ELSIE WALKER CASE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 67, 6 March 1929, Page 8

ELSIE WALKER CASE

POLICE INQUIRY ENDED. COMMISSIONER TO REPORT. Auckland, March 5. When the police inquiry opened this morning the Crown Solicitor. Mr V. Meredith, asked whether the Commissioner would permit him to give evidence in reply to a letter forwarded by Mr R. B. Lusk, solicitor for the Bayly family, to the Minister of Justice, in which". Mr Meredith suggested "a veiled threat was contained as to the manner in which he conducted the coronial inquiry. Mr E. Page, S.M., said that he had given some thought to the matter and had come to the conclusion that the conduct of the coronial inquiry was not a matter within the scope of the Commission. Responsibility in that connection rested with Mr Meredith, and he thought that he could not hear any evidence on the subject. Inspector Wohlmann, recalled, said that only one witness who was briefed was not called at the inquest, and the ground he might have covered was given in evidence by a witness in- Auckland. Replying to the Commissioner, Mr Currie said that he wanted this evidence owing to the publicity of Inspector Wohlmann’s statement that it would be in the interests of the police to have the exact position before the Commission. Mr Page said this was touching on ground on which he had just given a ruling. Detective-Sergeant Bickerdike, in evidence, said that the statement he had made that certain people interviewed had not been associated with Elsie Walker conveyed his own opinion based on his investigations. Questioned concerning Miss Annie Walker, witness said it would have meant bringing her 70 miles on horseback to interview her. Had he

thought she had anything in her possession which would have thrown light on the mystery the girl would have been interviewed. This concluded the evidence, ana Mr Page said that counsel had between, them elicited facts with great care and thoroughness, but if any counsel desired to be heard he would, of course, hear him. Counsel agreed to confer on the subject, and the Commission adjourned till the afternoon. In the afternoon, counsel, intimated that they did not desire to give addresses. Newspaper files containing reports of the Elsie Walker inquest were handed in. Commissioner Page intimated that his report would be sent on in due course, and the inquiry then terminated.