MURDER OF A GIRL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 929, 30 January 1924, Page 4

MURDER OF A GIRL.

BRUTAL CRIME NEAR GISBORNE. AWFUL TRAGEDY IN LONELY SPOT. (Per Preu Association.) GISBORNE, Jan. 29. The scene of the murder of the girl, Gwendoline Kathleen Murray, Makaraka, is three chains off the main road, and three miles from Gisborne. The nearest house is about two chains away. Occupants of this house heard a girl scream during the evening. The night was very dark. The body was found under a Wellingtonia tree with a basket of groceries near by.. The girl’s clothing was much torn about. The body was discovered by a small boy who was looking for eggs. Tho girl’s family thought she was staying with friends, as was sometimes customary.

Full particulars of the murder show that the crime was apparently committed soon after 8 o’clock in the evening. The girl, Gwen Murray, who was only 11 years of age last birthday, loft her mother’s home o mile and a-half away, at 5.30 p.m., to go to the post office and store. She received groceries and letters from the store and left shortly before 8 o’clock with 10s change. Before leaving, the girl, according to the mother’s statement, was told to go to Mrs Green’s, where the girl’s brother boards. If Mrs Green was not at home the girl was to go to the bakehouse, see her brother, and tell him to take her home. The girl failed to do this, and Mrs Green did not get home till 6.30 o’clock, and saw no sign of the girl Murray. The storekeeper, Mrs Dixon, states that she asked the girl if her mother knew she was out so late, but the girl said her mother was aware of the fact, and she was all right. Airs Dixon says the girl appeared to be just as usual. The next link in the chain is the storv of Airs Fleming, wife of the sexton of the Makaraka Cemetery. While she and her husband were sitting inside the house, between i and 8 o’clock (she thinks that was about the time) they heard one loud scream, which seemed" to come from the direction of the road. Air Fleming went to the door to listen, but could hear nothing. It w r as quite dark at the time, and hearing nothing further, he thought the scream came from some girls out joy-riding, and went inside again. This morning a lad named James Smellie, while gathering eggs, saw the girl’s body under a tree, 60 yards from the main road, and 10 yards from the sexton’s back gate. The sexton went to the spot. He found Lie girl s clothiiirr disarranged and torn, and marks of°violence plainly visible on the throat all Tho police were informed, and Detective McLeod and Plain-clothes Constable Thompson went out. In searching the body they discovered that the 10s had been stolen. Tho police have a difficult task as the vicinity was all grass covered and there were no footprints discovered. Up till a late hour to-night no arrest had been made. The victim was an attractive-looking girl, and popular with her fellow-scholars at Te_ Hapaia School. She was fairly well built for her age, and might easily be mistaken for being a year or so older. Inspector Hutton states that the police have a difficult task, as there is no clue so far available as to the girl s movements after 8 o’clock. SCENE OF THE TRAGEDY. Alakaraka, the scene of the tragedy, is nearlv four miles out of Gisboine, and is adjacent to a large cemetery and the more distant ot the two local racecourses. The settlement comprises an hotel, a store, one or two scatteied farm-houses, and the quarters of some horse trainers. Through it passes the main road from Gisborne south to Wairoa and Napier, the highway here being intersected by several other roads leading to the coast and to inland settlements.. There is no street lighting, and the locality is little frequented by night,'except by vehicular gfJSS’SfSffr A” °"" d ' there are several clumps ot small and tho road is flanked by a hedge This is come distance from the hotel and Sore and the only residence within a number of chains is that of tbe s « s |® of the cemetery, which stands some two chains back from the road. The settlement lias a historic intei est as in the days of the Alaon war ft wm the scene of some stern encountprs with, the es« About two years ago a re^ c “ e ,“ n Alakaraka was the scene ot a stabbing affray, when an old man employer in the presence ot Hie latter* fiftal injuries, but the unusual character of the affair aroused a great deal of interest at the time.