The Kokatau Disappearance.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3287, 20 August 1889, Page 2

The Kokatau Disappearance.

Still No Clue. Saaroli wis continued qt Kokatatt yesterday for the obild Thompson, but nothing eventuated ffotn it, The only now feature in the affair is that an advertisement has appeared in the Greytown paper, signed by Mrs E, S. Maunsell, and offering a reward of ten pounds (£10) for the boy ii found alive and five pounds (£5) if found dead. Constable O'Connor, of Masterton, has, we understand, 'proceeded to Carterton for ft few days to assist Constable Darby in Hie official search.

The Ruamahanga River is now to have special attention, and its banks will be carefully examined, Exploring operations will be carried on to-day on the same Hues as before, but there are now fewer engaged.

Some cannot spare more time, others tt ''o disheartened.

J?he Evening Post remarked last night that it was thought that detectives would have to be employed to investigate, the affair, As far as we are aware, and we have considered the circumstances with a full knowledge of them, there is no need for expert aid. There is not the slightest motive for any crime, neither is there at present any real ground for suspicion. Nor does it seem at all likely that the existence of these factors will subsequently • become apparent, The ground has been so mucli over.run tbatexpert searchers or detectives if put to that use, would have no more chance than any ordinary intelligent person. It seems

simply a case of look until found; and no one can reasonably neglect ordinary searching to investigate

ulterior features and to theorise on motive-' and their possible outcome, without something more to go upon than they can possibly have at present. Boat Accident at Wellington. About 9 o'olock on Saturday night tho s.s. Herald, which left tho wharf at 5 o'olock that afternoon, returned to port, and this unusual occuroncoled those on cho wharf to suspect that some accident, had prompted this step. All surmise! says tho Post, was ended when Captain Holliday, the harbour master, boarded tho Herald as she was making fast, as he learned the steamer had on board two ol the crow of the pilot boat, who had been picked up near the Heads, and who were the only survivors of the boat's crew which had comprised fout men and Pilot Sims. The melancholy tidings flow like wildQre round tho city, and the utmost sympathy was expressed for tho relatives of tho drowned men.

Tlib following is the. statement mads by John Henderson, one of tho survivors, on board tho Herald when she put back on Saturday niglit—" Pilot Sims, James Vass, Robert Taifc, Herbert Cox and myself proceeded from tho Pilot Station at the Heads in a boat belonging to tho Harbour Board foe tho purpose of boarding tho ship Pleione,' which was outside the Heads waiting for a pilot, Ab it was rough at tho timo the s.s. Herald, which was going out, took us in tow, 'When pnst Barrett's lleefa heavy sea swamped tho boat, We got loose from the Herald, and when alio stopped we drifted down to her, 1 holding on to the boat, as also did the others, James Vaas and I were rescued by the s.s. Horald. I'resided at the Pilot Station with my wifo and the others in the boat also reside there, Pilot Simms being a married man with a family. Cox was married, but had no family, His wifo lives at Newtown. Tait was a single man." Both Hendorson and the other survivor, James Vass, were naturally very oxcited, and, owing to their immersion in tho water, almost benumbed, and it was impossible at the time to obtain additional paatioulars from them.