IDENTIFICATION OF VICTIMS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25346, 20 November 1947, Page 6

IDENTIFICATION OF VICTIMS

VISIT BY MR MCLAGAN AND MR HOLLAND “INDIVIDUAL ATTEMPTS UNSUCCESSFUL ” Any attempt at individual identification of the bodies of the fire victims would be completely unsuccessful, according to the Minister of Labour (Mr A. McLagan) who, with the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland) viewed the bodies in the morgue at the Christchurch Hospital shortly after their arrival by air from Wellington yesterday morning. “We came to view the bodies—a task we rather shrank from —because we felt that if we could add to the advice of others that the bodies are completely unidentifiable, we might be performing a worthwhile public service, said Mr McLagan. He added that there was no possibility of individual identification of any of the bodies. This view was supported by the Coroner (Mr H. P. Lawry) and senior medical officers at the Christchurch Hospital. Close relatives and others went to the morgue yesterday morning, and asked to be allowed to see the bodies. The medical superintendent (Dr. A. D. Nelson) saw the North Canterbury Hospital Board, which held its monthly meeting yesterday, and was given authority to prevent any person from viewing the bodies in the meantime. Dr. Nelson said he asked for authority as he considered that no useful purpose would be served by allowing relatives to see the bodies. Mr Lawry said it would not be possible to make a decision about inquests until a full investigation of the building had been made to see if the number of bodies recovered tallied with the number of persons listed as missing.