Royal Commission report day 12 page 4
The Royal Commission evidence for 13/4/1881
(see also introduction to day 12)
[[../../people/peU_Z/wyattMag.htm|'Alfred Wyatt, P.M. giving evidence']]
2296 I understood you to say, after your return to the spot where you discovered that breach in the wires, that you subsequently learned that the outlaws were so near that they were positively watching you?— That is true, and you can learn from Mr. McCauley; he will tell you they did watch me on both occasions.
2297 Was this subsequent to information being given to the police?— Oh, no; the information was given by me to the police after dark, somewhere about eight o'clock—I imagine a little after eight o'clock, whereas the outlaws saw us first when I put down Watt, and when I got down to examine the lines from the engine. Those would both be by daylight.
2298 In your opinion, any action taken by the police in pursuing the outlaws then —?— Would have had no better results than what did occur.
2299 With regard to telegraph business, the impression on my mind by your narration is this that the withholding the information from the police arose entirely through the want of harmony that should have existed between the officers in the various different Government departments?— No, I don't say want of harmony, but want of prevision on the part of police officers to make an arrangement with the telegraph office to be in special communication with them on those special occasions.
2300 Was there any feeling of jealousy?— Not the least. I never heard of any such feeling. I believe the most active assistance given to the police was given by the Telegraph Department, that could have been of advantage as to the outlaws, and there was good feeling between all the departments, universal good feeling in the working.
2301 Might not the delay have occurred through the idea that the cause of breakage was natural causes?— If it was, I did not know of it. It might be. It was not from any want of harmony but want of prevision for making special provisions for the special crisis by the police and the local officers, and by the supreme officers in Melbourne, who should have foreseen that as much as any, as the Melbourne office is where they would have given orders from.
2302 Were the officers under the impression that the break on the line occurred from natural causes as far as any information you have since obtained. Are you aware whether or not the information of the officers who had charge of the telegraph office was that the break in the wires took place from natural causes or what?— No, they had no suspicion of anything else. They merely thought it was a more extensive breakage than usual, but still of the usual sort; but to my mind, the two lines down on both sides I think, should have suggested some very unusual cause beyond such ordinary ones as they deal with from day to day.
2303 As far as you know, the impression never entered their minds?— No, I believe they were applying their tests all the morning to find out what was the matter.
2304 If the telegraph had informed Mr. Nicolson at once, what time would it have given Mr. Nicolson before he departed from Albury?— Many hours.
2305 How many?— From two to eight o'clock . The department knew of there being an accident to the line at two o'clock at the latest. And Mr. Nicolson departed at eight o'clock ; therefore, if he had known earlier, he might have sent a party with trackers down earlier.
2306 You think it was a mistake not having an arrangement made with the telegraph?— I say merely a mistake, and because I do not want to sit in judgment on the department that knows more about its own business than I, and besides I judge that after the event, when we are all wiser.
2307 Does the railway wire and the ordinary wire work from the same station in town?— No; the railway wire was set up in Mr. John Woods' time—they are separate services, and would be from different places.
2308 It could be easily ascertained by them if the lines were both broken?— They knew they were both broken. I knew that from them.
2309 Touching that latter question asked you; you stated, I think, that the telegraph line—that is, the ordinary public service line—consisted of four wires on one side of the line and one on the other. Mr. Woods' system was, I believe, used for railway purposes?— Yes.
2310 Euroa is a junction station—the trains meet there?— It was at that time.
2311 Would it not be known almost at once that there was an interruption in the line on the railway line between Euroa and Benalla?— It depends upon how often trains would pass.
2312 You cannot say whether it would be known?— It would depend upon the accident of the number of luggage trains beyond Seymour; the luggage trains are very few there, they are broken to pieces and divided into a number of smaller trains between Seymour and Melbourne.
2313 Can you give an opinion as to how soon at either side of the breakage it was known that an interruption existed on the railway line?— No, I cannot. I should think any fireman, guard, or railway driver could scarcely pass without seeing it.
2314 That is not the question—there is a railway operator at Euroa?— There was.
2315 Is there a railway operator at Benalla?— Yes, there is.
2316 That is, the station-master, Mr. Gorman, does the duty of railway operator?— He did at Euroa......
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