BODY IN RIVER Police Inquiries Continue

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31006, 11 March 1966, Page 1

BODY IN RIVER Police Inquiries Continue

Police inquiries into the death of John Herman Cook, aged 70, whose naked body was found in the Grey river on Sunday morning, have spread to Christchurch.

Many visitors were in Greymouth last week-end for the West Coast Industries Fair. Some persons from Christchurch, who were staying at the hotel where Mr Cook was seen between 11 p.m. and midnight on Friday, had been interviewed by city detectives. Detective-Inspector M. T. Churches, of the Christchurch C. 1.8., who is in charge of the investigations at Greymouth, said last evening that Mr Cook was last seen alive shortly after mid-night on Friday on Mawhera quay, 50 yards from the hotel. Mr Churches said that inquiries had not yet established whether Mr Cook’s death was accidental or deliberate. Eliminated “However, our inquiries have eliminated some of the possible ways in which Mr Cook could have suffered his severe internal injuries.” Mr Churches said. To questions, the detectiveinspeetor said there was no suggestion that Mr Cook had been poisoned. The only injuries to his head were minor facial bruises. He thought that the police had now received all the facts they would obtain from the Christchurch pathologist who conducted the post-mortem examination.

The nature and extent of j the injuries were known, but . there were several ways in - which the injuries could have t been sustained. I Search For Clothing > “Our inquiries have been - directed towards finding out the movements of Mr Cook • before he was last seen on i the quay. The inquiries f begun by Detective-Sergeant ■ Crozier when the body was t first found were still being : pursued, with our assistance, i “We are still searching for • Mr Cook’s clothing. The search and our inquiries will ■ be continued tomorrow. Our ■ inquiries are still being aimed i at discovering how Mr Cook sustained his internal injuries, Mr Churches concluded.