POLICE SEARCH IN RAIN

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1934, Page 9

POLICE SEARCH IN RAIN

TE • KUITI MURDER CASE NO TRACE OF HUNTED MAORI. STORY OF THREE FAITHFUL DOGS. BARKING ATTRACTS ATTENTION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Te Kuiti, Oct. 15. Though a large force of police, settlers and bushmen is scouring the country near the scene of the Rangatoto tragedy, there is still no trace of the missing Maori, Henare Hona, who is suspected of murdering Mr. and Mrs. Davenport and their two sons. Heavy rain of 15 hours’ duration fell on Sunday night, making the task of the searchers more difficult. The area of the search is being widened, and a careful watch is being kept on all roads leading to the scene of the tragedy, especially that leading to Otewa, where the girl with whom the Maori was infatuated lived.

The debris left by the fire has been thoroughly searched for fresh evidence. A touching dog story was told by Sergeant G. J. Paine, Te Kuiti, in connection with the tragedy. The whare near which the body of Mr. Albert Davenport was found on Wednesday morning is situated on a hill 100 yards back from the road and about five miles to the west of the Davenport homestead. During the early hours of Wednesday morning several police cars passed the whare and were attracted by the barking of an Airedale dog. The police were concentrating on events w’hich had occurred at the homestead and did not stop at the whare.

Later they were informed by two Maoris who had slept in the whare on Tuesday night that they had found a body. They did not go near it, and were unable to say whether it was the remains of a white man or a Maori. Three dogs stood guard over the body. When the police arrived the Airedale was hostile. He was calmed, and when the body was being removed to a car, the three dogs got into a line and walked in procession behind the body of their dead master.