OHINEMURI.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1944, 29 March 1875, Page 2

OHINEMURI.

Missing I/Ean's Body found in the Creek.

(FEOM OUR OWN COBBEBPONDENT.) r •■■ ■■■ ..: ; v MaCKAYTOWN, ■>;i':-' - '■; •J' :* :■ Sunday Kight. There is no mining news of interest, the holidays having, interfered with the progress of operations.. A painful excitement has prevailed owing to the disappearance of ,a young fellow named Booker, of which I advised you on Saturday, and whose dead body was found yesterday. I told you that search had been made, and that no clue had been discovered as to his whereabouts. Further, that fresh parties were about to itart out and aid. in the search. Well, on Saturday morning a party of about 20 men was got together by Jack Leydon. There were four of the Armed Constabulary and four Maories, and the mates of the missing man, who had had an anxious time, of it lince Thursday, and were pretty well tired out. This party divided, one half on each side the Ohineniufiriver, with Maories in each party. About four miles up they came to a clear country, and it was considered useless to go further in that direction, as it was unlikely Booker could have found his way oufc of the bush. They therefore returned to camp, searching every creek and gully on the way back". They arrived at half-past four. A deep hole bad beennoticed in the creek near where deceased and his mates were camped, and one of the^party—Jim Morris by name, who appears to have come up from Canterbury with deceased*, and was very much cut up —said he was convinced, Booker would not be found.far away, and that" he couldn't get rid of the idea that he had fallen into the creek. The searchhad to be abandoned for the night* Coming into Mackaytown, Leydon procured the. services of a bellman who went round to ring up for volunteers, and also this morning, so that at the time of starting to-day there were between 70 and 80 men rvady and willing to prosecute the search; amongst the party being several storekeepers, namely, Leydorij, Whitby, Aubrey and Ward. Before for the search it' was decided "to have a conference with a view to'systematic work and signals. Leydon was chosen leader, and he told off six men to dive into the different pools in the creek. Three of these were Armed Constabulary and the other three volunteers. Leydon then placed tho others at about 20,ja-ds apar ; 1 so that each- could communicate with his neighbor, rpTwjt of rendesvouz being^agreed upon. s *Iney crossed the river; and commenced tLe search, making most careful investigation into every nook, but found no trace. 'J Jiey camo upon the frame of a bullock in a mass of supplejacks and dense scrub, which seemed impenetrable, and how the bullock got there seemed to be a mystery, unless the undergrowth had sprung up since the animal got into the trap. At half past 2, the party bad arrived at the point agreed upon, and were about returning when they heard a gun fbed. This was the signal that some discovery had been made. On returning to the tent of Booker's party, it became known that deceased's bat had been picked up. At tho tent dinner was prepared, after which the search was renewed, the creek being the object of the investigation. It was suggested to cut ti-tree saplings, of which there r ere plenty, and use them to dra^ the creek. This was done, and the party divided again, Leydon and feveral others going in the direction oif the water Hole referred to. Mr Ward, store-, keeper, tried^he hole with his stick, and said he felt something. Constable CJeary who was probing a couple of feet away, al-'o felt something, and by their united efforts the something was brought to the. surface and proved to be the body of Booker. Leydon and Bcs'tick seized the body and hauled it on shore. It was at once searched : by, Constable Cleary, who found on deceased a watch (which had stoped at 1.25) ; a purse containing two-five pound and" two one-pound notes; two receipt stamps and receipted bills from Eiccarton, Canterbury ; a three-penny piece, knife, tobacco and pipe case. Tho water hole was eighteen feet deep. The signal agreed upon was then given, and the search party quickly mustered, a stretcher was extemporised,

and the body was carried into Maokaytown followed by over 70 men. On arrival it was deposited at Leydon'ff Fraser's Arms to await the inquest. There was a sevcro wound on the ey#, which, bled freely, and a wound under the chin.' The place where the body wag found was a deep hole, under a projecting rock. It is conjectured that deceased jk angered from, the tent, bent on explor* ing the crock, as he took a glass with him. Coining to this pool, the Duah Til . impenetrable. There was no waj^oJL,. going further except by climbing the rock „ or going through the w-ter. It is supposed that Booker attempted the former, slipped, and received.the blow in the fall which made the bruise on the eye*, - stunned him, and prevented any attempt at swimming. The body had riot-thef appearance of having been exerted ill any way. The deceased and his mates were working a claim near to that pegged by Messrs. Clarkeon, Coble* and party, and the latter were amongst the most prominent and indefatigable in the search.

I must not omit to pay a .well-deserved tribute to the efforts of the A.C. men. * They worked well, and they and the three volunteers who searched the creek dived until they were nearly perished with cold.In striking contrast with this I-'.cannot withhold one fact. Some of the party went to Owen's store for some spirits to revive the men who had been diving, and Owen would give them nothing unless „ they went to the store, a quarter of a mile '* away. Some time after he gave a bottle each of brandy, runi and gin, taking care * to have a tip-top price for the same before he let it out of his" shanty. If he haa ' been in some places under similar circumstances, and with a different class pf.mW to deal with, he would have found that ' diggers know how to help themselves oh a pinch. , i n returning to Mackaytown ' to-day the party were thoroughly out* and Ley don knocked in the head of a cask of beer, al which many refreshed themselves. The body," of Booker was taken in charge by bub Inspector Newall, who has only, returned from Zatikati. Leydon and one of deceased's mates have been despatched to Shortland for a Coroner, and the inquest will take.place to-mprrow.. The three prospectors whom I mentioned as baring dined with deceased's party on the day - he was missed, have been amongst the searchers. They say they left him in, the tent. It is evident that deceased met 1 with the accident-which caused his death only a few minutes after his mates re- 5 , ; sumed work, and within cooee. Hig : watch must have stopped at 1.26 p.m., ai it was not nearly run down. His.pipe.is missing, most likely he was smoking it when;he fell from, the rock.. The.event has caused a general feeling of sadness; Booker had only been'here a few. days, having come from the south Hisfather

is a farmer, at Upper Eiccartqn, Canter- .., bury, and he has been apprised of' the melancholy event by. telegram. [Mr J. E. Macdonald, coroner, went up the river to-day, and by pit;eoDgram received at half-past "three we learned thfti the inquest was proceeding.—Ed']