“PETRIFIED MAN” IN CAVE

Northern Advocate, 22 February 1926, Page 7

“PETRIFIED MAN” IN CAVE

“FORTUNE” BECOMES A HOAX. STORY OF THE BACK O’ BEYOND. A story which gained newspaper currency last year to the effect that in a cave in a wild, inaccessible locality near Wanganui—a locality that had been kept a secret—a strange discovery was made by a survey party of a petrified man fashioned in stone, seems to be a hoax. The Honorary Curator of the Wanganui Museum, in reporting on the matter to the Minister of Integral Affairs, the Hon. R. F. Bollard, states: “I can only say that I do not know the locality of the supposed petrified man. I have made numerous inquiries about it, but have failed to discover who the persons are who reported it, and, like others, I only know what appeared in the Press. I am, however, of opinion that the whole thing is a hoax, otherwise we should surely have heard more about it.” Hansard shews . that when the discovery of the alleged petrified man was made known, the then member for Waimarino (Mr. Langstone) brought the matter before Parliament, asking that a geologist and an anatomist be sent to the cave to have the “petrified man ” investigated before the find was interfered with. A promise of investigation was made. Like many other similar strange “finds,” the story of the Wanganui “petrified man” had its humorous turn. At the time it was stated that a syndicate of Wanganui business men had been formed to go into the matter, and rescue the venerable relic from 'the back o’ beyond. Stated the report:; — “One of the members of the syndicate stated to a ‘Herald’ reporter this morning that all arrangements had been completed to retrieve .the stone man and bring Mm to Wanganui. It will necessitate the chartering of a small steamer and the provision of the necessary tools and gear to cut out a solid block of about five tons of limestone, transport it, and ship it.” The question was asked: ‘ls it fer the Wanganui Museum?' ‘Not on your life,' said the member of the syndicate. ‘We are going to take him on tour. There is a fortune jn it.' ”