VICTORIAN INQUIRY.

Wairarapa Age, 3 July 1936, Page 5

VICTORIAN INQUIRY.

SHOOTING OF SUPERINTENDENT BROPHY. COMMISSIONER’S FINDINGS. POLICE CHIEF’S EVIDENCE REJECTED. (Received Thursday, 11.0 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Juyl 2. The report of Judge M-aclndoe, who inquired into the shooting of DetectiveSuperintendent Brophy at Royal Park, on May 22, was tabled in Parliament to-day. The report found that there was no impropriety on the part of Superintendent Brophy in taking two women when he went to meet an informer. There was nothing ihi moral or improper in Superintendent Brophy’s conduct.

Dealing with the evidence of Sir Thomas Blarney, Victorian Chief of Police, the judge said that having regard to the nature and number or the wounds, he c.otfld not accept Sir T. Blarney’s statement that he believed it was an accident when it was first reported to him. “I am forced to the conclusion (the judge added)* that Sir T. Blarney was told the truth—that Superintendent -Brophy was held up and shot, and I believe that, being jealous of the reputation of the force he commands, he thought that its reputation might be endangered if the whole truth were disclosed.”

Judge Madndoe commented upon contradictions in the evidence of reporters at the interviews at which information regarding the shooting was sought. He did not believe Sir T. Blarney ever said no steps were being taken to. investigate the shooting. The police were in possession of very few facts which woulrf Teld to the identification of the criminal. He- was - satisfied that Superintendent Brophy’s Original story of the accident was prompted by» his desire to safeguard the reputation of the two women who were with him when he was shot.

Just before the police inquiry report was submitted in Parliament to-day, Mr. McKenzie (Labour) made a statement in which he referred to* the vendetta between the Melbourne press and the police. He said that since the inquiry certain Melbourne journalists had been shadowed by police officers. Mr. McKenzie said Si»-T. Blarney, in reply to a question earlier in the week, admitted that one journalist, who was suspected of a certain offence, had been placed under surveillance. 44 1 t is obvious,” M id Mr. Mackenzie; that the suspicion was that the journalist was obtaining information from certain members of the Police Force. The police have been, camping on the tail of the journalist, a car following him all over the suburbs. When the journalist became aware of this procedure, he led the police on a hide and seek expedition all over Melbourne. It is a sinful waste of public money* to take the police from their regular work for this sort of Thing,” said Mr. McKenzie.