BOY MISSING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5664, 8 September 1896, Page 4

BOY MISSING.

A correspondent supplies the following: — A lad. named Charles Cook, about fifteen years of age, who. had been living on Mr F. Denton's farm in the Heathstock back country, some three months ago disappeared rather mysteriously. It appears that Cook, who had with him two dog 3, was allowed to go out with a gun, some time about the third week in June, and has not since been seen or heard of. One of the dogs returned home on the third day, and the other a fortnight later, but no trace could be found of the boy. Mr Denton reported the matter to some relatives of the boy residing at Waikari, who in turn reported it to the police officer at Culverden, but so far no steps appear to have been taken towards any organised search. The lad was of a somewhat erratic and unsettled temperament, and had been talking of going to the North Island, which appears at first to have been considered sufficient to account for- his disappearance, but as his clothes and other effects are still at Mr Denton's, that theory would hardly appear tenable. He was an orphan, and had been reared in the family of Mr Powell, of Ainberley, as a ward of the. North Canterbury Charitable Aid Board, until about a year ago, when he reached an age at which the Board's responsibilities ceased/