Coroner kindly but 'pulled no punches'

Mate Frankovich. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

Former Auckland coroner Mate Frankovich - the man credited with getting canopies to stop suicides from Grafton Bridge - has died.

The father of three was well known and respected as a coroner in the 1980s and 1990s. In that time, he presided over hundreds of inquests, many of them high-profile.

He was outspoken over many cases, especially suicide, and pulled no punches when getting his message out, occasionally gagging media from reporting certain details to protect grieving families.

In a brief biography he prepared this month for a talk to the Auckland Medical History Society, he said: "I eventually succeeded in persuading the [Auckland] City Council in erecting canopies on Grafton Bridge, which has had a very salutary effect".

Sarn Herdson, who worked with him before his 2000 retirement, remembered him as "not entirely reliable with modern technology", and rarely using his mobile phone.

"He had a desk and a fountain pen, but no computer. Most people, including local senior police staff, knew to visit him in person if they needed to have a matter resolved.

"It paid to allow plenty of time though; he was a raconteur and loved nothing more than settling into a long, descriptive story about people and events."

Ms Herdson, who still works as a coroner, said her boss was kindly and regarded by many families as having compassion. Police spoke of a patient, considerate coroner.

Mr Frankovich, who was in his early 80s, died suddenly at his home on Sunday and is to be farewelled at St Patrick's Cathedral today.

Top cases

* Mate Frankovich presided over the case of Ngaire O'Neill, NZ's first person to die after taking Ecstasy.

* After paranoid schizophrenic Lachlan Jones killed his flatmate Malcolm Beggs, Mr Frankovich called for a relaxation of privacy laws so anyone in danger could be told about the condition of someone close to them.

* He criticised Tranz Rail over safety after Katie Connolly, 16, was killed at Glen Innes station in 1997.

* He persuaded the Auckland City Council to put up anti-suicide canopies on Grafton Bridge.