A MYSTERY OF THE BUSH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18043, 31 December 1926, Page 24

A MYSTERY OF THE BUSH.

Mr IV. W. Smart, of Richlands Havelock North, writes:—l have read Mr Upton's story, "A Mystery of the Bush. with a good deal of pleasure and l can testify to the following facts re the sad occurrence. I knew Anderson. and played cricket with him at Kakaia at the end of year 1877. He was then employed 'at Highbank Station (Manager, Mr Allen). Mv rnemory tells me lie disappeared from that station. A search partv was organised for miles along the banks of the. Rakaia, a most difficult, task through Matagouri (wild Irishman*) without result. 1 would like to ask Mr Upton if he can give an approximate date of when the Methven Hotel was built. There was none there in January. 1878. Perhaps Mr Upton will remember a competition with reaper and binders which took place at that time in a field of oats, the property of Robert Patton The licensee of the Barr Hill Hotel obtained a conditional license to sell liquor on the ground. He arrived there about 10 a.m. with the goods, but finding that no provision had been made in the shape of a tent or otherwise, he turned his team round and went home without opening up. The reaping match being over, Mr Patton brought a barrel of beer. Then in a few minutes there was a scraggin’ match and Donnybrook in full swing. Mr Winter .remarked to me—“ Gould nothing be done to stop the fight?” I replied that he might try his hand at it, but I did not want to buy a new suit of clothes just then. Mr Patton had the first hotel built at Methven. J believe he was the first licensee. Could Mr Upton give the name of the owner of Mount Hutt Station fifty years ago? 1 was at the Accommodation House at Alford Forest at the end of 1867. Could Mr Upton name the licensee? I have forgotten it. About the date when Anderson disappeared a very sad and painful tragedy occurred near Ilighbank Station. A man who was walking close to a high bank fell over it, and broke his leg at the thigh. He lay where he fell until he died of starvation. He happened to have pencil and paper, and wrote down his experiences of suffering daily so long as he was atsJe. Very shortly afterwards his body was found by a shepherd employed on Highbank Station. Could Mr Upton give the unfortunate man's name?