WEIRD QUEST

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 575, 5 July 1933, Page 6

WEIRD QUEST

three men return SEEKING THE BODIES OF * SUPPOSED MURDERED MEN. PRISONiER'S CONFESSION. Perth, Saturday. Three men have returned to Perth from a strange quest. I They went to test the remarkable story, revealed in Th'e Sunday Sun last week, and allegedly told by "Snowy" Rowles to a prison mate, of his having murdered Louis Carron, iGeorge Lloyd and James Ryan. Rowles, who was hanged for the murder of Carron in the wilds of the Murchison country, is stated to have resented the imputation that he murdered Ryan for his truck, and Lloyd and Carron for their cheques. Rowles' story, as recounted by a mate, who had been in gaol with him, was that a dispute arose as to the purchase by Rowles of a truck from Ryan. A fight broke out, and Rowles killed both Ryan and Lloyd, and later killed Carron, because the latter was going to "pimp." Trio Set Out. Rowles' mate in gaol said he promised that when he was free he would go to the wilds of the Murchison country, find the bodies of Ryan and Lloyd, and prove .that the triple murder had not been as sordid as was believed. iWith two others, Rowles' mate set out from the city by car. Bogged to the axles several times, skidding and sliding along the narrow road that follows the rabbit-proof fence up north, they came at last to a gate on which had been scrawled: "14 miles to Death's Gate." Within half an hour they reached the end of their long journey— the •hut at 183 mile peg, along the track towards the bore, where Rowles bufned Carron's body. INext day they began their search, but they had not been going long before they realised its utter hopelessness. In four years since "Snowy" Rowles claimed to have buried the two men, heavy rains had filled in tracks that marked the tortuous course through the mulga bushes, and scrub had grown. where there previously had been bare land. Winds that sweep down the Murchison in winter had torn down big trees in their path, and flung them yards away. Searching for hour after hour, digging whenever the contour of the country or the situation of trees suggested u spot similar to that described by Rowles, the three men found no trace of the bodies of Lloyd and Ryan,

Two-Men Chased Believed to have been concerned in the conversion of a. motor car owned by Mr.- E. C. Day, of Hamilton, and with having stolen a ease and a. tin of benzine from Mr. N. Blomquist's store at Katikati, two men were chased for some distance along the Katikati railwa.y line by Constable O'Neill on Sunday evening. The men, however, successfully eluded the constabl^ and later Mr. Day's car was found undamaged near the Katikati Hotel. Southern Skiing Ground A party of Invercargill enthusiasts has been searching for skiing grounds and in the vicinity of Bannockburn found an excellent field giving a mile run at a height of 3500 feet. It is considered that the snow wiill 'be perfect by the end of this month. Trapping Operations With the marked revival in rabbit skin prices, farmers in various parts of the district are engaging in trapping operations. The increased market valu-e, of the sbins has already had a noticeable effecrti upon the number of rabbits at Reporoa and in other parts of the district where they are plentiful. It is reported also that opossum •trapping is being carried out in the heavy bush country on the shores of I Lake Rotoiti.

Fire Board^f In a Gazette notice published last Thursday the following have been appointed or elected members of fire boards in the Bay of Plenty district: Appointment by Governor-General — Hon. J. B. iGow (Opotiki), and Mr. F. Goodson (Rotorua). Elected by fire insurance companies: Messrs H. S. Malcolm, A. E. Moore (Rotorua Board); H. Clay, C. H. Wyatt (Opotiki Board). Elected by contributory local auth'orL ties: Messrs Thomas Jackson, George H. French (Rotorua); Francis J. Short, Stephen Shalfoon (Opotiki).