POLICE CHIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23516, 2 June 1938, Page 11

POLICE CHIEF

LEAVE OF ABSENCE GRANTED LIVELY CONTROVERSY IN PRESS SYDNEY, May 81. The Police Medical Board recommended that three months’ leave of absence owing to “ temporary unfitness ” should be given Police Commissioner Mac Kay, who recently asked to be allowed to retire on the ground of ill-health, since when there has been a lively controversy m the press involving, among other things, the question of persecution of the commissioner. The Government granted Commissioner Mac Kay three months leave.

Commissioner Mac Kay has been in ill-health for more than 12 months and underwent an operation six months ago. His recovery was slow and although he resumed duty he was not restored to full health. He was submitted to great worry and anxiety as a result of the starting price "betting commissions and attacks by some members of Parliament and a section of the press. Recently his mother and brother died. Those trials, however, are not believed by many to have caused Mr Mac Kay to seek retirement. It is even said by his friends that his application to the Medical Board was inspired from Ministerial quarters. Certainly he lost a staunch supporter in the former Chief Secretary, Mr F. Chaffey, who lost his portfolio when the new Cabinet was formed. Mr Chaffey is one who has hinted at intrigue to remove the commissioner.