THE WALTAKI MYSTERY.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 76, 10 April 1877, Page 3

THE WALTAKI MYSTERY.

The following remarks from the North Otago Times add weight to the report which we published on Saturday, to the effect that the exertions to save the poor fellow who was drowned in the Waitaki recently were not nearly so vigorous as they ought to have been :—" Concerning this sad affair, Mr Johnston, architect, called at our office last evening, and stated that about a month ago, when on his way to Messrs Lee's and Moore's property, situated on north bank of the Waitaki, he noticed a man on the island, answering to the description of the poor fellow on whose body an inquest will be held to-day. Mr Johnston was driving up the road, which runs parallel with the Waitaki, and the man walked up the island, waving his coat to attract attention. This was on the morning of the 15th February; Next morning, at about half-past 9, Mr Johnston returned to the

Waitaki bridge, on his way to Oamaru, and while there made it his duty to give full particulars of what he had seen to Constable Lewis (the mounted trooper stationed there.) He (Mr. Johnston) drew a sketch i)f the island, which he gave to the trooper, told him how far it was up the river, and added (when the constable said ' he would ride, up and have a look at the place,) that it was no use his going unless he took a boat up with him, as it was then impossible to. ford or swim the river. Mr. Johnston also informed the trooper that there was a light boat at Buckley and McLean's station, which he could get on his way up. We believe the constable rode up the river, bad a look at some island (which one we do not know) and then returned -to his cosey quarters at the Waitaki bridge. Now we would like to know how it is this policeman did not hire a dray to take up the boat to the island, as he was advised to do by Mr. Johnston. Does Mr. Mounted Trooper Lewis ever think that through his perverse" and pigheaded conduct this poor fellow's life was sacrificed? we would also like to know whether he is ever, troubled with dreams of being alone on an island in the Waitaki, day after day, without a morsel of food to eat, while a policeman, not many miles away was doing his_ best to kill time by sauntering round the railway station, and lazily watching the passengers as they arrived by the different trains.. We called upon this trooper's superior officers to have a full investigation made into this affair, and if it is proved that this man did his duty as a policeman that we will be prepared to say that the sooner the duties of policemen are assimilated to tbose of men possessed of an earnest wish to assist those in distress, the better will it be for the public who pay these men, and the greater credit will attach to the force to which they belong. Besides, if this constable is a mart, he should— now the matter has been made public— court the fullest inquiry, so that, if he has done his duty, we may have the pleasure of publishing it, and that he may be cleared from the blame which is now pretty freely bestowed upon him and as it appeared to us with great reason. That a man should be seen in distress, as the deceased was, and be allowed the alternative of either starving to death or running an almost certain risk of being drowned, is in these days of civilisation, well nigh incredible ; yet this is precisely what has happened within a dozen miles of Oamaru."