MISSING CHILD’S BODY FOUND

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12643, 31 December 1926, Page 5

MISSING CHILD’S BODY FOUND

TRAGEDY ON SHEEP STATION By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. SYDNEY, December 30. On August 24th the six-year-old daughter of Mr Moss-Smith, of Poolarqacca Station, near Broken Hill, disappeared. Since then there has been a constant search by police, bands of residents, and black-trackers in the wild country many miles round the station. An airplane scouted far nnd wide, and clairvoyants and Spiritualists were consulted, and predicted that the child was still alive. The parents offered £IOO reward for her recovery. Yesterday an employee of the station, gathering sticks a short distance from the homestead, saw a child’s foot protruding from a shallow grave, and unearthed the body of the missing girl. It bore no signs of violence. Later James Hughes, who left MossSmith’s employment shortly after the disappearance of the child, was arrested nnd remanded on a charge of murdering her. accidentallylcilled ? ACCUSED’S - EXPLANATION. (Received December 30, 8.16 p.m.) In connection with the finding of the body of Joan Smith, in Poolaniacca station, the police officially announce that the boy Hughes made a statement that the girl was killed through falling from her pony. He was afraid to tell, so he buried tho body where it was found. An inquest will he held on January 10th.