POLICE SENSATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22905, 12 June 1936, Page 9

POLICE SENSATION

WOUNDING OF SUPERINTENDENT

THE MELBOURNE INQUIRY (I'Dited Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) MELBOURNE, June 11. (Received June 11, at 10.30 p.m.) At the police inquiry Sir Thomas Blarney, chief of the Victorian police, said he saw Brophy at the hospital after the shooting. Brophy told him he had an accident with his own revolver in a ear in Royal Paill and that two women were with him, and the driver Maher. As the result of later investigations 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 wounded by two bandits. He authorised no other statement. On the following day, Monday, he gave an interview to four representatives of the press, telling tliem all he knew of the shooting up to that stage. The Age newspaper 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 Strettim: Do you think it proper that Brophy should take two women and a man with him?

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 circnni j lPiices have taken steps to have his assailants arrested but in this instance he had ti-ur bullet wounds."

Asked why he did not ptipi ly flic names of the women in his report to the chief secretary, Blarney said: "Scandalmonger!ng is not the business of the police. Their names 'vere 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? Blarney: I said something to that effect. •

Mr Stretton: If you said it. it would he an obvious untruth?

Blarney: Yes, if I said it.

Mr Hani asked whether Blarney attempted to stifle information with regard to the shooting at the hospital, and Blarney answered: "We were anxious that no wrong reports should be disseminated. We wanted to ensure accuracy." *

Mr Ham: Or to ensure inaccuracy? Blarney: I replied to the reporters' questions without intending to be candid?

Mr Ham: Then your intention was to mislead? »

Blarney: No. Definitely to parry.