Royal Commission report day 41 page 3
The Royal Commission evidence for 2/8/1881
(see also introduction to day 41)
[[../../people/peU_Z/winchSup.html|Sup Frederick Alfred Winch]] giving evidence
14230 He was not exactly superseded, for he was acting with that officer?— But he was acting under the control of the officer sent up.
14231 He was not consulted officially?— No.
14232 Are you aware that Mr. Nicolson was visiting superintendent of the different districts?— Yes, and he was the Assistant Commissioner of Police. His old title was the Inspecting Superintendent, and that was altered afterwards to the Assistant Commissioner. He was supposed to visit the districts throughout the whole colony, and report on everything.
14233 Was he ever interfered with in that duty by any police officer?— Not that I am aware of.
14234 Was he at any time, to your knowledge, recalled from any district that he had gone to inspect, and without any reason assigned?— I am not aware of that. He was recalled from Benalla over the Kelly business, but as to the other times I do not know.
14235 Do you know if there was any dispute at all at the time of the capture of Power as to who should be entitled to the precedence on account of that—the credit of that?— Yes, I heard so. I do not know for a fact, but I always heard there was a difference of opinion between Mr. Hare and Mr. Nicolson on that point.
14236 Mr. Hare claimed it?— Yes, he has claimed it; but, to my mind, there is very little praise due to either in the matter, for Power was betrayed into their hands. Those gentlemen were led to the spot where he was lying, and they had merely to rush on him. There was no particular acumen displayed, and no special danger at all.
14237 No skill whatever?— Not the slightest. I do not think there was the slightest praise due to either for it.
14238 The statement about the favoritism was in consequence of favoritism in the Power and Kelly business?— In the Kelly business. Mr. Nicolson was first sent up; he was recalled, having failed to do anything apparently. After that Captain Standish went up himself, taking with him Mr. Hare . Afterwards, when Captain Standish and Mr. Hare came back, Mr. Nicolson was again sent up; Mr. Nicolson was then, after a time, recalled, and then to my astonishment Mr. Hare was again selected and sent up.
14239 Which you considered unfair?— I considered that it was a slight upon me as a senior officer, and entitled to anything of that sort. I was never consulted in any way. I should have thought, as in the army and other services, there would have been a sort of council of war held, and the old officers with great experience consulted as to what should be done. That was not done. I was never consulted in the slightest degree. I was ignored and passed over throughout the whole proceedings.
14240 Have you anything to do with the detectives?— No. I am the senior officer in the department next to the chief. I am next to Mr. Nicolson . I joined the force on the 6th September 1852 , nearly twenty-nine years ago.
14241 Are you senior to Mr. Nicolson?— No, he is senior to me.
14242 Then your feeling in the Kelly business was this, that without expressing any opinion as to whether it was wise to withdraw Mr. Nicolson, you say that, instead of Mr. Hare being sent at that time, if any other officer was sent you should have been?— I think I should have been sent to begin with, and if not I, Mr. Chomley, who next to me, ought to have been sent. I do not see why Mr. Hare , having failed the first time, should again have been selected for this duty.
14243 Did you join as a cadet?— I did. I was a cadet from September the 6th until the beginning of November, when I was appointed as a lieutenant of the mounted police.
14244 Did Mr. Hare join as a cadet?— I think not.
14245 One return shows Mr. Nicolson having joined on the 1st December 1852 as a cadet, is that senior to you?— That is junior to me.
14246 If Mr. Nicolson joined as a cadet on the 1st December 1852 , would he be junior or senior to you?— Junior of course in service.
14247 According to the last estimates of Acting Chief Commissioner Nicolson you were the second then?— Yes.
14248 And you are the senior officer now in the service doing duty?— I am the senior officer of the whole department.
14249 Was Mr. Nicolson promoted before you?— He had charge of the detective department, and it was a separate branch altogether, and he got pushed on in that department, and was promoted to the rank of superintendent, I apprehend, before I was.....
Previous page / Next page
| ! | The text has been retyped from a microfiche copy of the original. We have taken care to reproduce this document but areas of the original text may been damaged. |
The previous day / next day . . . Royal Commission index RC_index.html
