Man questioned about murder

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32708, 10 September 1971, Page 12

Man questioned about murder

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) PERTH, September 9. Fremantle detectives today took a sailor into custody after finger-printing 400 men from two Royal Navy ships. They have been inquiring into an Auckland murder.

The sailor was from the frigate H.M.S. Danae, now in Fremantle. Tonight he was in custody and being questioned in connection with the murder of Ross Russell Hawley, aged 51. Mr Hawley was found beaten to death in his Auckland flat on the night of August 24. The entire crew of the Danae and another Royal Navy ship, the fleet auxiliary, Reliant, were fingerprinted today by Auckland and Perth detectives. The Auckland detectives have been checking on all ships that were visiting New Zealand ports at the time of the killing.

The chief of the GI.B. in Western Australia (Superintendent W. H. J. Nielson) said tonight that no details of the man could be released until more inquiries were made.

The detectives took fingerprints of 250 men on the Danae and 150 men on the Reliant, which is in in Bunbury, south of Fremantle.

the Danae and 150 men on the Reliant, which is in in Bunbury, south of Fremantle. The seamen were allowed to leave the Danae on shore leave when the finger printing was finished. Late this afternoon Detective Sergeant B. Kemp, of Auckland, and Detective F. J. Bower, of Fremantle, approached a man in Freemantle. They took him to the C. 1.8. headquarters for questioning. The crew of the H.M.S. Achilles now in port in Suva do not appear to be involved in the murder. “I don’t think it’s us. I’d hate it to be us; the tempo of inquiries seems to have quietened,” said the captain of the Achilles (Commander K. A. Low) when interviewed by telephone on board his ship at Suva last evening. Commander Low said that New Zealand homicide squad detectives had been on board again yesterday after finger-printing officers and ratings.