VILLAGE MYSTERY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 May 1938, Page 9

VILLAGE MYSTERY

DISAPPEARANCE OF INDIAN STOREKEEPER EXTENDED SEARCH MADE IN VAIN SUSPICIONS OF FOUL PLAY (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, May 25. Although inquiries and a search for the Indian storekeeper, Delu Desai, aged about 42, who has been missing from Taharoa, Kawhia, since May 7, have been intensified during the past few days, no trace has been found and the belief is common in the settlement that he has been the victim of foul play. The missing man disappeared from the settlement without saying good-bye to his friends and the police were communicated with over a week ago. A more intensive search of the district will be carried out by the police within the next few days, and two additional constables arrived from Hamilton today. They will assist Detectives A. J. White and J. Hayes, of Hamilton, who have been conducting inquiries for nearly a week. Inspector C. W. Lopdell, officer in charge of the Hamilton district, visited the settlement today and gave instructions for the scope of the inquiries to be broadened. Unless some trace is found of the Indian shortly, further police reinforcements will be drafted from Hamilton. The work of the police is being made more difficult because of an epidemic of measles broke out in the settlement about four days ago. This missing man assisted his only compatriot, Bhagvanji Desai, in the one general store in the settlement.

Inquiries have been hindered because of the difficulty of access to the settlement, which is situated fifteen miles in a direct line south of Kawhia on the west coast. After a journey of about forty miles around the Kawhia Harbour, travellers are forced to take a boat across a lake, which is about a mile across. The boats have to be propelled by poles, because of the density of the weeds and raupo. After crossing the lake, a range of hills must be traversed before the settlement is reached. The village is situated right on the coast, and is almost surrounded by sand dunes. POLICE BELIEF MAN NEVER LEFT TAHAROA (By Telegraph—Press Association). HAMILTON, May 25. “I am prepared to say it is abundantly evident that the missing man, Delu Desai, never left Taharoa. Our job is to find him,” said Inspector Lopdell, when commenting on investigations being carried out into the disappearance of Delu Desai. Reports concerning the matter were being published without reference to or verification by the police, he added, and the police could not vouch for their authenticity. “What has happened will only be known when Desai or his body is found,” he said.