WHERE IS MARY JAGGER?

Northern Advocate, 23 October 1935, Page 8

WHERE IS MARY JAGGER?

FRANTIC SEARCH REVEALS NO TRACE OF LOST CHILD

inpOHE disappearance between WaiA otu and Tapuhi on Sunday of Mary Agatha Jagger, the two-year-old daughter of Mr and Mrs Harold E. Jagger, is still shrouded in,mystery. inhere is little doubt that either Mary Jagger’s body will be found in ‘.one of the network of watercourses within half a mile of the Johnson home, or that there is a more sinister element in the disappearance. Tlie father still holds to the belief that his child is alive, while Mrs Jagger, who is bearing up wonderfully under a strain which only a mother can apP re " date, thinks that Mary, or Babs, as she was known to the family, was picked up by some stranger. A lorry which is said to have passed along the little frequented road on Sunday afternoon is still unaccounted for. On Sunday afternoon the little girl was' playing with the Johnson children, 'at the Johnson house, two miles from the Jagger home. half past'-three it was discovered that she was “missing. Since then the only trace of the little girl lias been the discovery of her shoes, stockings and hat, which were found about four chains from the Johnson home. Child Doffed Clothes. No" significance is attached* to that find,- however, as the child, when she accompanied Miss Helen Johnson from her home to Johnson’s places was wearing her best Sunday clothes, and doffed her shoes, stockings and hat to enable her have a freer game with her companions. One of the children with whom she Was playing was of school age, and the other two a little younger. The police do not think that there is • much likelihood of foiil v play. Mr Johnson’s residence is on the top of a hill, and the road which runs past the property is remote and used only by settlers. So far as can be ascertained, no strangers were seen in the district on the afternoon of the child’s disappearance.

A Vast expanse of tea-tree, scrub, ind .undergrowth between Waiotu, Hukerenui and Tapuhi, has been ' trampled almost flat by over 200 men, who spent a fruitless day yesterday searching for Mary Jagger. The men formed chains and crossed and recrossed area after area of scrub in a desperate effort to locate the child. Slipped Into Creek? '■■■• The creeks in the neighbourhood have been systematically dragged. It is believed the child may have slipped into the Water, but the task of probing the streams has been made more difficult owing to the fact that the water is cloudy and in some parts full of snags. After collapsing from exhaustion and strain on Monday afternoon, Mr Jagger, father of the child, joined the frantic search yesterday, but today he is feeling the strain, and is able tb take no other part than watch. ’ The search is being continued with the same .intensity today, and' settlers all over the district are taking part. Last night light rain fell and operations were suspended for the first time, giving many the opportunity to have their first real sleep since Sunday. Did She Wander Far? It is not thought that the child, wandered very far from Mr Johnson’s house, which is on top of a hill about 150 feet high, and rising abruptly from the Waiotu Flat. Just before she dis- <. appeared, the child was playing in a fe small hollow at the back of the house, pv Mary Jagger is an intelligent little f' girl, and is not in the least afraid of animals. She is very sturdy, and her father said she was quite capable of walking several miles on her own. Pot-Holed Country. From the Johnson house towards Tapuhi there is much broken, rough fern-clad country, full of pot holes left by gumdiggers. This area has been thoroughly searched. On account of the density of the growth, dt is not thought that the child could have got far in that direction. On the flat below Mr Johnson’s house there is a swamp, intp which lead a net-work of drains, and which, in turn, drains into the Waiotu River. Today 50 men are engaged in digging up the whole swamp. The Waiotu River, which is about a mile from Mr Johnson’s house, was patrolled by 50 men under Mr A. Wiblin last night, and, with the coni'. sent of the father, gelignite was used. ' Some swimmers also searched the 1 river, but without result. This morning 50 men were searching among the hills on Mr Hansen’s property, towards Tapuhi. This is , Steep country, and, in parts, is covered with bush. It has not been searched! previously. Nothing to Report. Shortly after noon today the police party, which had explored new country in the direction of Hansen’s returned with nothing to report. The party was led by Detective Nalder, and’Constables Butler (Hikurangi) and Smith.

WAS “BABS” PICKED UP BY A ' STRANGER?

“We have looked over all the coun- . try as far as the eye can see—not once, , but at least twice,” said one settler. , Those who have been on the hunt | since Sunday are becoming footsore! and heavy-eyed. Although -there was ■ a cessation of activity last night, giv- j ing the opportunity of sleep, very few j people in the immediate vicinity were | able to enjoy peaceful slumbers. There minds are concentrated upon the tragic occurence and its hidden possibilities. One of the searchers, who is a host in herself, is Mrs Gardner, of Whakapara, who wears gumboots and oilskins, and'has been on the job constantly through every daylight hour. She plays a lone part, and with two sticks, searches everywhere. Devoted to Miss Johnson. The missing child was very devoted to Miss Helena Johnson, who, on the Sunday afternoon, played with the children until she went into the house to clothe herself for the milling shed. When she returned half an hour later the little girl was missing. Within an hour of the alarm being sounded, 20 men were on the spot, having come in answer to Mr Johnson’s summons. Settlers from Paiaka, Towai, Riponui, Whakapara, Puhipuhi, Tapuhi and Hukerenui have taken part in the search. On Monday, Mr Burley Martin* the councillor for the Otonga riding of the county, postponed the bobby calf collection which he had arranged to do, and made his lorry available for the transport of thirty relief workers from Hikurangi to take part in the search. On Tuesday Mr W. Boswell, of Hikurangi, made his truck available for the transport of Hikurangi miners and relief workers, ■ . Some Great Feats. Marching two or three yards apart, men have gone right across Mr Johnson’s property of 260 acres, every inch of which has been tramped over during the past three days and nights. It is estimated that, with the 1700 acres pf the Parker Lamb property, and adjoining properties, well over 2000 acres have been combed.

Some great feats of man power were done yesterday, during the clearing of thfe Hikurangi swamp. Twenty men, attached to ropes, moved “cutty grass” and logs which it would have taken two draught horses to move. Still Streams. On the right hand side of the road, which runs through the Parker-Lamb subdivision, the land is fairly well drained, with cut tea-tree at the foothills, The blocks on the right-hand side of the road are bounded by the river, and here the land, which, until a few years ago, was standing kahikatea forest and swamp, is very rough, with raupo-choked streams, a little cut bush, and a thick covering of riishtfs. A Previous Case. ( Among the searchers today was Mr J. A. Clark, of Moody’s Avenue, Whangafei, whose sister, aged two, was lost under similar circumstances at Otoiiga, 50 years ago. She, too, was playing with a child companion in the Otonga district, six miles from the present scene of activities, when she disappeared. A vigilant search was instituted but the remains were not found until three weeks afterwards, wheh her brothers, out blackbef ryirig, • came upon the body in the second of two deep creeks. Although so young, the child somehow managed to negotiate the first crossing. Mr W. Johnson’s property is situated about 22 miles from Whangarei.