GRAVE CHARGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 182, 4 August 1939, Page 9

GRAVE CHARGE.

MURDER ALLEGED.

CLAVERLEY MYSTERY.

WOMAN'S DISAPPEARANCE.

HUSBAND BEFORE COURT

(By Telesrn ph.—Tress Association.)

CIIRrSTCHURCH, this day

Mont lis of intense police investigation i.i'.' the disappearance of Mrs. Harriet

mi' Patience, whose body was sub

-■••luently found on the beach near the i liMiicy public works camp, reached a climax in the Magistrate's Court this inurning when her husband, Arthur .John fatience, faced a charge of murder.

Patience, of the Rosy Morn public works camp, Kaikouru, was described -i.* a labourer and a native of Australia, aged 48.

ITo was charged that on or about iii-toher 4, 10.18, at t.'laverley he murdered Harriet .Jane Patience.

Of dark and stocky appearance, with lirond shoulders, Patience stepped into Hie dock wearing a dark blue striped double-breasted suit.

During the brief proceedings ho was silent.

Immediately tlio charge was read, Chief Detective l)nnli)|i naked for a reinand tn August 17. Patience, he said, was arrested late yesterday afternoon and fliU would probably lie the first adjournment.

Mr. K. A. Young, who appeared for Patience, consented to tlie adjournment. Ho made no application for bail.

A party of nine police from Christchurnh was sent to Claverley on October 24 to search for Mrs. Patience. They began extensive digging over rough country about the camp near the sea const. Their numbers were later increased, and subsequently a bulldozer was brought in to assit them in digging into cliffs and turning over spoil thrown from railway works.

As well as digging on the beach, police combed the back country near the settlement and dragged swamps and streams. Their activities by January had extended as far as 20 miles from Claverley.

A patrol of the sea coast from the mouth of the Conway River to Kaikoura, a distance of about 30 miles, was conducted daily for a long period, as it was thought that the body of Mrs. Patience, who was aged 08, might be washed ashore from the sea.

On January 20 it was announced that the police search would be abandoned. The men were withdrawn from digging and patrolling operations, but inquiries were continued.

On July 20 last the body of a woman was found on Taratuhi Beach, about two miles north of Claverley. It was subsequently identified to the satisfaction of the coroner at the inquest opened in Christchnrch as the. body of Mrs. Patience. Evidence of identification was given at the inquest by Mrs. Patience's mother, son and niece.