ELSIE WALKER’S FATE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 135, 4 March 1929, Page 12

ELSIE WALKER’S FATE

EXAMINATION OF CAR INQUIRIES BY CONSTABLE Dominion Special Service. Auckland, March 2. When the police inquiry was resumed at Auckland this morning, Constable Neild, of Otahuhu, gave evidence detailing the comprehensive inquiry he had made for information concerning Elsie Walker at boardinghouses, confectionery shops, tobacconists, etc. ■ Mr. Leary: According to information . we have the three constables in that district must have interviewed over 1000 people in the course of their investigation. Witness: More like 2000. Have you ceased inquiry now? —. “No.” Mr. Currie said he had not suggested at any stage, that witness had been remiss in his duties. Mr. Leary said witness had been called to.show just how thorough the police, methods had been. Detective-Sergeant Kelly, the taking of whose evidence was suspended on Thursday in order that medical testimony. might heard, was recalled. He outlined the search he m'ade in the locality in which the body of Elsie Walker was found. Witness made a minute examinatic-i of the car that had been abandoned, particularly for fingerprints, but without result. Mr. Finlay: It is suggested that a magnifying glass would have revealed fingerprints on the car. Did you have one with you?—“I had one with me, as I knew the car had to be examined. I realised that much depended on the result of the examination. Witness denied that -on Monday, October 8, he showed some of the girl’s clothing to the police surgeon as stated by Dr. Murray. “The doctor’s memory must have been at fault," submitted the detective-sergeant. Referring to the report summarising his investigations, in which he said, “There was no information to show the car was driven by other than deceased,” witness said that when he made the report he particularly asked that inquiries be mad at Te Puke. He went to Te Puke on October 17 and discussed the case with Constable Jackson, and as a result he decided to take statements from the whole of the Bayly family on the following morning. He was employed all day on this work, and also took a statement from a man who had seen a car leaving Bayly’s farm, but it was not very helpful. The inquiry was adjourned till Mon-d-y-