BAFFLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 139, 13 June 1936, Page 12

BAFFLING.

MURDER IN NORTH.

PROBLEM FOR POLICE.

MANY INQUIRIES MADE,

it NO DEFINITE CLUE."

(By Telegraph.—Special to " Star.") WHANGAREI, this day

Inquiries which it is hoped will lead to the arrest of the killer of Mr. Ernest S. Nelson, who was shot in the back when walking up the drive leading to his home in the Waihou Valley early on Tuesday evening, are being diligently continued by the police. At the same time as the murder was committed 011 Tuesday the full police party engaged on the ease assembled at the farm last night, for the object, it is understood, of 'reconstructing the drama as it is thought to have taken place.

Investigations are still being carried out along the drive, where the shooting occurred, but careful searching by the detectives, it is understood, has not yet revealed any really vital clues which may have been left by the murderer. So far the only object of interest discovered is the piece of cartridge wad picked up near the body. It is stated that the size of the wad establishes the fact that a 12-bore shotgun was used. This rather adds to the difficulties of detection, as the 12-bore type of gun is fairly common. Had a lifie been used by the murderer better progress in the investigations might have been made. Questioning Difficulty. A further difficulty encountered by the police is that a large number of persons interrogated are Maoris. Many of whom cannot converse fluently in English. Under these circumstances it is hard to obtain facts in a clear and precise manner. It is thought that one of the detectives who arrived yesterday is a Maori linguist, and if this is so future inquiries should be easier. The police are also finding it difficult to co-ordinate the times, as stated by many persons, of events which happened just prior to the murder. This, of course, is easily understandable, as it was not until after the discovery of Mr. Nelson's body that the persons near the scene of the crime had any reason to remember any particular event or the exact time of its occurrence.

The police, it seems, are faced with one of the deepest murder mysteries ever known in North Auckland. Last night Detective Murch told the "Auckland Star" representative that everything possible was being done in an endeavour to bring the matter to finality. lie reiterated, however, that so far there was "no definite clue."

Inspector O'Hara, who has been in charge of the investigations, left this morning for Whangarei, but he will probably return to the scene of the murder shortly. When the police party motored from Whangarei at midnight 011 the night of the crime they had 110 idea that the problem of finding the murderer would be so baffling and that their investigations would be so lengthy. Consequently they were not prepared for a long stay in the valley. Funeral of the Victim. The high esteem in which the late Mr. Nelson was held in the Waihou Valley was evidenced by the large number of settlers and natives who attended the funeral at Kawakawa yesterday. Mr. Nelson was buried in accordance with the rites of the Plymouth Brethren. Mr. T. Baker, of Kaikolie, conducting the service. Mrs. Nelson and a number of her relatives and friends were among the mourners. The pallbearers wore Messrs. J. W. and R. McAulay, A. L. and C. Sturgo, J. McKcnzie and A. Riwlii.