TRAP PLANNED

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24101, 21 October 1941, Page 6

TRAP PLANNED

POLICE AND SOLDIERS

DIFFICULT COUNTRY

PERIOD OF TENSION OVER (S.r.) HOKITIKA, Monday Tho outlaw Graham foil into a care-fully-planned trap laid for him by the police and was shot before he had an opportunity of firing back. A shortage of food was probably the factor which forced Graham to come out oi his retreat at dusk in the thickly-wooded area on Mount Doughboy. His movements had been carefully anticipated by the police for some days past. The police had the assistance of the military authorities and Captain Mundy, of Burnham military camp, who gave great assistance in mapping out the positions which were to be occupied by soldiers and police. For the past week Mount Doughboy, north of Mount Camel back, had been the focal centre of operations, the police being certain that Graham was in the vicinity. Complete Encirclerrent Mount Doughboy really a hill ]OOO feet in height, about four miles back from tho Graham homestead on the Koiterangi main road. Plans were hastened for making a most complete encirclement of the vicinity. Mount Doughboy presented great difficulties to tho searchers, being composed entirely of thick bush through which a way had to bo chopped by those hunting Graham, One of the best descriptions that might be given of the vicinity is that of a Greymouth resident who is familiar with the type of country in Australia in which Ned Kelly and Dan Kelly held out for two years against all efforts made by the police to capture them. This resident said that in his opinion the country in which Graham was sheltering was at least three times as difficult as that in which the Kellys so long held out. Elaborate Precautions Safety has been the keynote of the search. The loss of the lives of four police on October 8, followed by the killing of two Home Guards the next night, made it imperative that no further lives be sacrificed. In spite of all precautions there was a constant fear of further tragedy. The fact that Graham was using a powerful Mauser rifle and probably a Winchester rifle made precautionary measures the more necessarv.

Since the disappearance of Graham residents of Koiterangi and Kokatahi districts had lived in a state of tension. They had little sleep, while farms throughout the area had to be neglected at important periods. Many of the residents have been assisting the police from the outset. Many dairy farmers spent night-long vigils, leaving only in time to milk in the morning and frequently returning to their posts when the work had been completed. Women's Work Praised

The work-done by the women of Koiterangi has been beyond praise. They catered for nearly 200 searchers, providing hot meals in the Koiterangi Hall, which lias been the centre of their operations. Many have done a great deal of cooking in their own homes. What helped Graham more than anything was the nature of 'the country. He had lived there almost all his life. Night searching was ruled out, but each night armed guards were stationed at many vital points. There were not less than 40 separate look-outs in the area and it was when approaching one of these about 6.45 o'clock this evening that Graham was trapped. UNEVENTFUL CAREER GENERALLY POPULAR NO PEER AS MARKSMAN (S.R.) HOKITIKA, Monday Educated at Kokatahi, where he was born 41 years ago, Stanley Eric George Graham is the younger son of one of the best-known and respected families on the West Coast. He has had a quite uneventful career and was well and popularly received by a large number of friends throughout the West Coast and, indeed, from many other parts of the Dominion with whom he had on occasions been associated in shooting expeditions.

A keen rifle shot, a fine athlete and Rugby player of merit, Graham generally was of good character. He has followed most occupations, including those of farmer, sawmill worker, rabbiter, deerstalker, shearer and barman, and all his former workmates had nothing but a good word for him. Graham was married about 12 years ago and has two young children. It was about that time that he took over portion of the farm of his parents' estate and he has farmed it since. His marksmanship went unchallenged throughout the length and breadth of the province. lie is a short, thick-set man with remarkable agility and stamina. He is a non-smoker and almost total abstainer.