THE OAMARU TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1817, 23 April 1918, Page 3

THE OAMARU TRAGEDY.

HUNTING THE MURDERER. Oamaru, April 21. The police organised a search of the Kakanui river-bed to-day for Onsloy Mayhew, who is suspected of the perpetration of the Geramell Crossing murder. Fairly large parties of town and country residents assembled at the river crossing at 10 o’clock this morning, and under the direction of police officers, an extended search of the dense scrub and gorse was made. Parties in extended order searched down the river almost to ’Maheno, and at the time of telegraphing large parties are scouring towards the upper reaches of the river, but no trace of Mayhew has been discovered. In some places it is practically impossible to penetrate some of the thick undergrowth, and the scrub and gorse extend for about four miles east of the scene of the tragedy, and about six miles westward of the river, and the Kakanui takes its rise in very rough and inhospitable country. The condition of Miss Mary Burke, who was shot through the lung, shows little change, but she is still holding her own. The other woman, who received lesser wounds (Mrs Bambury), though pot opt of danger, is making fair progress.