RUAWARO TRAGEDY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19835, 26 June 1934, Page 13

RUAWARO TRAGEDY

INQUEST VET TO BE HELD. By Telegraph —Press Association AUCKLAND, June 25 An unusual circumstance in the deaths ol Mr and Mrs Lakey is that the inquests have yet to be held. It has become customary for the magistrate who conducts the preliminary hearing of a murder or manslaughter charge in the Magistrate's Court to hold the inquest on the victim concurrently, and to refrain from recording a verdict until after the Supreme Court has disposed of the subsequent trial, if any. In the case of Mrs Lakey an inquest was opened by Mr F. Harris, J.P., Huntly district coroner, and was adjourned. Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., took the lower court proceedings against Bayly, but as an inquest had already been opened, he did not sit as a coroner. Thn position therefore is that this inquest will have to be resumed before the coroner who opened it, Mr Harris. Whether an inquest will be required concerning the death of Lakey is not yet curtain. Under section three of the Coroners Amendment Act, 1930, it is provided that: “Where a coroner has reason to believe that a death has occurred in such circumstances that an inquest ought to be held, and that owing to the destruction of the body by fire or otherwise an inquest cannot be held except by virtue of the provisions of the section, he may report the facts to the Attorney-General, who may direct that an inquest be held.’’ “I think it is likely that this procedure will be followed,’’ said Mr Harris yesterday. “While I have not yet gone thoroughly into the position, I think that all that will be necessary in both cases will be the production of medical evidence as to the cause of death. I do not think it likely that the evidence given in the Supreme Court will have to be repeated." The administration of the estate of Lakey is one reason why it is believed that an inquest on him will have to be held. It is believed that he did not leave a will, and his intestate estate may be handed to the Public Trustee for administration. The Public Trustee, however, may not be able to accept the estate without proof of death.