GIRL’S BODY FOUND

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25307, 6 October 1947, Page 6

GIRL’S BODY FOUND

MISSING SINCE JULY 7 DISCOVERY NEAR HOME IN WELLINGTON Froip. Our Own Reporter WELLINGTON, October 5. Within a few minutes’ walk of her home in Wellington city, the body of Marie West, aged 174 years, was discovered in the -Wellington town belt, Just above Marjoribanks street, this afternoon. The body, which wa? covered over with branches, was decomposed and it was identified by a gold wristlet watch, the number of which was known. Marie West had been missing from her home since July 7, Where the body was found is in a direct line, but a few hundred yards from, Mclntyre avenue, off Hawker street, whore Miss West lived with her parents, Mr and Mrs William George West. The wrist-watch which was with the body was that of the girl’s mother. It will not be possible until a detailed examination is made to ascertain how Miss West met her death. Even then there is no certainty that this can be established. A preliminary medical examination to-day did not reveal the cause of deajh. The pathologist at the Wellington Hospital, Dr. T. O. Mercer, will make a fixrthdr examination.

The discovery was made by a resident of the locality who was working in his garden. His attention was attracted and He found the body and informed the police, who were promptly on the job. The area was screened from the public while investigations were carried out. Miss West’s home was in a street which was up a series of steps off the upper section of Hawker street, about 150 yards from the top on the right. She was the third eldest in a family of six, and worked as a shorthand typist in an office Appointment with Friend On the day she disappeared she had telephoned a friend, Miss Cynthia Barrett, aged 17, and asked her to accompany her to a meeting of the Catholic Youth Movement in Duff er in street that night. • In fact, Miss West urged Miss Barrett to come, and an appointment was arranged for 7.40 p,m. outside the Embassy Theatre (formerly the De Luxe), which is only five minutes’ walk from Mclntyre avenue. Miss West left her home at 7.35 p.m. Her last words to her mother were “I’m not keen to go out. If Cynthia wasn’t waiting I wouldn’t go.” Miss West then left her home and presumably walked down the 100-odd steps which lead into Hawker street, which in turn leads into Marjoribanks street. The Embassy Theatre is on the corner of Marjoribanks street and Kent terrace.

Miss West did not keep her appointment, and her friend, aware that she was not feeling in the best of health that day, did not wait after 8 p.m. She did not, in fact, feel any immediate concern, thinking that Miss West might not have felt like attending the meeting. When she left home Miss West had only sixpence with her, the price of her supper. She had left a larger sum of ready money at home. She was wearing her oldest dress—a pinafore frock with a blue" douse — and a camelhair coat. Her only valuables were her mother’s wrist watch (an 18ct cased watch) and a gold bangle, which was too tight for her.

That Miss West had no intention whatever other than that of attending the youth movement meeting was indicated by the fact that she had made appointments for the following Saturday and also had promised her young brother a present for his birthday, which was due to fall 15 days after her disappearance.