AFTER TWELVE MONTHS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9679, 31 December 1909, Page 5

AFTER TWELVE MONTHS.

A MISSING MAORI GIRL, TRACED AT LAST. THE SOLUTION OF A MYSTKKY. About twelve months ago a halfcaste Maori girl named Uenuktt Sutherland, a native of Whakataki, who had been living with an aunt in Prasertown, Napier, disappeared in a most mysterious manner. The mystery was emphasised by the fact that no action was taken in the matter. Months went by until her sis- i ter, Fanny Sutherland, who lives with her'aunt at Whakataki, becoming alarmed-at the absence ot any | communication from her, instituted ! enquiries A chief of Hawke'a Bay, named Friday Tomoana, who knew the missing girl well, took the matter up, but failed any trace of the missing one. In October last the Napier police were made cognisant of the affair, and after weeks of investigation the mystery remained unsolved. The photograph of the girl was published among the police records of those missing, and in the description attached thereto it stated that there were grounds for believing that there mignt have been foul play. It is understood that the detective engaged in the search made a most thorough investigation into the mjstery, and that in one instance a cprcase was exhumed in order to , ascertain whether a.human body had been buried in the sau. ->? cot. The sequel to the affair, nowever, happened this week in Masterton, which from all accounts promises to be a happy solution of the mystery. A native named K;npo Hemi, who has been absent f--om Masterton for several years, returned early this week. He knew nothing about the disappearance of the girl, who, by the way, he knew intimately in his youth. In conversation, with a native agent, however, reference was made to the peculiar circumstances of the affair. The Maori immediately grew interested, and after asking a few questions apprised the astonished agent that he had seen' the girl alive and well only a few days since. The' police were immediately communicated with, and tne visiting Maori, on being shown hy Sergeant Miller the photograph, immediately recognised it as that of the missing girl. In his statement to the police the Maori stated that he had met' the girl some fifty mile=t up the 1 #aWganui River, where she had'been living for some time. Not knowing that she was reourterl miadfn'g he naturally thought no more of the matter until he came to Masterton. He is positive as to the identity because he knew her well at Whakataki. The information has been forwarded to the proper quarter, where enquiries will be instituted to confirm the statement of the natives. The news caused some excitement among local Maoris yesterday, amongst whom the girl, who is about twenty years of age, is a great favourite. Her relatives on the East Coast have been communicated with, and are expected in town to-day.