INQUEST NOT HELD YET

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 148, 25 June 1934, Page 11

INQUEST NOT HELD YET

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, June 24. An unusual circumstance in connection with the murder of Samuel Lakey and Bis wife is that the inquests have not yet been held. It has become customary for the Magistrate who conducts the preliminary hearing of' a murder or manslaughter, charge in the Magistrate's Court to hold an inquest inevitably afterwards, and to refrain from recording his finding until after the Supreme Court has disposed of the subsequent trial, if any. •

In the case of Mrs. .Lakey an inquest was opened' by Mr. P. Harris,! J.P., Huntly district coroner, and was adjourned. Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., took the Magistrate's Court proceedings against Bayly, but as an inquest had already been opened he did not sit as Coroner. The . position therefore -is that this inquest will' have to be resumed before the Coroner who opened it, Mr. Harris.' ;, -

Whether an inquest will lie required concerning the death of Lakey is not yet certain. Under section HI of the Coroners' Amendment Act, 1930,, it is provided that where a coroner has reason to believe that a death has occurred in such circumstances ■ that an inquest ought to be held, and that ow: ing to the destruction of the body by fire or otherwise an inquest cannot be held except by virtue or the provisions of the section, he may report the facts to the Attorney-Gener'pl, who may direct that an inquest be held. The question of the administration of Lakeyjs estate is one reason why it is believed that an inquest into his death will have to be held. Itris understood that he did hot leave a will, •