KEPT HIS WIFE’S BODY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 212, 7 September 1945, Page 4

KEPT HIS WIFE’S BODY

HELD FOR THREE YEARS HUSBAND WHO HAS BEEN UNABLE TO BUILD MAUSOLEUM. (P.A.) Auckland, Sept. 6. The body of a woman who died in Auckland in 1942 has been kept in a ccflin for over three years in a shed at the rear of a seaside cottage in the upper reaches of the Auckland harbour. The husband of the deceased woman intends to transfer his wife’s remains to a masoleum, to be built in a cemetery, as soon as the necessary materials can be obtained. These facts were discovered recently by detectives, who investigated a complaint, made to the police by a woman. The Health Department also made the fullest inquiries, and says there is no law making it compulsory to dispose of a body, cither by burial or cremation.

The police are satisfied nothing sinister is involved in this strange case. The woman's death resulted from natural causes, and the death was registered at the time. The husband, a highly respected citizen, simply decided to build a mausoleum, but found it impossible to proceed with the project, owing to shortage of the necessary materials. The botfy was embalmed by a local firm of undertakers and remained on their premises for a period, but eventually had to be removed because of a shortage of space. The body is contained in a sealed lead casket, which was placed in a double coflin, which later was removed to the husband’s seaside cottage, where it rema* rs in a locked shed. “This is the first case of the kind I have ever heard of in New Zealand.” said the Medical Officer of Health, Dr. T. J. Hughes, to-day. He added that the Cemeteries Act took it for gronted that a body would either be buried or cremated. “My officers, and also the police, rave carefully investigated the case and found everything in order.” The Health Department is now endeavouring to assist the husband in | having a mausoleum built.