POLICE MAY SOON QUIT HAAST AREA

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32215, 6 February 1970, Page 1

POLICE MAY SOON QUIT HAAST AREA

Plans have been made to move the headquarters of the investigation into the death of Miss Jennifer Beard from Lake Moeraki to Christchurch during the week-end.

Detective Inspector E. T. Mitten said at Lake Moeraki last evening that the plans were in many ways tentative. Whether they would be followed depended on information the police received. The circumstances of Miss Beard’s death, and facts obtained by the police, clearly indicated that a murder had been committed, he said. These included the circumstances in which the body was found, the fact that all Miss Beard’s property—a pack, a camera and other possessions —was missing and numerous other facts which he did not wish to discuss.

Inspector Mitten said he had yet to receive a final report on the post-mortem examination. Asked whether the pathologist’s preliminary report mentioned broken bones, particularly the hyoid—which is sometimes damaged in strangulation—he said that that was a matter which would possibly be cleared up when the final report was received. Inspector Mitten said that , a car which had had geari linkage repairs at Fox GlaI cier on the afternoon of December 31 had been traced. It did not seem that that car was connected with the in-! vestigation. The police recently had also released the car which they had taken into their possession at Timaru. That car also seemed to have no con-

nection with the investigation, he said. Detectives were continuing! their inquiries among resi-) dents near Haast and detectives elsewhere in New Zea-! land were searching for a) 1954 green Vauxhall car. Any-! body who could help the| police to trace that car) should get in touch with them.| In emphasising that the ar-) rangements to transfer the headquarters to Christchurch were tentative, Inspector Mitten said this if. necessary! the headquarters could be! transferred elsewhere. When) the headquarters at Lake Moe-) raki was closed two detec-1 tives would remain in South! Westland to continue inquiries. The other policemen! would return to Christchurch) and Dunedin. J