TRIAL OF COATS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 63, 5 November 1931, Page 3

TRIAL OF COATS

(Press A-ssn.—

ENGINEER'S EVIDENCE EASE OF BURIAL IN TIP STORY OF LANDLADY

-By Telegraph — Copyright).

WELLINGTON, Wednesday At the trial of George Coats this morning for the alleged murder of Phyllis Symons, evidence was given by relief workers at Hataitai. Sydney Nenketh said he had seen Coats digging a hole in the tip. John Dunsmuir said that Coats, on the afternoon of June 25, asked him to leave out a shovel, as he wanted to bury a dog. Corrobative evidence regarding accused asking for a shovel to be left out was given by Willoughby Brassey Cutfield, Leonard Oswald Gyde, James Vivian Morris and James Skilling. Charles Idys Kidson, engineer in eharge of the Hataitai work, gave details of the two tips. Where the body was found was only a few feet from the junction of the two tips. It was very unlikely that anybody falling down the main tip would come to rest where the girl's body was found. To the Judge witness said that it would not take long to bury a body in the bank. All that would he necessary would be to shovel some of the earth aside, place the body in the hollow and pull the bank down over it. The evidence this afternoon followed largely on the lines of that given in the Lower Court. Mrs. Olive Smith, who let a room/to Coats, said she heard Coats and Phyllis leave early on the evening of June 26. She heard heavy footsteps returning after 10 o'clock. She identified the saek produced as one she had obtained for vegetables some time ago. It was one of six, only five remaining at her place. The hearing was adjourned until to-morrow.