Royal Commission report day 18 page 24
The Royal Commission evidence for 11/5/1881
(see also introduction to day 18)
'Constable Alfred John Faulkiner' giving evidence
5913 By Detective Ward. —The order I gave to you, what order did I give you; did I tell you to tell a lie?— No, you told me to make a third report with reference to the secret duty, so that Mr. Nicolson could put a favorable entry on our record sheet.
5914 By the Commission. —From anything said by Ward did he convey to your mind that you were not to allude to the feet that outside people were there?— It was to make a report with reference to ourselves, nothing outside at all.
5915 By Detective Ward. —Do you know I handed Constable Barry back his report?— No.
5916 Did you tell me to forward those reports?— I could not tell you, because I had passed them into Senior-Constable Mullane's office.
5917 You said you saw them with me?— Yes.
5918 What did I say?— You asked me to withdraw them, and I said I would not.
5919 Tell what I did say?— Detective Ward came into the office, he had then seen Senior-Constable Mullane, I knew by his bringing my reports back—they must have been in Mullane's possession,
5920 By the Commission. —Is that what Mullane alludes to when he says he gave them to Detective Ward to give to the men?— Yes, Detective Ward came up with those reports in his pocket, up to the barracks, and he said, “Whatever do you moan by vending in reports of this sort, these reports will never suit Mr. Nicolson, you had better withdraw them,” and I said I would not.
5921 In what way “suit”?— He told me Mr. Nicolson only wanted a report to make a favorable entry on my record sheet.
5922 By Detective Ward. —Did I tell you to send a report about the party and yourself as to the secrecy of it, as you each knew yourself?— Yes, I have said that.
Detective Ward. —That is the only thing that I thought I was at liberty to tell them, or anything else, the same as I gave them to the other men.
5923 By the Commission. —After listening to Mr. Ward's statement, taxing your memory with what took place on the 2nd April, do you still swear you refused to take back Nos. 1 and 2 reports from Ward?— I do positively.
5924 To Detective Ward. —Did you ever send in No. 3?— I did not know about that, because I forwarded my report on the 3rd, and made my remarks about them.
5925 To the witness. —When did you post your No. 3 report from Benalla?— On the 3rd of April, at Benalla.
5926 At what time of the day?— He would get it either that evening (I cannot recollect the time exactly) or the next morning at the latest.
5927 To whom was that addressed?—Detective Ward, Police Station, Beechworth.
5928 Not to Sergeant Mullane?— No.
5929 Whom were your reports Nos. 1 and 2 directed to?— The first one is directed to the superintendent of police—[examining the paper].
5930 You were under Mullane at Beechworth?— Yes.
5931 And you reported yourself and came under Sergeant Whelan after that?— Yes.
5932 Would it not be your duty to make the report to the officer you did before, why to Detective Ward?— Because those cave reports were supposed to come through him, as I had not time to make it out at Beechworth.
5933 Was it in consequence of something he said to you, before you left, about your reports that you changed the direction from your officer to Detective Ward?— It is not directed to Ward.
5934 I thought you said it was?— I sent the envelope to him.
5935 To whom were those reports addressed?— The first to the Superintendent, the second to the Assistant Commissioner of Police, and the third the Assistant Commissioner of Police.
5936 And it was to be sent through Ward?— Yes, it was to be sent through Ward.
5937 Where was the Assistant Commissioner of Police on the 3rd?— In Benalla.
5938 And you were under a different officer; you had reported yourself to Sergeant Whelan and left Senior-Constable Mullane's position altogether?— Yes.
Mr. Nicolson . —The fact of the matter is I was in Melbourne on the 3rd.
5939 By the Commission (to the witness). —You addressed your envelope to Detective Ward because he had the two other reports, and asked you for the third?— Yes, that is it.
5940 Did you expect, when you sent the third, that the whole three would have gone forward in the ordinary course?— Yes, I did.
The witness withdrew
Adjourned to to morrow at Eleven o'clock
(Taken at Benalla.)
[~[[See report of Proceedings 11/5/81]|6018]~]
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