PETONE SENSATION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1642, 8 January 1913, Page 8

PETONE SENSATION.

CARTER'S STORY. HOW HE CAME TO WANDER, As reported yesterday, the contra! figur* in tho Petono sensation—Frank Carterreturned home, 48 hours later, in on hausted state nnd hungry. Ho tells of a mysterious experience, and how his : mind "became a blank.' "'. . In an interview with a reporter yesterday morning, Carter stated that on the night of the occurrence ho heard his father call, and, looking out of tho window, saw a man running to the front gate. He snatched up a coat and gave chase. Both men set off up Cuba Street towards Lower' Hutt, and when just past Manchester Stroot tho fugitive made off into a paddock. Carter (who states that he was gaininji on his man) followed, but only got a "few yards whon he fell heavily, • and he could,afterwards remember,nothing, -antil ho discovered himself on tho top of Wainui hills, four, miles from home, at midday on Monday. Ho wa« ~ then, covered in mud, wet through, and in an exhausted state. He slowly made his way back homo, whero ho arrived just niter 10' o'clock. ,i In answer to a question, the young man • said that when ho Mil over ho had a hazy idea that ho had to walk, but how he got-to Wainui was totally '.past, his comprehension. , , ■;'. .'■'/ To get to where ho was it was necessary to crass the Hutt and Waiwotu Rivers, which are both Beyond 'being stiff, and complaining of slight pain, in the head. Carter looks,little tho wono for the adventure. •■ • Carter further stated that lack, of .food : did not trouble him to any great degree, as on a previous occasion ho was "bushed . for threo' days, anl came. through all right. Ho would not bo able to identify ' -.the man whom he chased, but ho thought , that ho was about sft.' lOin. in houjht. ■ and was sure (hat ho wore rubbor shoes. Tin connection with yesterday's report,, of the affair, Mr. R. A. Scott, manager ol ; tho Wnirarapa, Farmers' Co-operative As-., sociation, writes: "In your report of th< y caw of tho disappearance of tho. man ' Carter at Petone, we noticed a statement that our cart was' delivering goods' at.' about 10.45 p.m. on Saturday'night. This*' ■ statement is incorrect,. as, jiono of' our '. carts were out after 6 p.m. on Saturday, also no vehicle of, ours went, to Pctoiu on Saturday.") ' '•' .. . .:.-■