MURDER CHARGE

Northern Advocate, 16 April 1932, Page 11

MURDER CHARGE

DEATH OF LITTLE GIRL BODY FOUND IN SCRUB. EARLY MORNING ARREST. (Per Press Association. —CooyrtKht.) WELLINGTON, This Day. With a wound on the back of her head, Vera Forster, aged 44 years, was found murdered in a clump of scrub beyond Upper Hutt last evening. She had been missing all day. The body was discovered 100 yards from the parents’ home and a piece of stout iron piping was found near the body.

The girl was the youngest 1 of four children (two daughters and two sons) of Mr. and Mrs. .lames Valentine Forster, of Maoribank, Upper Hutt. She had been playing around the house during the morning, and her absence was not noticed by her parents until about noon. The parents then became anxious and notified the police. ,A search party was organised, and the aid of about 40 helpers enlisted. The locality was sparsely ‘populated, the nearby hills being covered with dense scrub.

Shortly before 9 p.m. two youths noticed a'splash'of colour in the scrub and on investigation found the girl's body.

Lying near the dead girl was a

piece of iron .piping about two feet \ in length, and almost an inch and a half in thickness. It was stained, with blood.

The case is said to be unparalleled in. the history of the district. The girl's parents are natives .of England, and have resided in the district for the past eight .years. - Horace Prank Livermore, alias Johnston, was arrested early this morning and charged in the police court today with 1 murder. On the application of Sub-Inspector Ward, he was remanded until April 22.

Livermore was detained soon after the discovery of the child's body last evening, and charged with murder at 2 a.m.- He was brought to Wellington by detectives, and appeared before Mr T. B. McNeil, &M. He is a single man, and was . employed by Mr Forster as a labourer. He had been living with the Forsters since September last. • •

Mr Forster keeps a poultry farm, and is employed by Mr J. T. Benge.