OBITUARY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25365, 12 December 1947, Page 8

OBITUARY

SENIOR-DETECTIVE J. TRETHEWEY "The Press” Special Service

AUCKLAND, December 11. Senior-Detective John Trethewey. one of the best known detectives in Auckland, and one of the police officers who played a leading part in solving the famous Piha fraud case in 1939, died in the Auckland Hospital this week, at the age of 46. He had been ill for some weeks.

Born in Ashburton, Mr Trethewey joined the police force in 1921 and, after training in the depot at Newtown, Wellington, he was posted to Dunedin. Shortly afterward he was transferred to Oamaru, where he remained until 1935. After a short period in the Christchurch detective office. Mr Trethewey was promoted to the rank of detective-sergeant and was transferred to Auckland on August 30. 1937. With Detective-Sergeant (now Senior-Detective) F. N. Aplin, he displayed great skill and initiative in bringing to justice two men who set fire to a bach at Piha containing the body of Patrick Henry Shine with the Intention of defrauding the Mutual Life and Citizens’ Assurance Co., of Sydney, of £25.500. For the last five years of his service Mr Trethewey prosecuted for the detective branch in the Magistrate’s Court. He was made a senior detective in June, 1945. He is survived by his widow, a son and a daughter.