MYSTERY OF LONELY TOWN.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 April 1921, Page 5

MYSTERY OF LONELY TOWN.

DISAPPEARANCE OF RESIDENT. FEARS OF FOUL PLAY. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, April 1. The mysterious disappearance of Patrick Richard Elliott, aged about 35 years, a platelayer employed on the Taupo-Tbtara Timber Company railway, from Ongaroto last Sunday is being investigated by the police. Foul play is feared. Ongaroto is a small milling township about seven miles from Atiamuri. Elliott lived in a whare near the station. A young Maori, Hakaraia Te Kahu, a returned soldier and a platelayer employed by the same company, occupied an adjoining whare. On Sunday both men went shooting along the banks of the Waikato River. They called at a farm and borrowed a sporting dog, Elliott, is is stated, promising to return for tea.

During the afternon several shots were heard in the vicinity of the river. Elliott did not call in for tea as promised, and as he 'was not seen by Tuesday morniAg, the neighbors became anxious .and a search was instituted.

The country is wild and rugged and difficult to search. No trace of the missing man was found until a dog with one of the party discovered a dead wild duck on the bank of the river a short distance above some rapids. Closer investigation revealed bloodstains on stones near the water, also on ti-tree for over 20 yards back from the river. Dragging operations have been in progress without success, and will be resumed to-day with appliances suited to deep water. The M/ori stated to the police that he and Elliott returned home after being out shooting. Next morning he saw Elliott in his (Elliott’s) whare. He then went to Mokai. He returned to Ongaroto on Tuesday morning. He was asked where Elliott was, and stated that he saw him bist in the whare before leaving for Mokai on the previous day. Eliott is reported to have' had a largo sum of money in his possession. He suffered from neuritis. There is a possibility of suicide or of Elliott having accidentally shot himself and fallen into the river, but the police viewhas been tha: thefre was foul play. Some of the ti-tree is to be examined by experts to ascertain whether the blood is human cr animal.