WILL INSTINCT SOLVE PROBLEM?

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19239, 28 November 1930, Page 7

WILL INSTINCT SOLVE PROBLEM?

TRAINED DOGS MIGHT HAVE FOUND TRAIL. (Special to the “Star.”) GREVMOUTH. November 2S. “If we had a dog trained in tracking, in the earlv stages of the search, it is possible that the mystery might now be cleared up." This statement was made to-dav bv a member of the search party which is at present looking for some trace of Ernest Burr. It was a great pity, he said, that the police had no dogs 'on whose instincts thev could call in an emergency. “Although the scent was a week old when we lirst heard that Burr was missing, it is possible that a highly trained dog might have been able to pick up a trail, and by now’ our search might be over.’’ . The nature of the country, he pointed out. made it practically impossible for the searchers to cover it thoroughly-. In addition to some of it being virtually virgin forest, there were large tracts covered with a heavy second growth, tree-ferns and blackberry bushes. It was all hills and hollows, with the hollows for the most part filled with stagnant water. In addition the very numerous abandoned shafts and the'many streams combine to form obstacles, which only months of careful searching with an army of men could overcome. To a dog following a scent these obstacles would mean nothing. It was probable that in the present instance all scent would have been killed by the heavy rain, but the indications that the disappearance was due to foul play were so strong that every avenue should be explored. The searcher held that the dog found on Tuesday night might be able to gi' e a very good clue. There were some in the party who were dubious, holding that the possibility was too vague to be worth considering, but in the speaker s opinion they would be making a great mistake if they did not test out the dog to see where it would lead them. “A dog’s instinct,” he said, “is past our understanding.” (An earlier report appears on Page 5).