LONG SEARCH ENDS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 91, 14 August 1942, Page 5

LONG SEARCH ENDS

ELDERLY MAN'S DEATH

MISSING FOR TWELVE DAYS

The discovery of the body of Michael Cooney Ryan, aged 84 years, a well known farmer who lived for many years at Nukuhou North, was made on Friday by Mr James Baxter, a shepherd of Kutarere. The body was lying in a paddock a few chains from the home of Mr Harry Tipping of Nukuhou, three miles away from his own home. At about noon on July 2(i defeased went for a walk on his son's farm. He Avas not seen alter that and intensive searches were made by the police and large bodies of local residents organised by the Home Guard. Deceased being an old man of 84 years, it was thought he would not travel far, but on August 7 he was found three miles away oil the farm of Mr Harry Tipping of Nukuhou, having travelled over steep country. He was dead, and a post mortem examination showed that he died of hemorrhage of the j brain. An inquest was held into the death! of Mr Ryan at the Opotiki Police Station and after revciwing the evidence tli Coroner, Mr F. J. Short, brought in a verdict of death from cerebral hemorrhage. He referred to the sad circumstances connected with the late Mr M. C. Ryan's death. He said that Mr Ryan had been connected with this district for! over 30 years and had been a very I highly respected citizen and when it became known that he was missing from his son's home at Nukuhou it cast quite a gloom over the whole district. The coroner then said he would like to commend the action of the neighbours and all those who had turned out to assist in the search and help in any way they could: also the valuable help rendered by the Police Department under Inspector McLean. "T am sure it must have been very gratifying to the relatives to know that the very best was being done to clear up the mystery of Mr Ryan's disappearance," the coroner said "in conclusion.