The Royal Commission evidence for 14/6/1881
(see also introduction to day 29)
[[../../people/peN_P/oconnorPinsp.html|Insp Stanhope O'Connor]] 'giving evidence'
11449 Did he tell you he had written a letter to that effect?— Yes, and he showed me a lot of correspondence.
11450 Did he say double pay?— He said— “You will get double your fixed pay, and the allowance due to an officer of your rank in Victoria .”
11451 Did you get the double pay?— Yes.
11452 An allowance of 12s. a day?— Yes, 12s. one month, and 12s. 6d. another.
11453 Did you get an orderly?— No, I had one of my own men.
11454 Was there any provision made for the statement that you then were on leave from the colony or any memo. made of the position you still held—was it understood that in the event of any vacancies occurring your promotion should go on in your absence?— Certainly; I was down on the roll of officers as if I was doing duty in Queensland.
11455 So that if any vacancy occurred by death, or otherwise, your absence would not prevent your getting promotion?— No.
11456 And you left the Queensland force voluntarily?— Well, hardly that. When I proceeded to Brisbane , after the Kelly Glenrowan affair, I took everything over with me.
11457 Did you proceed to Brisbane by orders?— I did.
11458 You stated you were about proceeding to Brisbane on a letter of recall—have you that letter?— It was upon a telegram.
11459 Have you that telegram?— I think it is there. No; I believe it was not a telegram. I believe it was a telegram from my Government stating that Captain Standish had received orders to at once allow us to return.
11460 “ Brisbane . To Inspector O'Connor. Leave will be granted to return if required. June 5th 1880 ”?— Yes, that was in reference in an application of mine, I believe.—[The telegram was shown to the witness.]
11461 There is the 14th before— “You will receive instructions from Captain Standish, who has been requested to send you back as soon as convenient. The leave you ask cannot be granted, you must accompany boys”?— That telegram was in reply to a semi-official note of mine to the Commissioner in Queensland . I stated about the way this boy had been taken from me, and that I considered the Chief Commissioner here was simply making a catspaw of us—would keep us until he got the other men over, and then give us the kick-out. I explained that to Mr. Seymour, the Commissioner of Police, and that telegram came.
11462 That implies you asked for leave of absence?— On the 14th, that was a reply to my letter. I then sent another telegram.
11463 Mr. O'Connor to Commissioner of Police, Brisbane , 14th June— “Of course will accompany troopers, but request leave such time as required to arrange affairs. Will pay for boys myself during leave”?— Yes, this is the reply— “You must return with troopers without delay on receiving instructions from Captain Standish. Leave will be granted you to return if required.”
11464 Where was King?— He misbehaved himself at the Lancefield bank robbery trip, and I recommended his dismissal, and he was dismissed in Queensland; and eventually on the recommendation of Captain Standish he was taken on with his rank taken from him, and he went into the police as a constable.
11465 King being away, if the Queensland trackers were ordered back, unless you went with the they would be without an officer?— Yes.
11466 In your letter dated 7th September 1880 , you say, speaking of Captain Standish— “ ‘He made a series of communications to the Queensland Government, tending to depreciate me and to remove the men from my control and supervision. This was done without my knowledge, and, consequently, I had no opportunity of explaining to my Commissioner.’ Captain Standish's communications were these, and I may state that I applied for them to the Queensland Government, whom I am representing officially now, and they evidently misunderstood, and sent me the wrong letters, not the ones I asked for; so, if the Commission wish for them, it will be fully a fortnight before I can get them.” Have you those letters now?— No, I have not.
11467 Have you applied for those?— I have.
11468 What was the answer?— The answer to the last telegram I have never received, but I have applied several times.
11469 Have you got a copy of the letter you wrote applying for those communications that you think were sent unfairly by Captain Standish?— I wired sometime in August, and the reply was a private letter from Mr. Barron, the Acting Commissioner, dated 6th August 1880, stating that he had not succeeded in obtaining them.
11470 What was the nature of Mr. Ramsay's communication?— A letter from Mr. Ramsay to the Government, stating my services here and what he thought of them. Then I sent another telegram stating; that was not what I wanted, and received a reply dated January 11th 1881 , stating the necessary papers had been posted on that day. Those were not the papers that I wanted, and I then sent another application for them, dated March 17th 1881 . Then he sent me an answer to that— “Copy of papers required posted this evening,” that is March 18th, the next day.....
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