YOUNG MAN MISSING.
By telegraph. — press association.
HOKITIKA, 21st June. Grave fears are entertained for the safety of a young man named William Learmont, who left with packhorses yesterday morning to deliver goods to men engaged on the road to Wilberforce Reefs. His horses and dog were found on the riverbed to-day, but there is no trace of Learmont. The river being in high flood leaves little doubt of the fate of the young man. Search parties are out in all directions.
The noble forests of our land Beneath man's devastating hand
Soon will have vanished, leaving there This country lying gaunt and bare.
No wooded clothing, now she's old, To save her from her death of cold,
But lo! new Woods arise with healing sure, All hail then — Woods' Great Peppermint Cure!— Advt. -Evening Post, 22/6/1906.
ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.
The body of William Learmont was found in the Styx river this morning. He was apparently drowned in attempting to ford the river on Wednesday last. -Bush Advocate, 23/6/1906.
In connection with the reported accident to Mr William Learmont, of Kaneiri, the police intend to take a number, of men to the Styx River to-day to search the timber drifts and crates. Search parties were out yesterday in all directions, but without avail. It appears that below where Mr Learmont forded the river there is an accumulation of snags and brushwood, and it is concluded that the unfortunate man became entangled in this. [Later intelligence states that the body was recovered in the Styx river this morning.] -Greymouth Evening Star, 23/6/1906.
The community on Thursday afternoon was shocked when word was received in Hokitika that Mr William Learmont, a well-known resident of Kanieri was missing, and had apparently met his death by drowning in the Styx river, says the West Coast Times. Mr Learmont, it seems, following his usual occupation of packing provisions to the workmen on the Wilberforce road, left Kanieri at 10.15 on Wednesday morning, with two horses and his dog, intending to return the same evening. Having left some of his belongings at Riley's homestead, which he was to call for on his way back to Kanieri, some alarm was caused when he did not make his re-appearance, and a search party was organised and went to look for him. The horses were found by Mr Meharry, one of them being half a mile below the ford, while the other one was close by. The horse found farthest down the river is the one the missing man was riding Roadman McQuikin and Milner arrived at Kanieri on Thursday evening from the Upper Kokatahi and reported that there was no sign of the missing man. -Grey River Argus, 23/6/1906.
The .funeral of the late Mr W. Learmont, whose body was recovered on Saturday morning in the river Styx, took place on Sunday afternoon. Although the weather was boisterous, a very large number of mourners followed the remains to the cemetery. The service was conducted by the Rev Mr Newton at the Anglican church, Kanieri. Mourners from every part of the district were present to pay the last tribute of respect to the deceased, who was widely known and deservedly popular throughout Westland. -Grey River Argus, 26/6/1906.
DEATH.
White — William John; drowned in Styx River, Upper Kokatahi, June 20th, 1906, dearly beloved son of the late Sergeant-Major White, Hokitika, and of Mrs Learmont, Kanieri. Aged 30. Deeply lamented. -West Coast Times, 3/7/1906.
The difference in names in this story would seem to be due to William's mother remarrying.
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