then it is said in paragraph 353 that after the taking of evidence the
Commissioner asked counsel assisting the Commission to make inquiries
about the two flight bags "which had been located on the site but which
had not been returned to Mrs Collins or Mrs Cassin".

It appears from the following paragraph 354 that among others
interviewed by counsel or asked for comment upon this matter were Mr
Chippindale (the chief inspector of air accidents), and the senior
sergeant of police who had been in charge of the property collected from
the crash site when it was brought to McMurdo. It is said in that
paragraph that the police officer--

"... recollected either one or two flight bags among other property
awaiting packing for return to New Zealand. He said that personnel
from Air New Zealand had access to the store, as well as the chief
inspector, and the senior sergeant said that he thought that he had
given the flight bags to the chief inspector and that the chief
inspector was the sole person to whom he had released any property.
The chief inspector was then interviewed on 11 December 1980 by
telephone, being at that time in Australia, but he said that no
flight bags were ever handed to him."

Thus the inquiries that were made in this fashion were inconclusive.
However, the Commissioner was satisfied that--

"The two flight bags were lodged in the Police store at McMurdo and
would have been returned in due course to Mrs Collins and Mrs
Cassin by the Police. But they were taken away from the store by
someone and have not since been seen." (Paragraph 359 (1))