WAIKATO MYSTERY

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1925, Page 4

WAIKATO MYSTERY

STORY OF DREAM THAT CAAIE TRUE. AUCKLAND, -February 2. In September last the remains of a body were found within five yards of the railway line running between Ifiiuiora and Okoroire. After an examination Dr ,1. T. Laureiismi gave it as his opinion that the remains were those if an adult male and that death had taken place quite six mouths, and possibly twelve months

previously. Although careful search was made on the spot, both by the doctor and the police, tbe only possible means of identification was a pocket wallet, containing only two stubs of lead pencil and upper and lower sets ol false teeth. No other personal belongings could lie found. Publication of the newspaper report of the mystery found seven claimants to the body, but none of these could satisfy the police. Every effort was made to find the dentist who had made the teeth, but without success, and it was generally thought that the last had lieou heard of this strange death when the Coroner returned a verdict to the effect that the body was that of a man. the identity of whom, was unknown, and that there was no means of finding how he came by his death. A still stranger story in connection with the matter is told by a farmer named Ferry, who was the finder ol the body in the first place, and who was present when the police took possession and during the time search was made for any belongings. ~ii- Ferry states that some time after the body was found, his wife had a dream that there was a watch on the spot which, incidentally, is’ within I()0 yards of the Ferry homestead. No special notice was taken of the dream, although Mrs Ferry informed her bus--

, hand because the latter had been present with the police, and had even buried those of the remains which could not be gathered up conveniently. Some days ago, however, the whole story was being related by the Ferrys to a lady visitor from Auckland, and the latter expressed a wish to see the place where the body was found and suggested that a further search should he conducted to see whether *• dreams really come true.” Mr Ferry states that a thorough search of the surroundings brought to i light an Ingersoll watch, a Mexican silver chain, a pair of gold-rimmed | pince-nez iit a case, a two-bladed pocket knife, a cigarette holder, rubber tobacco pouch and a small black comb. Mr Ferry also states that lie now recalls what sounded to film like a motor-car accident opposite the place about April last, at about seven o’clock one evening. The car, he says, was in the same position for some while, but ultimately moved oil. A striking feature of the whole story is the finding of the articles mentioned after a careful search of the place when the body was first seen by the police. Even now it is not surmised that any of the property found will lead to identification. There was originally the maker’s name on the pince-nez case, but this lias been obliterated by expose to the weather.