OBITUARY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 93, 21 April 1941, Page 4

OBITUARY.

MR. THOMAS O'GRADY.

The death has occurred of Mr. Thomas A. O Grady, a former senior sergeant in the police force, who was for manv years in charge of the Newton station. Mr. O'Gradv was born at Milton, Ota°x>, and joined the force at Oamaru. He' served at various centres in the South Island. Coming to Auckland in IS9S he spent almost all the remainder of his service in the province. He was chosen as one of the picked police escort during the tour through New Zealand in 1901 of King George and Queen Marv, then the Duke and Duchess of York." Transferred to Avondale, Constable O'Gradv was promoted sergeant and sei \ed at Dunediit for a short period. Returning to Auckland, he took charge of the Newton station. On his promotion to senior sergeant in 1917. he was sent to Wailii.

It was during his service at Wailii that John Higgins fired shot after shot at the children of the Waikino School, killing two and wounding five. Mr. R. T. Reid, headmaster of the school, now of Bavswater. courageously struggled with' tlie madman and attempted to overpower him, but was shot down. Higgins continued to shoot wildly at the police party under Senior-Sergeant O'Gradv, after barricading himself in the school building. One constable was wounded before the man surrendered when the ]>olice battered in a door. After 42 years' service Senior-Sergeant Q.Grady retired in 10'*5.'5. He is survived by two daughters.