POLICE REPORT NO IMPORTANT NEW DEVELOPMENT IN MAN HUNT: UNREMITTING VIGILANCE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 49, 4 February 1949, Page 5

POLICE REPORT NO IMPORTANT NEW DEVELOPMENT IN MAN HUNT: UNREMITTING VIGILANCE

No Trace Of Murderer

So far the man hunted by the Police has not been found. There were no important new developments yesterday, according to police reports. ... . Naturally, the whole district is seething with rumour and ; speculation, but Inspector Mclntyre, in charge of the investigations in this district says that, while every possible clue ; -is being followed, every fresh story probed carefully; no new • tangible facts have come to light. Nor have any ae- *■ finite traces been found in the bush areas the searchers have covered.

Though the story that a man who could have been the fugitive crossed the Rangitaiki River in the early hours of Wednesday morning is not dismiss- ' ed lightly by the police, there seems a baffling absence of indications as to his further movements to support it. Unremitting vigilance is being maintained at all key points by police and civilian volunteer guards. All vehicles are being checked. Yesterday the main body of sear•chers still concentrated on the Te ' Teko-Matahina area. However, if the is lurking in that difficult bush-clad country, it might be days before he makes a move that , will .give a definite clue to his whereabouts. Sooner or later he must Heave a trace of his presence. The possibility that he has committed suicide rather than be gathered into the net cannot be ignored, in which case a long time might -elapse before the fact could be established with certainty. It is also not impossible that he made the most of a slim start to get right out of the district. “Mustn't Speculate” Responsible police officers would offer no theories for publication yesterday, beyond expressing their determination to get their man or establish beyond doubt that he is dead. Bombarded with a spate of theories and rumours, Inspector McIntyre offered no comment, beyond repeating his assurance that every -clue was being carefully followed. “But,” he added, “we mustn’t speculate.” Quiet Night Police rushed to Awakeri last night to investigate a report that a figure had been seen to ' emerge from a culvert across the road and make off furtivei ly. It was found to have been nothing more dangerous than a Maori woman who had been doing her washing in the stream. Reports from other search sectors indicate a quiet night.