least, of a heap of slack at the Renown mine, Ruawaro, where extensive investigation was made on Saturday. No attention was paid to the coal to-day. POLICE MOVE COAL SLACK. NO SIGN OF MISSING MAN. HUNTLY, Oct. 31. Coal ashes said to have been found on a shovel led detectives and police engaged on the Ruawaro mystery to carry out a minute search of a huge coal slack dump at Rotowaro, eight miles from Ruawaro, over the weekend, to find the body of Mr Samuel Pender Lakey, who with his wife, Mrs Christobel Lakey, are thought to have been murdered. On the finding of Mr Lakey’s body stands the whole structure of the police case, and if it is not found it is likely that the riddle of the suspected double murder will never be solved.

AVith the knowledge that the discovery of Mr Lakey’s body is essential to their case, Detectives E. Snedden, T. A. Allsop, and J. B. Finlay, and the police posse under Sergeant J. Bissett are urged on day by day, and every probable theory, and some improbable ones, are explored. As day follows day and each one fqils to reveal a trace of the missing farmer, tire task of the police becomes increasingly difficult. Seldom have the police of New Zealand been faced with such difficulties. Worst of all, the conditions under which they work are most trying, and the facilities provided are wholly meagre and inadequate. Yet, in the face of difficulties and discomforts, the men on the job carry out their unremitting search with undiminislied vigour. Many stories have been brought to the police, and every one is carefully checked up. Tliej r . were hopeful when they learned, early in the inquiry, of a drover who was said to have watched a man he recognised turn into the Lakey homestead on a ltoneke the morning of the fatal Sunday. When the drover was seen by detectives, all Ire could say was that he was on the road to Rangiriri, miles away from Lakey’s farm, and that he had seen nobody.

Incessant heavy rain yesterday interfered with an organised search that had l>een planned. All through the day the hilltop on which is situated the Lakey homestead at Ruawaro was swept by driving rain; and little in the way of extended search for the missing farmer could be carried out.

New developments over the weekend were a reconnaissance of the Lake AVhangape country, by an aeroplane piloted by Captain J. D. Hewitt, of Auckland, and an observer, a search by the police party in the smouldering slack dump eight miles away, and dragging operations under the Huntl.y Bridge. DETECTIVES BURNED. The search of the coal dump was arduous and difficult. Detectives and police were burned on the feet by ashes, and their wounds had to be dressed, a first aid outfit kept at the police camp ..being used. The slack dump at Rotowaro is in the middle of a closely-populated settlement, and is overlooked by the home of the mine manager, Mr J. Mathieson. Even so it is .thought possible that late at night a motor car could be driven to the dump and a body concealed.

Ceaseless and careful search has been made by both police and settlers to every compass point within miles of the house. So far it lias’been barren, yet there are hundreds of (daces where a body might lie concealed. Bushcraft and a knowledge of the country and its ways have played a big part in the investigation. There is a well-known fact that a hawk will circle over any object on the ground that excites its curiosity. The circling hawks in the district have been carefully watched. Two miles away a pair were seen. Searchers travelled over swamp country to the -centre of the circle. They found nothing. Over 20 years ago there was the mysterious disappearance of an old gumdigger on the fields of the North. Police search failed to discover the body. Two circling hawks, after many days, led them to dig near the stump of a tree. They found the body, and a Maori was hanged. “IF ‘SMUT’ COULD TALK.” Ruefully an officer engaged on the mystery of the Lakeys looked at “Smut,” their cattle dog. “If ‘Smut’ could only talk,” he said. “ ‘Smut’ knows much. He could tell us who chained him up. Then the end would be near.” “Smut” goes out with the searchers day after day. and helps. At night he sleeps in a little lean-to, exhausted from his efforts in the swamp land. Yesterday’s search by.’plane covered a wide area, Captain Hewitt and his obesrver being in the air for nearly two hours and a half. Visibility was good, and, flying low, the men in the ’plane examined the bed of Lake Whangape and other smaller lakes in the district, as well as part of the Waikato River. A good deal of the lake bed could be seen, but in some places a ripple on the water caused by wind made vision impossible. Broken tracks through the reeds fringing the lake indicated wliefe the police had been searching. ANIMALS SEEN IN WATER. A zig-zag course was flown by Captain Hewitt over the Waikato River from Huntly to T.uakau, and careful examination of the river bed was carried out. An illustration of the usefulness of the ’plane in searching the river was given by the fact that the observers plainly saw a dead horse and cow on the river bottom. Nevertheless, it would be possible for a body, if weighted, to be concealed by snags and 6 With this opinion in mind, police, using a slow-moving launch, are still dragging the Waikato River near the Huntly Bridge, and when they have completed the job they will drag the river under the Itangiriri and Taupiri bridges. Admiration for the work of the police at Ruawaro has been' expressed by residents in the district, who are just as anxious as the police to have the mystery cleared up. With the nature of the work to be undertaken, the facilities of the police are hopelessly inadequate. Only a few have gum boots, and I proper wading costume is essential when working in country where constables have fallen up to their waists

in mud.—Auckland Star correspondent. STILL NO TRACE. MISSING RUAWARO FARMER. HUNTLY, Oct. 30. Over the week-end a very extensive search was carried out in an endeavour to find the body of Mr Samuel Pender Lakey, who disappeared from his farm at Ruawaro. In addition to the police, a large number of mounted settlers took part. The search so far has revealed no trace of the missing man, and the mystery of his disappearance and the strange death of his wife, Mrs Christobel Lakey, who was found dead on the edge of a duck pond, is apparently no nearer solution. A good deal of attention has been directed to Lake Whangape, about a mile from the Lakey homestead, and the borders of the lake, which are marshy, have been carefully examined. The search is now being extended over a much wider area, and the difficulties of the police have been increased. The country is hilly, and there are many patches of marsh, scrub and bush. Particular attention was paid yesterday to the Waikato River, although it is 15 miles away from the Lakey farmhouse. - Between the river and the lake there is a narrow, winding waterway, and that also has been searched. The winding river has been searched from Mercer to Huntly.—Auckland Star correspondent.