Police Continue Investigation Of Wairoa Murders

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1942, Page 2

Police Continue Investigation Of Wairoa Murders

Wairoa, ' August 25. A large forci of detectives is enegaged in the investigation of the murders of Brigadier Annie Smyth and her si?ter, Miss Rosamond Smyth, at the Wairoa Salvation Army Hall. This is being augmented by members of the police force who have previously served at Wairoa and have a good knowledge of the district and its inhabitants. Brigadier Smyth was last seen on August 10, when a neighbour saw her hanging washing on a clothes line. A bloodstained axe which by its appearance had been used for one of the murders, has been found in the washhouse near the hall. Apparently the axe was used as well as the bent and- twisted poker found earlier. It is now revealed that when a lettercarrier found the usual recess at the rooms filled with earlier nvul he dropped correspondence through r-'.i open window, believing the brigadier was away on holiday, or on one of her regular visits to country areas. After the discovery of the crime some alarm was felt by many residents of Wairoa, but it has now died down. As a result of certain pathological evidence the police are endeavouring to ascertain who supplied ttie brigadier with a substantial meal, which it appears she consumed shortly before she met he'r death, and which she may not have had at the Salvation Army hall.