SHOOTING INCIDENT

Evening Star, Issue 22363, 12 June 1936, Page 12

SHOOTING INCIDENT

VICTORIAN POLICE INQUIRY SIR THOMAS BLAMEY'S EVIDENCE / Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright MELBOURNE, June 11. At the police inquiry Sir Thomas Blarney, chief of the Victorian police, said he saw Superintendent Brophy at the hospital after the shooting, Brophy told him he had an accident with his own revolver in a car in Royal Park and that two women were with him, and the driver Maher. As the result of later investigations Sir Thomas Blarney had a conference with Detective M'Kerral, when it was agreed to issue a statement to the Press that Brophy went to Royal Park in response to a message and while there had been seriously jvounded by two bandits. He authorised no other statement. On the following day, Monday’, he gave an interview to four representatives of the Press, telling them all he knew of the shooting up to that stage. The ‘ Age ’ newspaper reporter then said that he would not_ continue investigations into the shooting, but that was wrong. “ We had important clues and I would not divulge them. The Chief Secretary later called for a report on the whole circumstances, which I supplied.” Mr Stretton: Do you think it proper that Brophy should take two women and a man with him ?

Sir Thomas Blarney: I see no impropriety in that. It would have been risky to take a taxi because of the driver, and risky to take a policeman in plain clothes. Brophy would in normal circumstances have taken steps to have his assailants arrested, but in this instance he had four bullet wounds.”

Asked why he did not supply the names of the women in his report to the Chief Secretary, Sir Thomas Blarney said: “Scandal-mongering is not the business, of the police. Their names were omitted to shield them, because these reports go through many hands.” Mr Stretton: When you were asked by newspaper men about the accident, did you say you did not know where the report came from and that nobody seemed to know anything about it? Sir Thomas Blarney: I said something to that effect.

Mr Stretton: It you said it, it would be an obvious untruth?

Sir Thomas Blarney: Yes, if I said it. Mr Ham asked whether Sir Thomas Blarney attempted to stifle information with regard to the shooting at the hospital, and Sir . Thomas' Blarney answered: “ We were anxious that no wrong reports should be disseminated. We wanted to ensure accuracy.”

Mr Ham': Or to-ensure inaccuracy?

Sir Thomas Blarney: I replied to the reporters’ questions without intending to be candid.

Mr Ham: Then your intention was to mislead?

Sir Thomas Blarney; No. Definitely to parry. , Sir Thomas Blarney, replying to MiHam, said when the shooting was originally reported to be accidental he did not ask Brophy how he came to be wounded all over the body. Mr Ham: Did not you think it strange ? Sir Thomas Blarney; Yes. The inquiry was adjourned.