RANGITOTO TRAGEDY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18526, 12 October 1934, Page 13

RANGITOTO TRAGEDY

ARDUOUS SEARCH BUSH

MISSING MAORI YOUTH' SUICIDE NOTE FOUND (Per Press Association.) TE KUITT, this day. There has been no tangible developm.otn in the Rangitoto tragedy. A dozen police are camped in a v.'liare near the burned homestead. The bush is so dense that it. is impossible to penetrate far to search, for the missing Maori. A revolver that is not accounted for may be in the debris of the fire.

Preparations have been made for an extended, stay of police on the spot, as the search may be long and arduous. The missing Maori is a member of the Ngupuhi tribe. He was bora at Hokianga 20 years ago, and had worked for Major Westmacott for the last 12 month's. He was always regarded as a. good youth, and was well liked by members of I lie local Maniapolo tribe. Major Westmaeotl said the youth returned home on Sunday night and went to his quarters near the dairy, a mile from Major Wcstmacott’s house. When 'the day’s work started, the youth appeared to he very gloomy, and a note was found in his room suggesting that lie intended to commit suicide. The holt was removed from a rifle in the youth’s room.

■ The youth assisted ivitli the milking on Tuesday morning, and later Major Westmacott was advised that the youth had disappeared and taken the rifle with him. Major Wostmaeott immediately called two employees and a neighbor and organised a search. The country surrounding Major Westmacott ’s and Mr Mussen’s homes is extremely hilly, nnd there is a great deal of dense bush. Die four men formed; two parties and' scoured the hills to the south of Rangitoto mountain, between Major Westmacott’s and Mr Davenport ’s. INFATUATION FOR GIRL Two members of the party came across the tracks of a litoff in the dense bush. These had the appearance of being made bv a mail in a great hurry, and were traced for a mile through the hush ami swamp. The tracks led to the Davenport property, eight, miles away, in a direct line over the hills. Day was drawing to |a close and the, search was discontinued.

'Late that evening, the police went o-ut to Mr Davenport’s and discovered the tragedy. . Major Westmacott knew' of no grievance the missing youth had against the Davenports. It has since been learned that the boy called at the home of Mr L B. Cruickshank, at Otewa, at 11 p.m. on Sunday. He asked for a rifle, stating that he wanted it to capture a bandit. The request was refused, and considerable pressure had to be brought on the native before he would leave.

Among the effects found in the young man’s room was a patheticallyworded! note of farewell written in verse. A sheaf of letters he had received from a girl with whom lie apparently was infatuated was also found. * As a precaution, the girl has been taken by her patents into-Otoro-hanga. The funeral of the four victims will take place this. afternoon, when all business places in Tc Kuiti will (be closed for an hour as a mark of respect.