INQUEST ON WOMAN WHO IS MISSING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 118, 23 May 1946, Page 5

INQUEST ON WOMAN WHO IS MISSING

BODY SEEN, BUT SCOW DID NOT STOP COMMENT BY CORONER. (P.A.) ickand, May 22. An inquest was concluded before the coroner, Mr. A. Addison, into the death of Gwenyth Elaine Rosser, aged 25, of Green Lane, who had been missing from her home since October 25, 1945. The body of a deceased son, Graham Coleston Rosser, aged three years, was found in the grounds of Takapuna Grammar School, on October 26,’ and at a subsequent inquest a verdict, was returned that the cause of death was drowning, brought about, by acts of his mother.

Geoffrey Strange, a brother of'tha deceased, said he last saw his sister alive on October 25, when she appeared to be in good health. For about two weeks previously she had been suffering from influenza, and appeared depressed. She had been worried about her husband, who was serving in Italy at the time. Witness said he knew that she left home about 2 p.m., taking her son with her, and saying that she was going down the road. When she did not return that evening the police were notified. From letters which were received by his mother the following day, he knew his sister intended to take her own life, and that of her son. Marjorie Honan, single woman, said that on October 25 she left her home at Takapuna just before dusk to take her dog for a run. When walking along the Takapuna beach she saw a woman sitting on a rock at th? waters edge. She was nursing a small child.

Sergeant Tocher said he examined the body of the baby after it was discovered' in the grounds of the Takapuna Grammar School, and afterwards found a woman’s coat, hat and shoes lying above high water mark on the beach. There was no trace of the deceased’s body.

William Goodall, master of the scow Owhiti, said that on October 26, when his vessel was off Narrow Neck, he saw the body of a woman floating in the sea about, three feet from the side of the sccw. When witness arrived at Auckland he notified the police.

In answer Io the coroner witness said he actually considered stopping the scow, but decided to pass on. as he did not like the idea of picking up a dead body. It might have been the body of a slight woman, although, ai first, he thought it was that, of a girl of about 14 years. “I am satisfied the person seen by Miss Honan was Mrs. Rosser,” said lhe coroner, "and T think the body seen by Goodall was hers also. The interests of the communitv and an aspect of respect to the dead would have been better served if the scow had been stopped.” A verdict was returned that the deceased died, following the drowning of her son, Graham Rosser, there being insufficient evidence to show the actual cause of death, the body not having been recovered.