PARK ENCOUNTER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22448, 18 June 1936, Page 13

PARK ENCOUNTER

WOUNDED OFFICIAL REPORTERS' INQUIRIES NO CLUE TO THE BANDITS By Telegraph—.Press Association—Copyright (Received June 17, 8.15 p.m.) MELBOURNE, June 17 The Royal Commission which is inquiring into the shooting of Superintendent J. Brophy, of the Victorian Criminal Investigation Department, in Royal Park, near Parkville, on May 22, sat again to-day. Mr. Justice Macindoe presided. The witnesses were chiefly reporters on the Argus, the Age, the Herald and the Sun Pictorial, who gave evidence of conflicting stories told afi police headquarters after the shooting of Mr. Brophy.

Earl Robinson, of the Sun Pictorial, and Laurence Whitehead, of the Herald, both said the statement produced at the inquiry was not the one they had seen at the police press bureau. Tile handwriting and phrasing were different.

Lionel Luxton, of the Argus, stated that ho and another reporter interviewed Mr. Brophy in the hospital. He referred them to Detective McKcrral, who issued a corrected statement about Mr. Bropliy's injuries and how they were caused. Later in the evening, said this witness, one of the broadcasting stations put over the air still another, more detailed, version. Detective McKerral was called on the telephone and when told about it he insisted that both tlio press and the broadcasting statement were the same but said that if the latter was different then somebody had coloured it. Harold Austin, of the Age, said that when Sir Thomas Blarney, Chief of Police, was asked by reporters whether the usual methods were being taken to apprehend Mr. Brophy's attackers, he replied: "No. What can wo do? The men were masked and a torch was flashed in Mr. Brophy's face. There is no way of identifying them." Mr. O'Bryan, who is appearing for the police, interposed: What did you take that to mean? Austin: That there was little likelihood of the offenders being apprehended. The Commissioner: Did it mean there was no likelihood on earth of their being apprehended and that investigations had ceased? . Austin: Yes. The hearing was adjourned.