A CONSTABLE’S DEATH

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 70, 6 March 1930, Page 5

A CONSTABLE’S DEATH

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST.

• Pei Press Association.]

Ashburton, Mar. 6. The inquest ou Constable David Ogilvy Brown, who shot himself at Kakaia on February 18th, was resumed to-day in consequence of allegations by Mr. W. J. Hunter, acting on behalf of the relatives, that Commissioner Mcllveney had suppressed a letter from the deceased. The Commissioner attended and produced a letter in which the deceased said he had been too long at routine office work to make a success of anything else, and stating: “I must apologise to you, for it was not your fault that I didn’t remain in my good job in the Gazette office.’ ’

The Commissioner said that the letter was a State document, and its proper place was on the files in Wellington. He could have refused production. but brought it down to show that there was nothing in it to lead to the cause of death. Brown was a thoroughly reliable, competent and strong-minded man, and had been very favourably reported on by Inspector Gummings. Brown would have bei-n placed in a belter station Lad one been ready. He had passed th;? sergeant’s examination and would

shortly have taken up that position. He had made no complaints to the Commissioner al out the difficulty of the Rakaia work. He had applied

for assistance, but declined it when it was offered. 7 was utter nonsense to say that a man would be dismissed if he applied for a transfer.

The Coroner returned a verdict of suicide during acute mental worry.