THREAT TO LEAP OFF BUILDING

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27911, 7 March 1956, Page 6

THREAT TO LEAP OFF BUILDING

POLICE REASON WITH YOUNG MAN CLIMB TO FIFTH FLOOR OF AUCKLAND OFFICE (Neu; Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. March 6. A young man was prevented from hurling himself to death at Auckland about 6 a.m. today by the tact and persuasion of a party of police. The young man had climbed the scaffolding of the new M.L.C. building in Queen street to the fifth floor With his legs spread on the outside rung of tubular steel scaffolding, he swayed backward and forwards, threatening to jump. Police who had followed him successfully urged him to come down.

Constable S. Thompson, a new recruit to the force, saw the man climb over the fence by the scaffolding on the building. He telephoned the central police station, followed the man and called to him to come down. The man told him he was going to jump and end everything. A patrol car arrived, and the police pleaded with the man to come down. The man continued tu cinnu, auo _o.istable ‘ S D

Belcher followed him. The man stopped at the fifth floor level, and Constaole Thompson spoke to uux» from the floor below.

Two sergeants also reasoned with the man for fully 10 minutes while he remained there, balancing himself and swaying to and fro. Constable Thompson rolled a cigarette for the man. lighted it, put it on a nearby plank, and stood back a few feet. The man walked on to the plank, picked up the cigarette, and smoked it

After further cajoling by Constable Thompson and a sergeant, the man agreed to come down if the police walked in front of him. Then he backed along a wooden plank into the building and walked down the stairs inside the building.

Showing signs of exhaustion, he walked quietly to the police car. and was taken to the police station. Later he was taken to the Auckland Mental Hospital.