BODY RECOVERED AT SUMNER

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27985, 4 June 1956, Page 7

BODY RECOVERED AT SUMNER

ARMY ENGINEERS ASSIST POLICE

HOIST ERECTED ABOVE CLIFF

A woman’s body was recovered from the rocks at the foot of a 500 ft cliff at Scarborough late yesterday afternoon with the assistance of about 50 soldiers from the engineers’ section at Burnham Military Camp. A hoist was erected at the top of the cliff, and the body was lifted up on a stretcher.

The body was taken to the mortuary at the Christchurch Public Hospital, where it was identified as that of Mrs Hilda Lizzette Reid, aged 60 years, of 22A Sumner road.

Two attempts were made by Constab’e J. Koznic and Mr W. Carter to recover the bodv, which vw lying m a most inaccessible position, but these had to be abandoned when the small boat the men were using was in danger of being dashed to pieces on the rocks bv the strong sea.

A car belonging to Mrs Reid, who was reported missing on Friday, was found parked near the clock tower at Sumner on Saturday morning. A search warty organised by Constable J. H. McCormick, of Sumner, and in charge nf Constable Koznic, discovered the body about 2.40 p.m. After the two attempts to recover the body by boat —one on Saturday afternoon and the other yesterday morning—failed, Constate McCormick arranged through the Central Police Station for the assistance of the Army. A convov of Army vehicles arrived about 3.30 p.m. In the meantime two Sumner youths. Miles Johnstone and Graham Climio. climbed rov'd the rock': and secured the body. Sergeant A. S. D. Geary, of the Central Police Station, joined them later.

A Christchurch City Council traffic inspector closed the road to the top of the cliff to prevent sightseers from hindering the work of the soldiers.