MISSING INDIAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23047, 26 May 1938, Page 12

MISSING INDIAN

HOPE ABANDONED CONTINUANCE OF SEARCH * WIDE AREA COVERED [by TELEGRAPH —OWN' correspondent] KAWHIA, Wednesday The search for .the Indian storekeeper, Delu Desai, aged about 42, who has been missing from the Taliaroa settlement since May 7, was continued to-day with greater intensity by the four police officers now stationed there. All hope that Desai will be found alive has now been abandoned, and the police are confident that the search will shortly reveal some trace of the missing man.

Detectives A. J. White and J. Haves, of Hamilton, who have been stationed at the settlement for over a week, have searched the shores of Lake Taharoa during the past few days. They have also made several journeys across the lake, which covers an area of about 1000 acres, without meeting with any success. With the arrival at the settlement yesterday of Constables G. Tait and J. Richardsoij, of Hamilton, the search to-day was confined to the vast expanse of sandhills which divide the settlement from the sea. The party combed a wide area of sand and scrub, working on the theory that if the missing man had been the victim of foul play his body might have been buried in the sand dunes. The task of the party is made difficult, for at this time of the year the prevailing westerly wind is constantly shifting the sand. So far, a search of the entire village and the lake and its outskirts lias proved fruitless. The police party also has been engaged in closely questioning the 100 Maoris who live in the settlement. Taharoa has no accommodation for visitors, the only dwellings being huts and whares occupied by the Maoris. Hie problem of providing living quarters for the police was solved by using the single classroom which comprises the school. The premises have been closed for several days owing to an outbreak of measles.

DRAGGING OF LAKE POLICE , REINFORCEMENTS DELU DESAI'S MOVEMENTS "NEVER LEFT TAHAROA" [from OCR OWN correspondent] HAMILTON, Wednesday "It is abundantly evident that the missing man never left Taharoa, and our job is to find him," said Inspector C. \V. Lopdell, officer in charge of the Hamilton police district, on his return from Taharoa, which he visited 3resterday to direct the search for the missing Indian storekeeper. Mr. Lopdell said that what had happened to Desai would only be known when the man or his body had been found. An additional five policemen under Sergeant W. Brown, of Auckland, will teave Hamilton on Friday ,to assist Detectives A. J. White and J. Hayes, and Coilstables J. Richardson and G. Tait in their search. x A camp will be established at Taharoa. and the sand hills in the vicinity will be searched, while the Taharoa Lake, comprising an area of 640 acres, will be dragged. Willing assistance is being given to the police by the Maoris in the locality in the search for Desai, who was very popular among them.