BODY EXHUMED

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25249, 30 July 1947, Page 6

BODY EXHUMED

WOMAN’S DEATH IN OCTOBER, 1942

INVESTIGATIONS BY POLICE From Our Own Reporter

OAMARU, July 29. The body of Joyce Maime Morrison, a married woman, of Enfield, who died on October 3, 1942, was exhumed at the Oamaru cemetery this morning. The exhumation was made under an order signed by the Minister of Health, and with the consent of the relatives. An examination of the body was made by P. P. Lynch, Government pathologist, of Wellington, who had with him Dr. E. F. D’Ath, professor of pathology at Otago University, and Mr O. H. Keyes, Government analyst at Dunedin. It is reported that the body was in a remarkable state of preservation. Dr. Lynch expects that it will be about three weeks before the results of the investigation will be available. The work of exhumation, Which was undertaken after investigations by the police, began at 9 a.m. and ended at noon. The police operations have been carried out with great secrecy, and Senior Sergeant D. Wilson told a representative of “The Press” this afternoon that he could release nothing for publication. From inquiries made at ihe office of the Inspector of Police in Timaru, it was ascertained that the police do not expect any further developments for several days. Although the cause of the woman’s death was not certified, it is officially stated that at the time an inquest was not considered necessary. Mrs Morrison was 46 years of age at the time of her dqath. Before a body can be exhumed an order must be obtained from the Minister of Health. This order is given on rare occasions and only on strong representations by the police or relatives.