BODY FOUND IN HARBOUR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2854, 5 March 1925, Page 3

BODY FOUND IN HARBOUR.

FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED. Auckland, March 3. Advice has been received that ah inquiry into (lie disappearance of John Pearson from lhe Canadian Explorer, when lhe vessel was between North Head and Tiritiri Island was held at Brisbane, but failed to throw any light on the affair. 11 is generally believed that Pearson lost his life as ihe result of foul play, bill ■ lhe cremating of the body at the spot, where it floated ashore leaves little hope that Iho mystery will ever he satisfactorily cleared !p. Advice from Coromandel stales that upon the report, that the body uf a mail had been round in ihe water close to the beach, at lhe granite quarries, Ihe eoroneV, Mr J. W. Barker, and Constable Spellman, early on Sunday morning, proceedml hv launch to Paritu Bay, where a coroner’s inquiry was opened. Constable Spellman made a complete examination of the body, which was that: of a. well-lniilt man about lift, in height. The only clothing consisted of a. singlet, drawers, woollen s.ocks (new) and dungaree pants held up by a narrow leather hell. There were no marks of violence. The features and hair of the head were gone, owing to the length of time the body had been m the water. Several teeth on both sides of the upper jaw were goldfilled, hut there were no marks on the body by which identification could he established. The trouser pockets were quite empty. A brand or trademark showed on the inside hand of the drawers. This the constable secured and after careful drying and examination with a magnifying glass (he letters “Toorkatson” appeared. A quarrynian, Lawrence Cleary, deposed to noticing the body on February 21 floating ahout two chains off the shore at Paritu Bay. The quarry manager, T. !.. Cooper, said he gave directions to have Ihe body brought ashore and then proceeded to the nearest telephone about nine miles away and informed Constable Spellman, lhe body was cremated on the spot. An earlier message stated that lhe decomposed body tound washed up on (lie beach at Paritu, Cape Colville, on February 21, was believed to lie the remains of John Pea'-son, third engineer of the ste inner Canadian Explorer. Pearson was missing from the vessel within a few hours after she left Auckland for Brisbane on the evening of February 10. His disappearance is shrouded in mystery. He was on hoard the steamer when she sailed hut before midnight that night he was missing, and was not seen again. Pearson was about 33 years of. age, and was a native of ScotInd. He was a powerfully built man over 6 feet in height. Shortly before the vessel sailed there was a light on deck among members of the crew, and Pearson in the course of his duty, put an end to the quarrel. He then received a severe kick in the abdomen.