“WORRIED BY WORK”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 907, 26 February 1930, Page 7

“WORRIED BY WORK”

DEAD CONSTABLE’S LETTERS ADDRESSED TO COMMISSIONER Press Association ASHBURTON, Tuesday. An allegation that two letters written by Constable David Ogilvy Brown just before he shot himself at Rakaia on February 18, one of them addressed to the Commissioner of Police at Wellington, had been suppressed was made by Mr. W. J. Hunter, who appeared for the relatives of the constable at the inquest today, and the coroner adjourned his inquiries sine die to allow of the attendance of Superintendent Eales and the commissioner to produce the letters. The evidence showed that Brown, who was transferred to Rakaia on January 25, was worried over Ills duties, which included that of clerk of the court, bailiff, arms officer and collector of statistics. One witness gave evidence that the constable complained bitterly at being sent to a country station at Rakaia and of not being informed of what was in front of him. He said he had applied for a transfer to Levin, where he would have been second-in-charge. He had absolutely no experience in court work and the statistical work, had also worried him. He had several weeks’ leave due to him and applied for two weeks of it, so that he could remain with the relieving officer and learn some of his -work. Arthur James McPherson, engineer to the Rakaia Road Board, in giving evidence as above, said he spoke to Superintendent Eales on the afternoon of the tragedy and the latter said, “I am afraid Mr. McPherson, that anything you might say about it will be outweighed by the note to the commissioner, which will come before the coroner.” The superintendent also said Brown had prepared a letter of several sheets to the commissioner. Brown had previously said he would not apply for another shift because in the Force if a man were shifted and applied for another shift, he was told that if he could not do the "work there was only one thing for him to do—go. Brown had applied for leave, but it was refused.