"I GUESS I CANT SEE YOU NOW"

NZ Truth, Issue 1226, 30 May 1929, Page 5

"I GUESS I CANT SEE YOU NOW"

Richard Brophy Conceives Dislike For The Limelight, and Will Not Be Interviewed

WAS BYRD'S EX-MANAGER DODGING? (From "N.Z. Truth. V Special "Wellington Representative). When Richard Gale Brophy burst upon New Zealand from New York with a fanfare of trumpets and sheaves of introductions as second m command of the Byrd Antarctic Expedition, he was made a big fuss of and was soon safely installed as a welcome guest of the Government and nearly everybody else. ; _ -^ © . . _ — : — — , o — ; — . — ■ -.

BUT Brophy was not the. only thing . that burst on New Zealand. Another ... was the bombshell* thai carried notification from Byrd that Brophy was to take six months' leave of absence. This was followed by the news that, at the' present time, Brophy is m no. way connected with the expedition. What is the trouble? No credence can now be attached to Brophy's statements that he was going to settle m New Zealand and start a movie film of the Maori race. Whatever he is going to do, or has done, Brophy is certainly the best "dodger" who ever came to New Zealand, and the silence with which he enveloped himself and his future activities seems to confirm the impression that he was lying low for sortie reason or other. This silepce of his was not altogether m keeping with the calibre of the mar New Zealand knew him to be, and where he was once falling over himself to get publicity, he later fell 'over himself to avoid it. Shortly before his departure for America last week, Brophy was spending a strenuous time "dodging" from one end of the North and South Islands eluding representatives of '"N.Z. Truth"

Numerous Plans

m Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and- Dunedin. This paper is loath to think thai Brophy had no desire to be interviewed and wonderß why he 'was so keen tc "dodge" if .he had nothing to feai from certain questions "Truth" hac ready to submit to him. V However,, following his severance with the Byrd Expedition, Brophy let the world know that he was going to explore the Urewera country with a view to producing a picture based on Maori life and habits. This was only one of the things "N.Z. Truth" wanted Brophy to elucidate, but his bustling habits and broken promises have so far made this impossible. % To go back . a little, a radiogram sent to Commander Byrd .by Brophy just before he severed his connection with the Expedition makes interesting reading. It read: — "Newspaper men confronted me with the question: 'We have heard you are through with the Expedition. Is that so?' I replied m accordance with the terms of your reply m your, recent radiogram to me: 'No, I am not through.' "Being requested to amplify the statement, I did so. I told them the exact terms of the recent interchange of radios, since I failed to see you m the Antarctic — that you had extended me an indefinite.- leave of absence : which I had previously twice refused I but which T now intend to accept. ' "I have been asked to-be relieved ol " my duties' as second m command, because of my desire . ■ ■

to return to private business m New Zealand. "I also stated I had a message from you stating that you would not confirm my resignation as second-in-command at the present moment, but on- my return fr&m leave of absence I could expect a decision from you." Brophy is definitely not now connected with Byrd, and whatever his 'private interests m New Zealand might be, they appear as vague as he waa himself when a . "Truth" representative was anywhere near him. There are many things that seem to require clearing up, and extensive Inquiries seem to

point to the fact that something is wrong somewhere. First of all, Brophy was due to sail by the "Makura" for San Francisco, on Tuesday, April 23, but at the eleventh hour he cancelled the booking and remained m Wellington, although his name was still on the passenger fist. Inquiries were made for Brophy at the Midland Hotel, but he had gone to Auckland. When approached by a "Truth" representative there, Brophy made an appointment, but he failed to keep it. At the time he was to have been interviewed, Brophy was on his way back to Wellington. Nothing daunted, another "Truth"

r representative called on Brophy at the ! Midland bn May 6. : He was m his pril vate room and would not stir from its : precincts but preferred to converse i With the reporter over the house tele- \ phone. "I guess I can't see you just now, but . if you come along at' B.ls to-morrow night I will be glad to see you," he stated when told that an interview ' would be appreciated. 5 Brophy mentioned that his mother [ and father and brother had arrived that day from America and as he had not seen them for five years, he wanted some time to devote to them. What Brophy did not mention,

