NOT YET RECAPTURED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16909, 23 July 1918, Page 4

NOT YET RECAPTURED.

| MENTAL HOSPITAL ESCAPEES. SUPPOSED TRACKS TRACED. MEASURES FOR APPREHENSION. Tire two murderers, Norman Edward Reals and Toata Kai Nuku, who escaped from tho Auckland Mental Hospital on Sunday evening, remained at large all day yesterday, and no nows of their recapturo was received up to an early hour this morning. Parties of police and members of tho hospital staff patrolled in all the districts surrounding the city. Apparently, tho escapees, immediately after leaving the hospital, made for Point Chevalier, for a resident in the district discovered yesterday morning that an empty cottage near tho Waitemata Harbour had been broken into on Sunday night. It is presumed that the men spent the greater part of j Sunday night at this house, and in the early morning doubled on tho tracks. About five o'clock last evening, Mr. Best, who lives near Wliau Creek, discovered two men near a shed at tho rear of his house. Ho telephoned to tho Mental Hospital, and a party was immediately despatched to tho scene.

Tracks considered to bo those, of the men wanted were traced to Whan Creek, some distance away, and it was then discovered that a boat was missing. Crossing the creek tho party found tho boat on the other side. The tracks were followed tliKjuL'h scrub and across paddocks to the neighbourhood of the New Zealand Brick and Tile Company's works at New Lynn. Tho sodden state of the ground made the following of the tracks a comparatively easy task. From the brick works the tracks lead across tile paddocks towards Waikumete, but near tlio latter township they led to tho main district road, and could no longer be traced. It was surmised, however, that the escapees reached the outskirts of Waikumete, and are endeavouring to niako thai' way to the Waitakere Ranges. The party proceeded along the road to Titirangi for some distance, but finding no further traces on the road or over a fairly wido margin on either side, retraced their steps to the Mental Hospital. Ihe polico in Auckland were early informed that the supposed trail had been discovered and a strong party was despatched which met the party from the hospital just after it had commenced the retiu'iied journey. The police party comprised motor-cyclists, mounted men, and experienced bushmen. Their intention is to get well ahead of the escapees and form a cordon to prevent them reaching tliq bush on the ranges. The first police party was followed by another party, who thoroughly searched the country in the vicinity of Waikumote. Other parties proceeded to Onehunga to guard the Mangero Bridge and search the country from Onehunga towards Titirangi and the Whau Creek. Smaller patrols were also set to watch the Main South Road and other district roads.

The theory that tho two men are making for the bush in'the Waitakere Ranges is rendered foasiblo by the fact that both men are accustomed to that class of country. That Keals is a man of resource in such conditions was exemplified during the days that followed his crime. Taking a large cheese from the dairy of the Keals's homostead, he fed upon it for four days without half consuming it. It is believed that he obtained further nourishment from the nikau palm and various bush roots. Another proof of his resource was shown by his tethering of a calf near to the tree in which he had hidden himself. When the cow came each evening to feed her offspring at its stake Keals milked her for his own purposes. A party from tho Mental Hospital, headed by police, in consequence of a resident's report, made a thorough search along the Riversdale Road and other district roads, but without result.