SAMUEL LAKEY'S GUNS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21702, 18 January 1934, Page 11

SAMUEL LAKEY'S GUNS

DESCRIPTION BY FARMER SEARCH IN SWAMP AND SCRUB Joseph Gilnwur, farmer, of Ruawaro, said he had known the Lakeys for some years. Sometimes he would visit them every month, and sometimes not so often. From his observation, they got on very well together. Mr. Meredith: When were you there last ?—1 was there three weeks previous to the people disappearing. Do you know what guns the Lakeys had in the house?— Two shotguns and a peculiar sort of a gun belonging to Mrs. Lakey and a pearifle that some member of my family gave to Mr. Lakey. Have you seen the pearifle there? — Yes. It came originally from Hamilton gnd belonged to a man who had been working for me. What was his name?— Chris. Moore. When did it go from your place to the Lakeys'?—Twelve months ago last Sunday—the Sunday after the New Year. That was when the rifle was borrowed. On Monday, October . 16, you heard about the Lakeys being missing?-—I was rung up by the Huntly police. Where did you go ?—Over to Lakey's.

Who were there then? —I saw six or seven men coming across Lakey's paddock and I made for them. Witness Helps in Search

What were they doing?— They were looking for Lakey. I joined them and helped. You did not go up to the house at that time? —Yes, I did.

How long were you searching before you went to the house? —About a quarter of an-hour.

Which paddock were they in? —The paddock adjoining Bayly's. Is there a wattle tree in that paddock? —No. That is a different paddock. It adjoins Bajdy's too. When you were in the paddock did you see anything near the wattle? — Not at thnt time. Wo searched for Lakey in a swamp and scrub, and when returning through that paddock I noticed that near the wattle tree there were two gig-wheels there that shouldn't be there.

Had you seen them before?—l had seen them for 11 years. Where had you seen them? —In front of the house where the hens used to sit.

Had you ever seen or heard of these being used? —Never. Did you examine them that day?— No. Boots Left at Lakey's Had you left clothing at Lakey's?— Yes. Brown boots. I kept them there to have a clean pair of boots when I went to Huntly. They (the Lakeys) were on a metal road; I was on clav. 1 saw them there three weeks before Lakey disappeared. They were in a little box under the sewing machine in the kitchen. Did you look in the house on the Monday ? —Yes. Were your boots there? —No. I looked also for the pea-rifle and Lakey's gun. They weren't there. What clothes did Lakey wear when he went to town? —He had a dark kind of suit with a brown stripe. When I looked in the house that suit was gone, but his best suit, which was grey, was there.

Would you know Chris. Moore's pearifle if you saw it? —I think I would. Witness was shown a pearifle, which he identified as Moore's. He said Lakey smoked a cherry wood pipe, which he lighted, as far as witness knew, with a cigarette lighter. Lakey had false teeth at the top. Hilda Venn, a single woman, living at Parnell, said she had stayed at the Lakeys' home every year for the past

four years. She was there at Christmas, 1932, and Ivan Baldick was also there. The Lakeys were quite happy together. When she went there that Christmas, she gave Mr. Lakey a cigarette lighter. A lighter produced in Court was something like the one she gave, but she would not be sure. It was the same size.

Mr. Meredith: Were you at Lakey's the day Bayly and Stent rode up?— Yes.

Did you hear what was said?— No. I was a fair distance away, and I was not paying attention at the time.