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Royal Commission report day 50 page 20

Story of the KellyGang - the Royal Commission Report

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The Royal Commission evidence for 7/9/1881

(full text transcription)

(see also introduction to day 50)

[[../../people/peN_P/nicolsonPAC.html|Ass Com Charles Hope Nicolson]] giving evidence

16955 How long after Captain Standish writes did the men knock off the travelling allowance?— The date can be got.

16956 Was it two months after?— I should think about that. I have always stated that was done by Captain Standish ; I do not take credit for it. I say he did that about the travelling allowances.

16957 What travelling allowance did the men get a day?— I cannot tell you.

16958 Five shillings a day?— Yes, I said that Captain Standish effected that economy.

16959 Did that affect your own travelling allowance?— No, it did not.

16960 How much did you get a day?— My travelling allowance, the first time, was 15s. a day.

16961 What was it on the second occasion?— After I was made Assistant Commissioner, the only difference made when I got that appointment was that I was entitled to £1 a day travelling expenses.

16962 You got the £1 a day for the eleven months you were up there?— Yes.

16963 What was your salary then?—£500 a year.

16964 And you received £100 a year house allowance, and £365 a year for travelling allowance?— Yes.

16965 And the men's allowance was knocked off entirely?— Yes.

16966 Did Mr. O'Connor get his travelling allowance?— He got what was arranged between Captain Standish and the Government of Queensland. I do not know what he got.

16967 Do you not know he got 12s a day besides his pay?— I know nothing about what he got.

16968 By the Commission (to Mr. Hare ). –Did you get travelling expenses in the same way?— I got 12s. a day, according to my position. The arrangement about Mr. O'Connor was a mystery, and is so still, to me. I know that when Mr. O'Connor heard that Captain Standish was urging his removal on account of economy, he stated he had never been consulted on the subject, and he would have been glad in order to remain to enter into any change as regards economy—that he never made the demand himself.

16969 By Mr. Hare (to the witness). –This man 'Renwick’ put in an application before the Reward Board which you sent to me to report on as Acting Commissioner?— Yes. They all passed through my hands.

16970 He says in his application- “On the 17th May 1880, I was out looking for the Kelly gang, at Lake Rowan, when I saw Ned Kelly and Joe Byrne riding from Ryan's paddock.” Did he ever report that to you?— Yes.

16971 Have you got that amongst the reported appearances?— It was after the destruction of the gang at Glenrowan he told me that.

16972 And this was a man you employed and paid so much money to?— That is merely his opinion. He said, like many other people, “Well, I am sure that one day I saw those two men at such and such a place.”

16973 And he tells you, after the destruction of the gang, that he had seen them?— That he believes the men whom he saw on that date were the gang.

16974 He did not tell you that at the time?— No.

16975 This man was in your employment?— Yes.

16976 And you had great confidence in him?— Yes.

16977 He had received great sums of money from the Government?— He had not.

16978 Mr. Sadleir says so here, in his report — “The following statements by this claimant are, I think incorrect, viz.:-The finding of a police saddle in paddock near the King River, and seeing Ned Kelly and Joe Byrne near Lake Rowan on 19th May 1880. At any rate, I have no recollection of the claimant reporting any such circumstance, neither has Sergeant Whelan , who would most likely have also been informed. In other respects, this man's services were somewhat of the same nature as those of —— (Claim No. 33). He was exposed to great personal risk and hardship, but I believe he received a consider able amount of money from this department in return. There is no question that, up to Mr. Hare's arrival here, in June 1880, his information was often of much value in showing, that the outlaws were near. The claimant is the agent alluded to by Mr. Hare as refusing to work for him”?— That is a mere assumption of Mr. Sadleir's. Mr. Sadleir does not say it positively. Mr. Sadleir was under that impression.

16979 You said he knew as much as you about what was going on in the district?— I never said that.

16980 You left him to tell me the rest of the information after you left the office?— The man made out that he had not received more than a pound a week during the time. He was only paid when he did anything.....

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