Dick Roche.

Mysterious Disappearance of

Famous Bird - shooter in

Dutch New Guinea.

Some further details of the man ner in which Dick Roche, the famous Bird of Paradise shooter, lost his life in Dutch New Guinea some months ago, have come to hand by devious channels from Merauke and from Dobo, in the Aroes Islands (Dutch New Guinea).

ROCHE and a friend, Captain Mon sted, made several attempts to get over from Merauke to Thursday Island in Roche’s big launch, “Somer set,” but the engine was bad and the rudder broke; so Monsted went over in a shark-fisher and Roche remained on the “Somerset” at Merauke. This was about July, 1931.

Shortly afterwards, a man named Palmer arrived at Merauke from Thurs day Island in a motor-boat, which was

afterwards alleged to have been stolen.

The two launches were lying close gether and Roche and Palmer became friendly; and when Palmer was re leased by the police on parole, he went with Roche to the latter’s plantation,. where they tried to repair the “Somer set.”

The two men were then given per mission to go to the Koombe River.

There, Roche left the party and started off by himself to walk to Okaba, which is near the mouth of the Deagol River.

Palmer set to work on the “Somerset”’ and made a complete repair. Then, as Roche had not returned after an ab sence of 10 days, Palmer went to look for him.

It is not clear that Palmer saw Roche again; but information, through the Government official at Okaba, is that Roche was last heard of, living with a party of natives on the Bian River, It is reported that Roche asked the natives to take him across the river. They re fused and, thereupon, he got into a canoe, without paddles or food, and pushed out into the stream, which runs swiftly and deeply to the sea, and is wide at that place. Searches were made, but no further sign of Roche was dis covered. It was reported, at one time, that Roche was speared in a canoe on one of these rivers; but the foregoing report—namely, that he simply disap peared down the river—appears to be fairly well substantiated. The date is about August 22.

Roche’s friend, Mr. “Chum” Jardine, went across from Dobo to Merauke about the end of September, and made enquiries, but Roche had then com pletely disappeared.

A Sydney friend of Dick Roche, Mr.

J. W. Earnshaw, who spent some time in New Guinea with him, is inclined to ridicule the report that Roche disap peared in the manner described. Roche, he says, was a very clever and experi enced bushman, who had found his way out of some extremely tight corners. He thinks it more likely that there was either foul play, of which nothing has been reported, or that Roche has dis appeared on some expedition of his own into the interior, as he was wont to do..

The late Mr. Dick Roche.