Royal Commission report day 25 page 19
Story of the KellyGang - the Royal Commission Report
The Royal Commission evidence for 2/6/1881
(see also introduction to day 25)
[[../../people/peC/chomleyPsup.html|Sup Hussey Malone Chomle]] [[../../people/peC/chomleyPsup.html|y]] giving evidence
9934 Would it not be wise for you to make a requisition to the Chief Secretary for those Martini Henry carbines?— Yes.
9935 And rifles for the footmen?— Yes.
9936 Is it not advisable to have them all of the same pattern, so that the same ammunition will serve all?— It is most indispensable.
9937 That being so, would it not be your duty to make an urgent recommendation to the Chief Secretary to have the arms all of one character?— Not very urgent, because we have the ammunition for all those arms now.
9938 Did you read the account of what occurred at Glenrowan, at Mrs. Jones's, the want of ammunition and the police getting wrong ammunition?— Yes.
9939 So that if the Kellys had broken out on the side where this wrong ammunition was supplied, the men were really unarmed?— I did not see that.
9940 Is it not a matter of vital importance that the men should have arms all alike, and ammunition?— It is very advisable.
9941 Is it not usual in every service?— Yes, and it ought to be here. The men were unprovided altogether before.
9942 Are there Martini-Henry carbines in the coloy,?— I think the military have some.
9943 Will you look upon it as your job to make a requisition for those arms?— Certainly.
9944 I think you ought to do it?— I will do it at once.
9945 Have you taken any steps to practise those men in those firearms?— Yes, I sent up a thousand rounds of ammunition of one sort and another, and told the officers to practise those men.
9946 What is the probable cost of a hundred rounds of ammunition?— About a penny a piece, each round.
9947 Would it not be a very cheap method of making the police efficient?— I sent up a thousand rounds.
9948 Would you not think it a very wrong policy to keep the men with arms in their hands and not allow them practice to use them?— Yes.
9949 Has it not been done?— Only on the score of economy.
9950 Is not a good deal of a man's precision obtained by the continual use of his weapon?— It is absolutely necessary.
9951 Even a good marksman at first may be nervous, and miss his mark?— Yes, he will be apt to get rusty.
9952 There is a paragraph in your report here that I would like to ask a question about. It is as follows:—“That in consequence of the disclosures made before the Police Enquiry Board, and the references made to persons who assisted the police with information during the Kelly outbreak, it is now utterly impossible to obtain information as to the movements of the sympathizers, our chief dependence must, in case of a fresh outbreak, be in our black trackers and it is most advisable to make them as efficient as possible. at present I am led to believe they are not as useful as they might be if they were properly handled by an officer who understood them.” You stated in your evidence just now, I think, that you did not make any enquires when you were up?— I said Mr.Sadleir told me.
9953 What did he tell you?— That our men did not understand them, and that in this business about the saws they could not follow, that is all. I am only giving the evidence that I have heard on this particular occasion; but, of course, I constantly asked about those boys.
9954 Suppose Mr. O'Connor had been there, could they have seen the tracks any better?— I presume Mr. O'Connor would have followed on, and found whether the tracks were there.
9955 Could not Mr. O'Connor have been appointed to be second without his being put over the heads of older men in the district?— I do not suppose Mr. O’Connor would go as a sergeant or constable. I have never spoken to him, and did not know whether he would join at the time. When I took this report to Mr. Berry we had some conversation, and he said, “ Have you spoken to Mr. O'Connor, and do you l know if he would join.” I said I did not, and said, “Another thing, he is before the Commission”; and Mr. Berry said, “Of course, I will have to see the Chairman about that before anything is done; you had better see Mr. O'Connor, and ask him if he will join”; and then he said he had better see him himself; and I telegraphed for Mr. O'Connor, and sent him up at once, and when he went up Mr. Berry said, “Nothing can be done till you are released by the Commission.”
9956 What did that mean?— Until you had finished with him or gave him permission to go, I understood.....
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