POLICE SEARCHING

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 106, 21 May 1937, Page 10

POLICE SEARCHING

- Pres> Assooiation.)

. : rf yg ;fDragging Operations Ip Manawata §iyer

(By Telegraph-

.. PALhfE^TON ^, This Day. 41thobSh three days have elapsed . smce a car presumably driven by Ifr. Yictor Johnsop, a tmve}lPT> Island Bay, Mellington, crashed into the Manawatu river near the Ballance bflidge, poUce afjtempts tp recover a body frQjn the river have so far been ■ unsuccessful. Probing has been carried out for sopie distance, but heavy silt Jeposits have niade it diij&cult to searph the deep pools thoroughly. Swimming in cold waters beceme almost a routinb job for the searchlng constehles. Masfer Patrick Skinner, Woodville, who is a pupil at St. Patrick 's College, Silverstream, gave valuable assistanpo by diving into the deep holes wherp it is impossible to reach the bottom with the pjoles. It has been established by the police thaf Mr. Johnson was at the Commercial Hotel in Pahiatua from 4 o'c|pch till 5.45 on Mondav afternoon. He yas then in hi? hsua^ spirits- On leayipg he remarhed to the licenseo that he intended to go on to Andrews' Hotel in Dannevirke where ho would have dinner and spend the night. The police aTe anxions to obtain information that will enable them to trace his mqvements between when he lef t Pahiatqn and the tijne the aceident oecurfedMrs. Johnson did not accompany her husb.and as it is undorstood she sometimee djd. and she is at preaent in V/eJlington.