UNUSUAL INQUEST.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20125, 22 February 1937, Page 8

UNUSUAL INQUEST.

CAMBRIDGE WOMAN’S DEATH. FORMER INQUIRY HELD. MAGISTRATE’S COMMENTS. “This inquest is held under unusual circumstances,” said Mr S. L. Paterson, S.M.. in the Hamilton Coroner’s 'Court to-day when an inquest was opened lo identify the body of a woman ' found in the Waikato River at Rangiriri on December 27. The body was believed to be that of Hilda Agnes Greenhill, a spinster of Cambridge, who disappeared from her home in Cambridge, on August 7, 1935. The magistrate said in August, 1935, it was believed that Miss Greenhill had been drowned in the Waikato River. In 1936 a report was made to the Attorney-General pursuant to the, Coroner’s Amendment Act, 1930, and the Attorney-General directed that an inquest should he held, although no body had been found. “In December last, almost 18 months after the disappearance of Miss Greenhill, a body was found in Hie Waikato River at Rangiriri," said Mr Paterson. “It was stated at the time that it might be the body of Miss Greenhill. A position then arose for which there is no legal precedent, in that an inquest had already been held without Hie body. Now the body had apparently appeared. There is no legislation in England or any British Dominion to compare with the terms of Section 3 of the Coroners’ Amendment Act, 1930. Therefore 1 had nothing to guide me in deciding what I should do. Magistrate's DTlemnfa. “The question was should I re-open the inquest already held or should 1 open a l'resh inquest? An inquest could not he opened without an order of the Supreme Court and there were also difficulties regarding a fresh inquest. Looking at il in another light this could hardly he said to be a second inquiry on the same body as there had been no body at the first inquest and on this occasion here was a body found under circumstances which demanded an inquiry.” At all events an inquiry would be necessary, added Mr Paterson, lo establish the identity of the body. He found precedent in some old cases which established the fact that under common law a coroner could not take an inquest without a body. In the present. case llie inquiry was not wholly void as it. had been held with the authority of the Attorney-General l»v special legislative sanction and it was conditional only. The principle that where, an inquest had been held with a body a second could be held with a body might he invoked. “Here was a body found under circumstances requiring the holding of an inquest.” conlined the •Coroner, “therefore 1 considered I must uhold an inquest. It. appeared to me that the identification of a body was as important as the cause of death as a matter for inquiry.” Further report was made to the At-torney-General and a reply was received m which it was slated that the case was without, precedent and thn.l the decision of Mr Paterson seemed reasonable. ”1 am a I liberty now to finish the inquiry in this ease,” concluded Mr Paterson, “and 1 find that the body of llic woman found in the Waikato River ul Rangiriri on December 27 is Dial of Hilda Agnes Greenhill concerning whose death an inquiry was hold in 1 October last by direr.turn of the At-torney-General.”