TAXI MURDER

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 12077, 17 October 1933, Page 5

TAXI MURDER

INFORMATION POURING INTO POLICE STATION.

NO APPARENT MOTIVE

INQUEST ADJOURNED

(Press Association)

AUCKLAND, Oct- 16

The police are faced with an apparently baffling task in tracing tne murderer of James Hunter Blair, the taxi driver, nvho was found dying alt the wheel of his cab by a milkman yesterday morning. It lias been found that death was due to two heavy blows by a heavy, blunt instrument, which fractured the skull. There is no apparent motive. Blair was a, quiet, trustworthy man, and was highly esteemed by his (colleagues in business. “He was white all through,’’ said a neighbor. Ho was not robbed, for £2 2s bd was found in.his possession although it is possible that his assailant was (frightened hy tho extent of the injuries he had inflicted and made off without looking for money. A thorough Sear.ch for an instrument was made by the police, but was absolutely fruitless. Tho police are now dependent upon information coming in from anyone who saw the taxi in the vicinity after 3.30 o’clock yesterday morning. None of the residents nearby saw anything, although several beard the milkman galloping along the road to the polico station after he found Blair.

An inquest on Blair was opened to-dav, and adjourned sine die after evidence identification by the proprietor of the faxi, who described Blair as a 'Steady, reliable man.

NUMEROUS FINGERPRINTS ON OAR. SECURED. INVESTIGATORS HOPEFUL. (Pre&s Association). AUCKLAND, Oct. 16. Without any apparent motive, the murder of James Hunter Blair, while he was seated at the wheel of nis taxi-cab in Kings road, Mt. Roskill, in the early hours of Sunday morning still presents a deeply-puzzling problem. Information flooded into the Central Police Station throughout the day. There was every indication of intense public concern, and interest aroused over the extraordinary crime. Much of that divulged to tho police had to do with men seen in the vicinity at varying times. The consequence was that the detectives and constables were given tremendous scope for inquiry. Great hope is held out by the investigators as the result of the examination of fingerprints on the vehicle. A remarkably thorough search was made, anj numbers of fingerprints, especially on the doors of the car, were recorded. The car was also examined thoroughly for other possible clues. There were indications of bark in the Back of the vehicle, suggesting that a piece of timber could have been employed as the lethal weapon. The bark, however, could easily have been in the cab for a considerable time".