FINDING OF A DEAD BODY.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 243, 30 January 1875, Page 3

FINDING OF A DEAD BODY.

Intelligence reached an official in Ngaruawahia some days back that some natives had found the body of an infant enclosed in a bag, with a brick attached, floating in the Waikato river, near Churchill. The natives peeped into the mouth of the bag, whether on account of the smell or their natural superstition, they immediately returned it to the river. The first official to whom the affair was reported made enquiries, from which ho concluded that there was room for suspicion that the unfortunately common crime of infanticide had been perpetrated. He having to proceed to Auckland, telegraphed to another Government official resident in Cambridge, well versed in the native language, and supposed to possess a keen scent for the detection of crime. He started immediately, and rode hard to Ngaruawahia, look a drink at the Delta, and immediately started in search of a bjat. He told the story to a storekeeper, who owns one, he of course in the interest of justice lent it willingly. The official from Cambridge immediately got in and started down the river in gallant style. He made enquiries as he went past the different settlements, but got no tangible information till he reached Churchill. Here he interviewed an old Maori woman who said she had looked into the bag and saw the hair of a child, the body being much decomposed. She returned it to the river, and thought it might be found a few miles further down. Away started the energetic Cambridge official; he at last succeededin finding the bag described; he opened it (having got a Maori to hold his nose tight while lie did so); imagine his disgust, the bag only contained —a very old-fashioned tom cat. He is very irate, and it is dangerous to mention cat in his hearing,—lFiriLzto Tinies.