GRIM DISCOVERY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26584, 6 October 1947, Page 6

GRIM DISCOVERY

YOUNG GIRL’S BODY STATE OF DECOMPOSITION IDENTIFIED BY GOLD WATCH Special to the Daily Times f WELLINGTON, Oct. 5. Within a few minutes’ walk of her home in Wellington City, the body of Marie West, aged 171, was discovered in the Wellington Town Belt just above Majoribanks street this afternoon. The body, which was covered over with branches, was decomposed, and it was identified by a gold wristlet watch, the number of which was known. Marie West had been missing from her home since July 7. Where the body was found is in a direct line with, but a few hundred yards from, Mclntyre avenue, off Hawker street, where Miss West lived with her parents, Mr and Mrs William George West. The wrist watch which was with the body was that of the girl’s mother. It will not be possible until a detailed examination is made to ascertain how Miss West met her death, and even then there is no certainty that this can be established, because of the decomposition of the body. Police Promptly on Scene The discovery was made by a resident of the locality who was working in his garden. His attention was attracted, and he found the remains and informed the police, who were promptly on the • job. The area was screened from the public while investigations were carried out. Miss West’s home was in a street which was up a series of steps off the upper section’ of Hawker street. She was the third eldest in a family of six, and worked as a shorthand typist in a city office. On the day she disappeared she had telephoned a friend, Miss Cynthia Barrett, and asked her to accompany her to a meeting of the Catholic Youth Movement in Dufferin street that night.

An appointment was arranged for 7.40 p.m. outside the Embassy Theatre (formerly the De Luxe), which is only five minutes' walk from Mclntyre*averiue. Miss West left her home at 7.35 p.m., and her last words to her mother' were, “ I’m not keen to' go out, and if Cynthia wasn’t waiting. I wouldn’t go.” She did not keep her appointment, and her friend, aware that she was not feeling in the best of health that day, did not wait after 8 p.m. She did not feel any immediate concern, thinking that Miss West might not have felt like attending the meeting. When she left home Miss West had only 6d on her, the price of her supper. She had left a larger sum of ready money at home. She was wearing her oldest dress and a camel-hair coat. Her only valuables were her mother’s wrist watch (an 18ct cased watch numbered 7628CJ/15J), and a gold bangle which was too tight for her. Intentions Clear

That she had no intention whatever other than of attending the Youth Movement meeting was indicated by the fact that she had made appointments for the following Saturday, and also had promised her young brother a present for his birthday, which was due to faff 15 days after her disappearance. . . Miss West, though 174, appeared younger. She whs dark, sft 2in in height, of slight- build, with blue eyes.