ELSIE WALKER CASE

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1929, Page 5

ELSIE WALKER CASE

SOCIETY’S ACTION. - AUCKLAND, Oct. 15. The Auckland branch of the New Zealand Society for the Protection of Women and Children has dedded to call a public meeting at the Town Hall to discuss the fate of Elsie Walker. Ibis decision was made at a meeting of the society last evening when general dissatisfaction was expressed with the reply of the Minister of Justice (the Hon T. M. Wilford) to the society’s appeal for amended legislation to enable the reopening of inquests. Kindred societies have been invited to give their co-operation. ‘Some • important information came to the inspector-of our society,” said the Rev. P. S. S'maJlfield, the president, to-day,. ‘‘and in consequence of that new evidence, has been gathered. Within the past week or two a typed statement was prepared, a duplicate copy being handed over to the inspection of police so that he might know what had come before our committee.” ..

“I consider the public should know what the society has been, doing in the matter,”., continued Mr Smallfield. “Our inspector arranged certain interviews and obtained information on facts that had not,come out at the inquest, for the simple reason that the peophe who could haive given Ahat evidence were not called as witnesses.'’

“The object of the meeting is to get an expression of public opinion on the' question of amending the law,” said Mr A. J. Stratford, chairman of the. Committee of the society. Mr Stratford added, that the law as it stood at present did not provide for the reopening of inquests once a verdict had been given. The society had been asked frequently whether it was taking any. and if so what it proposed to do. /' ! ",

There was no antagonism to the Government in its attitude, declared Mr Stratford, but he said that the commititee was istrongly' .of the opinion that the law should be amended to provide for, obtaining additional information, not only in /the Elsie Walker case ,ffut'also in any other case' where that could only be done by re-opening the inquest.

RE-OPENING OF INQUESTS. NO AMENDMENT THIS YEAR. WELLINGTON, Oct. 15. Jt is not proposed to amend the Coroners’ A,ct this session. This was stated by-the Minister of Justice, the Hon T. M. Wilford, in the House today in reply, to an urgent question by Mr Macmillan , (Tauranga). “Is it the intention of the Minister of Justice to introduce legislation this session amending the Coroners’ Act, 1908, in; the . direction of enabling the reopening of a coroner’s inquest at which the cau*e qf death has not been found if the .Minister, is satisfied that fresh evidence is forthcoming?” asked Mr Macmillan. It was pointed out by Mr ‘Macmillan that a feeling of nervousness engendered in a. district wnere, an indeterminate verdict was arrived at. would be allayed if it was known that such inquests could be reopened on the production of fresh evidence.