MURDER MANHUNT

Waikato Times, Volume 194, Issue 22353, 20 May 1944, Page 4

MURDER MANHUNT

TOKOMARU BAY TRAGEDY SEARCH FOR AN EMPLOYEE (By Telegraph.—Press Association) GISBORNE, Saturday. The search for a missing employee on Bexhaven Station, Tokomaru Bay, has continued without remission since the finding of the body of Mrs Lois Rosamond Mill on Thursday evening with her head battered and a belt, tightly drawn about her neck More than 100 settlers have been organised and night and day they are on the alert. They are concentrating their efforts on the bush within a 15-mile radius of the Bexhaven homestead, some on foot and others on horseback, and although traces of the person were discovered not far from the home yesterday, nothing further has been found. Police and settlers are conducting the search under extreme difficulties. Shortly after the arrival of the police from Gisborne at midnight on Thursday the weather began to deteriorate. The police were not clothed for outdoor work in wet weather, and their uniforms soon became mud-bespat-tered. Last night heavy rain began and this morning Bexhaven Station was isolated from wheeled traffic. The station is 25 miles inland from Tokomaru Bay on the Ihungia Road, and the road for seven miles becomes a bog in bad weather. Cars attempting the journey this morning were either axle-deep or or could not be kept on the slippery portions. Problem of Supply

A serious problem of supply has been caused in catering for the large number of men who have joined in the search. Last night 22 police and neighbouring settlers camped in homestead and station buildings, and at 9.30 a.m. today the party was still without breakfast. They were still waiting for food to come from Tokomaru Bay today. The difficulty has been intensified with the organisation of many more settlers, who number more than 100. Pack horses are being used to take supplies of food to the station.

Police Inspector D. A. Mac Lean expressed admiration of the settlers who had assisted the police under the worst possible weather in the search of the homestead and neighbourhood. The police have not been able to discover any trace of a weapon.

The search party is well armed, for the missing employee is known to be in possession of a shot gun and several cartridges. The police are armed with rifles and automatic revolvers and the settlers have brought whatever shot guns and rifles they can muster. The description of the missing employee given by the police says he is a Maori boy who has just tuftied 15. He is of big build and fairly tall. Mrs Mill leaves four children, whose ages range from 6 years to 15. Bexhaven Station is set among the hills, but is not Isolated. The outside staff employed on the station numbered three. Within a mile of the homestead lives the victim’s brother-in-law, Mr J. (Jimmy) Mill, the famous All Black halfback, and another homestead, is not far away.