The Argus at KellyGang 11/1/1881
In accordance with the determination of the Chief Secretary the police depot at Richmond is now being broken up and the men and stores are being transferred to the military barracks on the St Kilda road. The mounted troopers, 13 in number, under Sergeant Fegan, were shifted on Thursday last, to the north wing of the barracks at the rear of the main building. This portion of the building affords the men ample accommodation. There are six large rooms measuring about 45ft by 20ft, and several smaller rooms suitable for offices. The whole building however, requires renovation and cleaning which will no doubt be carried out. The old military stables serve at present for the troopers' horses and forage, but a range of new stabling is to be erected outside the wall of the barrack yard. The guardroom at the entrance gate will probably be utilised as the police office. Formerly the portion of the buildings now given to the police was occupied by the artillerymen and several of the apartments were used as storerooms. The stores are being removed to the front building, which has barely capacity enough for that purpose.
Hospital accommodation and quarters for the sergeants in charge will also have to be provided but that is simply a matter of arrangement and judging from the amicable manner in which Colonel Anderson and Mr Nicolson, acting commissioner of police are conducting the matter there will be no difficulty in settling every thing satisfactorily. One very desirable improvement in the police arrangements would be the erection of a telegraph wire between the barracks and the Swanston street watch house, by means of which the troopers would be available at any moment for duty in the city when disturbances or fires occur. When the whole establishment is removed from Richmond the buildings and land there will be put up for sale. The change now being made will have the effect of placing the loca mounted men and the constables on transfer under the immediate control of the chief commissioner.
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