Taxi-Driver Makes Statement to Police

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 375, 8 June 1928, Page 1

Taxi-Driver Makes Statement to Police

GIRL’S BODY IN BACH NEW BRIGHTON MYSTERY (Special to THE SUN) CHRISTCHURCH, To-day. The police had a long interview yesterday with William Burgess, a taxi-driver of Christchurch, as the result of the discovery of the body of Emily Martha Forward, aged about 21, in a bach at North New Brighton, on Thursday. It is understood that he made a statement concerning - his acquaintance with the girl, whose death apparently occurred 10 or 11 weeks ago. The girl’s body was found in a sitting posture in a chair, with a gas tube beside the head, and the cap turned on from the stove beside her. As the gas meter was a shilling-in-the-slot one, the escape of gas had ceased. The bach, a small grey-painted building of two rooms, almost hidden at the back of the section, was taken for a term of 12 months early in the year by William Burgess, who paid the rent regularly every fortnight right up to May 19 to Mr. E. A. M. Leaver. Mr. Leaver said that he had no idea that there was a woman on the premises. At an inquest which opened to-das', before Mr. E. D. Mosley. S.M., Irene Robina Passmore, wife of Sydney Passmore, said that about 12.30 p.m. yesterday she visited the bach, and found the body, which she had identiled. Deceased, who was a single woman, had lived there for some time. Witness had visited her previously, and had last seen her alive about three months ago. “Do you know why she went down there?” asked the coroner. “She could not keep her position because she was expecting to be laid up. and was not in good health,” replied Mrs. Passmore, t Xhe inquest was adjourned sine die.