OROUA DOWNS MYSTERY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2245, 25 August 1891, Page 3

OROUA DOWNS MYSTERY.

(Wellington Press) Constable Gillespie, of Foxton, has forwarded to Inspector Thomson further particulars regarding the skeleton found on the Oroua Downs some weeks ago. He states: — «On Thursday, the 6th instant, I proceeded to the grave where the skele-! ton was found, and commenced a search for the swag reported to have been* seen by the boys. Mr G. Robinson, settler, of Foxton, was with me, and gave nssistance. At a distance of 150 yards frojn the spot where the skeleton was fgkaid I discovered the remains only of the following articles : A calico tent, two blankets, pair of dark tweed trousers, pair white cotton drawers, white and red ahirts, wire hair brush and comb, and rfjgd handkerchief with yellow border, Iftailor's thimble, match box, two swag Htraps, (one with a very large buckle), a pair 1 of waterproof boots, with pair of stocks inside. The boots appear to have been worn for some time, and have been repaired with boot protectors similar to those found with the skeleton. The articles appear to have been lying where found for two or three years if not more, and I think they must have belonged to the man whose remains were found near. ' From the position and appearance of the body I imagine that the man must have partly undressed and then rested or slept between the two flaxbushes where the awag wasn'tound, and after - ; resting had got up and wandered to the place where the skeleton was found and died there. He may have had delirium ' „ tremens and died by his own hand, or .' died a natural death. In a former report • ""flfstated that I thought the man had met with foul play. I thought so then through ,„. the skeleton having apparently been "'" buried in the peat,; but I am now of ■.. opinion thai after the man died the rats ate his body and burrowed underneath it, causing the bones to sink into the soft peat and the cattle and sheep passing over the place trod the remains firmly into the peat and the grass growing for a year or two over the place did certainly make It appear as if the man had been buried. About 20 yards from the spot where the skeleton was found I discovered the skeleton of a young heifer which had been buried in the peat in a similar manner as that, of the human skeleton, some of the bones being more than a foot underground."