MAN MISSING AT LAWSONS CREEK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9535, 29 November 1889, Page 5

MAN MISSING AT LAWSONS CREEK.

Last evening a settler named James Bycroft, who resides at Lawson's Creek, Hobsonville, reported to Constable Mackay, the water police, that a man named James Peterson, his mate, was missing from Lawson's Creek since Wednesday night, under the following circumstances :— He and Petersen came in from the gumfields on that ovening, and had a boat at tho opposite side of Henderson's Creek, which they got into and crossed from Henderson's Creek to the mouth of Lawson's Creek. On reaching it they found the tide low, and Byoroft waded ashore to lighten the boat so that Petersen could get up the creek to his whare, 500 yards further, where he resided. Ab tho time they separated Peterson was in good health and perfectly sober. On Thursday evening, ab 7.30 o'clock, Mr. Scarlett, a settler, who resided on the opposite side of Lawson's Creek, called to Bycroft, and said that Petersen's boat lud been drifting among the mangroves, and inquired as to Petersen's whereabouts. Bycroft thinking something was wrong, went wibh Scarlett to Petersen's house. They found the lamp burning in his house, and it hud evidently been burning all the previous night. They soarched the banks of the creek, but found no trace of the missing man. In Peterson's house was found his spade and spear, and 201bs of gum he had procured during the previous day. The theory of the men is that Petersen left his boab in the mud in the channel, as bho tide was low, and went back for it at high water, which would be aboub 10.45 on Wednesday night, and slipped into the water and was drowned. The missing'man has a brother, Robert Petersen, resident at Cox's Creek, Ponsonby, and he was yesterday evening informed of the facts. Ho leaves to-day for Lawson's Creek to prosecute the search for his missing brother, and the police will also aid in the work.