Waiting at the Church!

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7192, 26 June 1933, Page 6

Waiting at the Church!

Te Puke Bridegroom Fails to Turn Up SUFFERS FROM LOSS OF MEMORY AND WANDERS TO AUCKLAND Per Press Association AUCKLAND, Last Night. Seventy guests waited in vain for tho bridegroom at a wedding at St. John’s Church, Te Puke, on Wednesday morning. After an hour and a-half they dispersed and the wedding breakfast was cancelled. In the meantime the bridegroom, suffering from loss of memory, was making bis way to Auckland, where he is now staying with relatives prior to his return. His recollection of events did not return to him until this morning. In the meantime search parties, fearing for his safety, scoured the Te Fuke district. The bridegroom is Mr J. Bennett, a well-known former To Puke footballer. When scon to-day at the home of his brotlicr-in-law he said ho was feeling fit and well, although his mind was a blank as to his experiences and movements between Tuesday morning and this morning. Although he had since learned that ho called on relatives at AVaihi and ho had been in Auckland since Thursday, lie could recall nothing of it. On Tuesday morning he boarded a train at Pacngaroa, where he was employed as ci farm hand and where his bride’s homo is, to go to To Puke. After that he remembered nothing, lift had since learned, he stated, that the postmaster at To Puke saw him at 10 o’clock on Tuesday night at Te Puke. He had then told the postmaster ho had been to Tauranga and back. Displaying a pair of shoes that were cut with stones, worn and mud-stained, lie said he had evidently been tramping over rough country. Ho had no railway ticket and had no idea how he reached Auckland. “The remarkable thing,’’ said his brother-in-law, “is that ho has been with us since Thursday evening. Wo did not know the wedding was to have been held last Wednesday, and so we had no cause to be surprised that lie should bo here. He has accompanied us to the pictures, and although he seemed rather quiet we did not sus pcct anything was wrong.”