NO FRESH DEVELOPMENTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 13 October 1941, Page 6

NO FRESH DEVELOPMENTS

MORE POLICE REINFORCEMENTS WEARY GUARDS RELIEVED AT DAWN SEARCH GOING ON Christchurch, This Day. Bursts of machine-gun fire, rifle shots and the sharp double crack of an automatic pistol were the only incidents in the West Coast man hunt last night. It is not even certain that Graham was fired at. Guards scattered over a wide area settled down to a weary night’s vigil from dusk, were posted round and in the vicinity of the hall. Their were three machine-guns in sand-bagged emplacements. It was from one of these guns that it is estimated that up to 30 rounds were fired at a dim figure moving on the road a good distance away. Further reliable information was difficult to obtain, but it is clear that rifle shots were fired from another emplacement, and that four shots which by their sound came from ian automatic pistol were also heard. |No one was shot, however. It rained during the night increasing the difficulties of the men in the open. | Fourteen policemen arrived at Hokitika by rail car this morning and six arrived early by air from Wellington. The machine returned for another load. It is now believed by the police that the wound in Graham's shoulder is having an efTect on his ability to keep going. It is noted that in the Sunday morning and Monday morning incidents he used the stolen police automatic, and from this it is deduced that [Graham finds a heavy rifle difficult to [manage. The shoulder wound is believed to have been inflicted while Graham was in a crouching position, and the bullet after leaving a diagonal wound deep in the shoulder scored its way down and across Graham’s back. [This theory would account for the [bullet holes lower clown in the bloodstained garment recovered on Saturday. Graham, too, may be lying in the bush slowly dying from loss of blood and the effects of poisoning in his {wound. Medical opinion is that after three nights in the open Graham’s [shoulder wound has stiffened and is 'causing Graham agony. After dawn this morning the weary i guards were relieved by fresh men and I the search was reneweu. ! Nobody seriously believed the Hoki- | tika story that Graham is planning to escape to Canterbury via Browning !Pass, which lies within easy distance. 'Snow conditions are bad at present and i Graham is said to be too weak to ‘tackle an arduous journey.—P.A.