TAXICAB MURDER

Hokitika Guardian, 14 December 1933, Page 8

TAXICAB MURDER

3000 PERSONS INTERVIEWED <

BAFFLING ABSENCE OF CLUES

AUCKLAND, December 12

Although lover 3000 persons Leave been interviewed by detectives, and a file of correspondence and reports some 2ft. deep has accumulated, no clue has been obtained toward solving the mystery surrounding the murder of Mr James Hunter Blair, aged 53, a taxicab driver, early on the morning of October 15. Mr Blair was found unconscious at tile wheel of his cab in King’s Road, Mount Roskill. He was suffering from a wound on the back of the head and died as he was being admitted to the Auckland Hospital. No weapon was found in tile car, and there was no apparent motive for the crime. The murdered driver had money in his possession when found and was extremely popular with his associates. An entire absence of clues handicapped the police from the beginning of their investigations. A most diligent seai’di of the neighbourhood failed to reveal a possible weapon, and although careful. inquiries were made by a. large number of detectives and constables, no cine was obtained concerning the circumstances of Air Blair’s last Trip.

■ An immense amount of information valueless for the most part, hut all requiring /investigation, poured into police headquarters. Every possible avenue of inquiry was fully explored, without any definite clue resulting. The movements of various persons were checked, laundries were visited in the hope of finding blood-stained garments, and many people out late on the night of October were questioned. After nearly two months of intensive won< the police are very little further ahead than when they first started their inquiries, except that several suspects have been eliminated.

information is still being received at police headquarters and detectives are continuing their search, in spite of the severe handicap of a baffling absence of clues.