TWO INQUESTS OPENED

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25713, 27 January 1949, Page 4

TWO INQUESTS OPENED

MAN’S BODY FOUND ON NELSON BEACH TAXI-DRIVER’S DEATH IN HOSPITAL (P.A.) NELSON, January 26. Inquests into the deaths of George William Hill, aged 36, a plumber, of Nelson, whose body was found in the sand at Tahuna Beach on Monday, and Huia Alfred Cleal, aged about 35, a taxi-driver, who died in hospital yesterday afternoon, were opened before the Coroner (Mr T. E. Maunsell) late this afternoon. After evidence of identification, both inquests were adjourned sine die. Lilian Eetty Hill, who identified George William Hill’s body as that of her husband, said that he left home about 9.45 p.m. on December 19. 1947, and did not return. His disappearance was reported to the police on December 20. 1947. She said she identified the body by what remained of Hill’s features, his teeth, and also by the clothing that was found with the body, including a shirt and a suit of a green shade. She said that when Hill disappeared on December 19, 1947, he was in possession of the front door key to his home. She identified as this key one which was found in the waistcoat on the body. deal’s body was identified by his brother, Dudley Norman Cleal, a waterside worker, of Westport. Earlier to-day. Inspector J. Bickerdike, who is in charge of the Nelson police district, said he had not yet received any preliminary report on the possible cause of Hill's death, and the pathologist’s report was not expected for some weeks. Cleal‘was the driver of the taxi m which Hill left his home on December 19, 1947, before Hill’s disappearance. Suffering from a wound to his throat. Cleal was taken to hospital yesterday afternoon from the grounds of a house in Melrose street. Nelson. He died before he could be interviewed by the police. Cleal was found yesterday by two boys, aged seven and five, who, when passing by with their mother, saw him on the ground with blood on his clothes, about 30 feet from the road. The police were immediately notified, and a doctor and an ambulance called. Cleal, when approached, was heard to say: “I want to die.” He was semiconscious when placed in the ambulance. Accompanied by Sergeant E. Simpson, he was rushed to the hospital. He made no statement, and died a few minutes after admission. In addition to the throat wound, he had wounds on both his wrists.