ELSIE WALKER'S DEATH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20174, 7 February 1929, Page 8

ELSIE WALKER'S DEATH

CONDUCT OF THE POLICE,

PUBLIC INQUIRY TO BE HELD.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY MINISTER

[by telegraph.—own COKEESPOKDEKT-]

WELLINGTON, Wednesday

Arising out of remarks made by the coroner, Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in regard to the manner in which the police carried out their inquiries in connection with t"he death of Elsie Walker at Tamaki, the Minister of Justice, Hon. T. M. Wilford, has decided to hold a public inquiry at Auckland. The Minister will ask His Excellency the Governor-General to appoint Mr. E. Page, senior magistrate at Wellington, to be a commission to carry out the inquiry.

In making known his decision to-day the Minister said ho had read carefully and had considered the evidence taken before the coroner, and had decided to ask the Governor-General to appoint Sir. Page to be a commission to inquire into and report upon the conduct of all or any members of the police force of New Zenland in relation to the inquiries made and the steps taken by them concerning or consequent upon the death of Elsie Walker, late of Papamoa.

Mr. Wilford added that he had also decided that the inquiry should be open to the press. As the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court opened in Auckland yesterday, and as the whole of the detective force will be engaged there for the nest two weeks at least, the Minister does not propose to ask Mr. Page to leave for Auckland for about three weeks.

In giving Ins decision at the inquest at Auckland the coroner made the Sollowing remarks regarding the conduct of the police: "I very much regret that I find it my duty to draw attention to the way the "police handled this case in the early stages. Tile superintendent of police of the Auckland district was present throughout the inquiry. He must have seen, as I did, the mistakes that were made, and the inefficient way the inquiries were carried out. I feel sure he will see the necessity for holding an inquiry at once into the whole matter.

"The public are entitled to better service from the police than they received in this case. It is possible that suspicion may rest against a perfectly innocent man for the rest of his life. This might have been avoided had prompt and intelligent inquiries been made."