POLICE AND PRESS

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 June 1936, Page 7

POLICE AND PRESS

INCORRECT INFORMATION VICTORIAN ADMISSIONS [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. COPYBIGHT.] MELBOURNE, June 11. The inquiry regarding the recent shooting of Police Superintendent Brophy and the account of it that was given by the Police Department, was continued to-day. Sir Thomas Blarney, Chief of the Victorian Police, said that he saw Superintendent Brophy at the- hospital after the shooting. Superintendent Brophy told him that he had had an accident with his own revolver in the car in Royal Park,-and stated that two young women were with him, also the driver, William Maher. As the result of later investigations, he (Sir T. Blarney) had a conference with Detective McKerral, when it was agreed to issue a statement to the Press that Superintendent Brophy went to Royal Park in response to a message, and that, while there, he had been seriously wounded by two bandits. He had authorised no other statement. The next 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 had then said that he would not continue investigations, into.the shooting. That -was wrong. Sir Thomas continued: “We had important clues, and 1 would not divulge them. The Chief Secretary, later, called for a report on the'Whole, of the circumstances, which I supplied.” Mr Stretton (assisting the Commissioner)': Do ypu, think-it proper that Superintendent Brophy should take two wSnien and a maii with him? Sir T. Blarney: 1,., see no impropriety hi ; ft. It would have been risky for him to take' a taxi, because of the driver. It also would have been risky to z take a policeman in plain clothes. Superintendent Brophy would, in normal circumstances, have taken steps to have the assailants arrested, but in this instance, he had four bullet wounds.

Asked why he did not supply, the names of the two women, Mrs Orr and another, 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 the newspaper men about the accident, did you say you did not know where the report came from, or that nobody seemed to know anything about it?

Sir T. Blarney: I said something to that effect.

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

Sir T. Blarney:

Yes —if I said it.

Mr Ham (for the “Herald”) asked whether Sir T. Blarney attempted to stifle information regarding the shooting at the hospital. Sir T. Blarney: We were anxious that no wrong reports should be disseminated. We wanted to ensure accuracy.

Mr Ham: Or to ensure inaccuracy?

Sir T. Blarney: I replied to the reporters’ questions without intending to be candid.

Mr Ham: Then your intention was to mislead?

Sir T. Blarney: No —definitely, to parry.

Sir T. Blarney replying to Mr. Ham said that when the shooting was originally reported to be accidental, he did not ask Brophy how he came to be wounded all oyer the body. Mr. Ham: Didn’t you think it strange?

Sir T. Blarney: Yes. The hearing was adjourned.