POLICE METHODS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 66, 5 March 1929, Page 7

POLICE METHODS

ELSIE WALKER CASE NEARLY 1000 PEOPLE INTERVIEWED. INQUIRIES IN BAY OF PLENTY. [Per Press Association.) Auckland, March 4. At the police arising out of the death of Elsie Walker, DetectiveSergeant Kelly said that he was satisfied that all possible was being done. The inquiries made hv Constable Jackson had been of considerable assistance, to witness. They had been thorough and satisfactory.

Counsel quorted a message telephoned by Constable Jackson at Te Puke on the morning of October 6, stating that the body of a girl had been discovered in scrub and concluding: ‘“She is believed to have been murdered.” Witness said that it was natural ■ that the constable should have been under that impression, but it was removed after the post mortem examination of the body. H© knew tlmre was a difference between the message as recorded at Hamilton and at Auckland. Witness now knew that Jackson was under a wrong impression regarding Frank Bayly’s visit to Auckland. He did not think that the removal of the body to the morgue.following its discovery had made anydifference to the inquiries made subsequently. Detective-Sergeant Kelly, continuing his evidence, said that in his opinion there was as much against trie person he interviewed then as there was against him now. “There is absolutely nothing against him,” he said. He considered it would liov.o been quite wrong for him to have publicly interviewed that man. During the time witness was away in the Bay of Plenty ho did not report to Auckland, although he was away from October 17 to 26. Mr Currie; Do you not think it would have been well for you to have reported? Witness: There was nothing to report. Mr Currie: Then you had drawn a blank?

With regard to the manner of his interview with members of the staff of Knox Home, near where the body was found, witness said he interviewed the nurses together in the presence of the matron. Ml* Currie: But if one of the staff had been out after hours with a boy and had seen something, she would be more likely to say so. I should think, if the matron and the rest of the staff were not there. To Mr Finlay, witness said he found in the Bay of Plenty district a deep-seated rumour that a certain person was in some way connected with the affair. He took statements when he returned to Auckland, and these were in the interest of this person, against whom there was nothing. The Commissioner: About how many people have you personally interviewed in connection with this case since October ? Witness: Between 800 and 1000. Constable Jackson, of Te Puke, said that, when Mr Kelly was in the Bay of Plenty district he was with him practically all the time. Even now he was still making inquiries. Evidence was also given by Detective AVhittc, of Hamilton, who transmitted to Auckland a report given him by Constable Jackson. The Commissioner adjourned the inquiry until to-morrOw.