MISSING FOR TWO DAYS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5044, 27 October 1926, Page 2

MISSING FOR TWO DAYS.

KOMATA GIRL LEAVES HOME.

SEARCH PARTIES’ ANXIOUS TIME.

The wanderings of Lavina Violet Dally, aged 13 years, daughter of Mr and Mrs, C. Dally, Ko'ma,ta Reefs, caused her parents considerable anxiety during the week-end. It appears that on Friday morning last the girl left her home to attend the Komata South school. En route to school she met a farmer named Gibso'n ,and told him she wa£ going for a holiday. No further notice was taken of the incident, at the time.

Later in the afternoon Mr and Mrs A. R. Robinson, of Hikutaia, were returning to their home by car when they passed the girl on the roadside. They gave her a lift, and she told them she w.as going to see her grandmother at Wharepoa. Fearing that matters were not quite right, Mrs Robinson took the girl into the hotuse, and after partaking of tea. Mr Robinson drove her home to her parents at Komata Reefs. On arrival at the; house Mrs Dally came but oil to the road, and while she was; in conversation with Mr Robinson at the car the girl got out and went inside. When Mrs Dally returned to the house it was found that the girl had hurriedly changed her clothes and had disappeared, and no .trace could be found of her. It was presumed that she had gone out of the house by the back door, and, crossing the Komata Creek, had made over the hills towards the bush.

Constable McClinchy, Paeroa, was informed of the matter, and search parties immediately set out. The search continued until late on Saturday night, but without suc'cess. During the day footprints were folund on the clay track leading from the bus towards the old battery site. There was also evidence of a nikau pallm having been disturbed, and some leaves showed ma.rks of having been eaten. There were also bare-foot marks round the trees.

Careful inquiries from the residents at Komata elicited the information that’ the girl had been seen about 8.30 o’clock on Saturday morning, and had asked if anyone going to Paeroa, as her mother wished to go to that town. From that time no trace or sign could be found of the girl, despite the efforts of the search parties.

Abdut 9.30 o’clock on Sunday night Constable McClinchy had just returned to Paeroa after searching all day when 'a ; dvice was received at the police .station to the effect that the missing girl had called at the residence of Mr N. R. Robson, on Thames Road. Constable McClinchy immediately procured a car and went to Mr Robson’s, and after notifying the parents he brought the girl to the police station, where she was made comfortable, for the night. The girl, who wag latei: claimed by her parents, was in an exhausted state, and co'uld give no reason for her wanderings, but stated that on the Saturday night she had slept under a hedge, on a farm.