The Oroua Downs Mystery.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6147, 20 August 1891, Page 2

The Oroua Downs Mystery.

Some further particulars concerning the above have been supplied to Inspector Thomson by Constable Gillespie, of Foxton. Shortly after the inquest on the skeloton had been held, some boys who had been to view tho spot where the skeleton was found, reported that they had seen a swag close to the place. On the 6th instant tho constablo and Mr W. G, Robinson, a settler of Foxton, proceeded to the place and mnde a search, which resulted in the remains of a swag being found amongst some flax bushes about 150 yard 3 from where tho skeleton was buried. To all appearance it hud been lying there exposed to tho weather for at leaat two or three years. It contained the remains of a calico tent, two blankets, a pair of dark tweed trousers, pair of white cotton drawers, canvas sugar bag, white flannel undershirts, red check shirt, pair of socks, a towel, piece of soap, comb, wire hair brush, match-box containing two pieces of tallow candle, red handkerchief with yellow border, a tailor's thimble; number of buttons, two long straps (one with a very large buckle), and pair of watertight boots with laces, a pair of socks being tucked away inside of the boots. The latter appeared to have been worn for some time, and were repaired with metal boot protectors simijar to those found in the pocket of tho waistcoat which covered the skeleton. This the officer thinks eatablish.es beyond doubt thafc the swag belonged to deceased. From the position and appearance of the remains, h.9 imagines that the man must have partly undressed and laid down to rest, afterwards wandering to the spot where the remains wore found, perishing there, whether by his own hand or from natural causes ib is of course impossible to say. Constable Gillespie concludes his report as follows : — ln a former reports I stated that I thought tho man had met with foul play. I thought so then through tho skeleton having apparently been buried in the peat, but I am now of the opinion that after the man died, the ratsatehis body, and burrowed underneath it, causing the bones to sink into the soft peat, and feh© cattle or sheep passing over the place, trod the remains firmly into the peab. The grass growing for a year or two over the place did certainly make its appear as if a man had been buried. About 20 yards from the spot where tho skeleton was found, I discovered the skeleton of a young steer or heifer, . which had been buried in the peat; in a similar manner as that of the human skeleton, some of the bones being more than » foot underground.

The Nelson Colonist says that when H. R.H. the Dulce of Edinburgh visited Nelson he handed to the superintendent of the province (Mr 0. Curtis) the sum of L 25, with a desire that it might be expended in giving the ohildren a treat. Apparently this money has been lying in the bank ever since at interest, and ib is aaid that it has now grown to a sum of some L7O odd pounds. The children f or whom this was intended are now adults, many of them having children of their own, bufe there will bo no difficulty in the way of utilising this money at the time of the iubilee celebrations,