THE WAIKARI MYSTERY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5689, 7 October 1896, Page 1

THE WAIKARI MYSTERY.

A correspondent, who is anjaous that the disappearance of the boy, Charles Cook, should be kept before the public, in the hope tha6 the mystery will be cleared up, has supplied the following connected account of the affair, and Mr Alexander : Cameron, the boy's uncle, has attested to the accuracy of the statement : — On Sunday, June 21, Mr Denton and the boy Charles Cook left Dungeon Creek, thirteen > miles from Waikari, to go to the Virginia country, about thirty miles to the northwest of Waikari, on the Horsely Down run. , They went by way of Birchdale, arrived at Laing's hut the same night and camped there. The weather being wet, they re- j mained at the place on Monday. On Tnes- , day, the rain continuing, Mr Denton decided to push on to the Virginia country and told the boy to remain at -the hut till he returned. On Friday he returned, but ! found the boy had gone, taking with him his gun and two dogs. On Saturday Mr ' Denton returned to Dungeon Creek, the \ homestead, and there found the boy's watch, : which he had taken with him, hanging : up in its usual place ; also that the bed ■ had been slept in, and that someone bad . taken a meal in the place. As the boy did ; not come into the house by Monday, Mr ! Denton went to Waikari and reported the matter to Cook's uncle, Mr A. Cameron. In reply to a question from Mr Cameron as \ to whether there was^any chance of the boy having met with an accident, Mr Denton said he did not think so, but was sure the boy had gone away to the rabbit country rabbiting, or to the North Island, ] and he would turn up all right. A few days afterwards Mr Denton came to Waikari and reported to Mr Cameron that one of the dogs had returned, ancl again and on .several occasions afterwards Mr Denton declared there was no fear of his having met with a mishap. About three weeks afterwards he reported that the other dog had come homo. Mr Cameron feeling sure that some mishap had overtaken. Cook, then suggested that the police should be informed, but Mr Denton opposed such step being taken, and still held that the boy would turn up. Mr Cameron, however, soon afterwards reported the matter to the police, who told him to ask Denton to make a search- for the boy and inform them of the result. Mr Denton said it was not his place to make the search, but he would make one of a.search.party if it were formed. A party was organised by the police on Sunday, Sept. 13, but as is already known thesearch proved fruitless. The same evening the police received information that a sugar, bag containing a powder flask* shot pouch and sheath knife had be e n found close to the track between Laing's hut and the Virginia hut, and only about two miles from the latter. These things Mr Denton identified as his, and the find indicated that the boy had gone inland instead of returning to pungeon Creek. The police party then went out, and their search also proved unsuccessful. One of the chief points to notice in connection with the mystery of the boy's disappearance is how did the watch get back to the house at Dungeon Creek, as it seems certain the boy never returned ; in fact, it was impossible for him to get home without being seen, for the reason that had he gone by way of Birchdale he would have called somewhere for food, as he would have passed a number of houses. On the other hand, he could hardly have gone by way of Tommy's Creek (the other road), as he would be compelled to ford the Waipara, which was in flood all that week, and either impassable or very dangerous to cross.