L . i however, was the fact that at the ; hour suggested for his appointment with this paper's representative he \ would be on his way south by the ferry. In conversation later that day with a prominent business man of Dunedin, who is an interested party m the Byrd ? Expedition, "Truth" <vas told that j Brophy was a sick man. He had beer i receiving medical attention m the \ southern city, and was suffering from a j nervous, breakdown. Brophy had been advised that the , sooner he retm-ned to America the better it would be for his health. He had, I it was suggested, been so worried and ;' over-burdened with work while ac-

tively engaged m the arrangements for the expedition that - it had got him down. "I met Dick Brophy m New York," stated the business man, "and it was quite a different Dick Brophy to the man now m New Zealand. A nicer man one could not then wish to meet, but now he is a bundle of nerves. "He has dodged me just the same as he is dodging you, but with me he considers that I am against him." "Truth" was further informed that Brophy's people, who arrived m Wellington by the "Tahiti," • were, to spend some time m the Dominion. , They had .brought with theni collapsible boats' and decoy ducks and other sporting gear. ■ • • V Against that , wd.s the -fact that Brophy had booked a passage m the "Tahiti" for the next return voyage to San Francisco. There was no reason m. the. world why Brophy should not remain m the Dominion, but' his actions for several weeks before his departure gave cause for surprise and wonderment. If he had nothing. to hide why did

! he so persistently elude "Truth" and • refuse to gi«ant an interview*? ! Why did he book on the "Makura" and then suddenly cancel his passage? Was it because his people were coming to New Zealand or was there some other reason behind it? v , Brophy has been pleased to veil his movements and activities m secrecy, and he has left a. lot of people wondering what next he will do. If he was advised to leave New Zealand for his health's sake, why did he . persist m staying here, flying from one . city to another m hectic fashion as;if his life depended upon it? If it was his intention to m^ke a film of Maori life with a combination of the "talkies," then Brophy was very silent about the whole matter, and prominent theatrical people have never heard of the project. Taken all round, it seems, on the face of things, to be evident that Brophy had some object, best known to himself, for evading the Press. But, while he was dodging "Truth" and escorting his people, through the wonders of New Zealand, Brophy should have had time to get busy on any new project he' may evolve. A cloud of mystery veiled his movements ,and no explanation was vouch r safed to the public.

■ . ' '1 His Departure

The public will at least be interested should he decide to give New Zealand, per medium of the film, a free advertisement abroad. In the meantime "Truth" has definitely established that Brophy has at last done something and that is the removing of his patronage, temporarily or permanently, from the Dominion. When the "Tahiti" steamed down Wellington harbor last week with flags flying and hundreds of people on her decks clutching to the very last the multi-colored streamers held by parting friends, there was one somewhat forlorn and certainly subdued, who leaned, silently over a lifft-belt on her deck and silently surveyed the scene below him. It was Richard Brophy. " Brophy maintained his role of the "elusive pimpernel" to the very last. Enquiry at the Midland Hotel elicited, the fact that although Mr. Brophy had booked m he was three days overdue m taking his , room. But "Truth'' \ was riot •so easily to be disposed. of as that. i . '■".'■• V V .: . » V A perusal of the passenger list of i the "Tahiti" -disclosed the fact that • Mr. R. Brophy had reserved berth 4 m cabin 40 and a glance at the luggage m the cabin showed that, he m,- , tended to depart, for there, amongst ' other things was his 'Til ole typewriter." [ However, a search of the ship failed to .reveal the man himself, and the ' ■ calls of the stew-.

(Uu wnu iJtuiiQtttaingly shouted: "Mr. Brophy" all over the place brought n o response.; A telegram for him remained untouched m the letter rack. 1 He was aboard, however,. and "Truth" located him as stated just as the ship was pulling away. There was n o sign of any of his family, and it may be assumed -that they are putting those Ashing - rods and collapsible canoes to the bqst advantage. But what of the Maori film that was to do so much for the Dominion and, incidentally, the producer?. Are the dusky Valentinos and Piekfords to remain m the ob-

scurity of the Pah whilst the expectant world waits m vain for their histrionic ability to flicker across the" silver sheet, preceded by the captivating caption: "A Richard Brophy Production"? It seems like it. At any rate, Richard Brophy may now rest comfortably m his deck chair. No persevering "Truth" representative is likely to ' bob up like Father Neptune and interview him m mid-ocean. Down at the South Pole, too, Byrd will have ample opportunity of contemplating the striking effect of the Aurora Australis undisturbed -by his übiquitous ex-business manager. Certainly Commander Byrd heard enough of .his base manager per medium of the radio, over the resignation question, but what he thinks about it all he alone m the white wastes of Antarctica knows. ;