WOMAN’S BODY

Southland Times, Issue 25302, 4 June 1935, Page 6

WOMAN’S BODY

DISCOVERY IN RIVER DIFFICULT PROBLEM FACES POLICE MURDER SUSPECTED (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, June 3. The discovery of the body of a woman in the Tamaki river yesterday afternoon has given the police an exceptionally difficult problem to solve. It is estimated the body has been in the water about a month. It was covered with two cornsacks and a piece of canvas. These were attached to a rope the other end of which was round one leg.. The body was naked except for a singlet. The first difficulty is that of identification. The only two women reported missing in Auckland are Maoris, but the description of a missing 'Wellington girl appears to coincide with that of the body. The details have not yet been checked. Various circumstances lead the police to suspect that the woman has been murdered, but there is yet no certainty. Apart from the identification problem the police are puzzled to know how the body came to be in the water. It is possible it entered the water in any part of Auckland harbour or even at* sea and has been washed in to the Tamaki river by the tides and currents. The facts that the body is practically naked and that a rope is attached to a leg are believed to discount the possibility of suicide. An inquest was opened to-day by the Coroner when evidence was given by a constable who described the appearance of the body. In answer to the Coroner he said the rope appeared to be tied to the right leg and the sacks at the other end of the rope were complete sacks. The inquest was adjourned and a post-mortem is being conducted by the pathologist. MISSING~WOMEN INVESTIGATIONS REVIVED. ENIGMA STILL UNSOLVED (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, June 3. With few clues at their disposal the Auckland detectives assigned to the Panmure enigma are intent on full inquiry into reports of the missing women and efforts in this connection are extending throughout New Zealand. The seriousness with which the police regard the mystery and their eagerness to obtain fresh information were apparent to-night when it was suggested to the investigators that the movements of a young half-caste Maori girl from Tepuke, Bay of Plenty, should be traced. The girl last visited her parents i nTepuke at Christmas and she returned to Auckland, where she has been in employment. Although the parents are stated not to have heard from their daughter for several months they felt no anxiety as the girl has relatives in Auckland. Only the occurrence of the Panmure mystery has prompted the inquiry and the police no doubt will receive similar suggestions concerning other young women. Further Investigation. Auckland detectives commenced the task to-night of seeking the relatives of a Maori girl living in the City. So far no definite results have been obtained from a further examination of the records of missing persons in Auckland apart from the suggested inquiry concerning the Tepuke girl. There had previously been several reports on file regarding missing Maori girls, but no agreement with the Panmure case has been discovered. The woman whose body was recovered from the Tamaki river as the result of examinations up to now has been classed merely as “probably a European.” Activity in the South. Activity in southern centres in tracing the movements of missing women is anticipated and the authorities will be faced with a considerable task in the assembly of data concerning missing persons and comparing particulars in the hope of establishing the identity of the dead womah.