Royal Commission Second Report ( page 28)

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The Royal Commission Second Report

19. Mr. Hare, as officer in command, should not have tolerated the presence of ladies in the special train when leaving Benalla, especially as he was aware of the report that the rails had been removed.

20. We consider that this officer cannot be complimented upon his discretion of generalship in the conduct of operations at Glenrowan for the short time that he remained upon the scene. He knew little, apparently, of the precise situation of Glenrowan, notwithstanding that he had been for eight months in command of the district. He was informed during the journey that the Kellys had torn up the line, taken possession of the place, and imprisoned all the people there; yet, on arrival, he seems to have had no correct idea of the peculiarity of the situation. The moment he was informed by Bracken of the presence of the outlaws at the hotel he dashed away, without waiting for some of his men to collect their arms. When he reached the but he found his onslaught resisted by the gang. He was disabled in the wrist by the first volley, and after an absence of from five to ten minutes from the platform, he returned to have his wound dressed. He left the front without transferring the command to any one. The order to surround the house given to Senior-Constable Kelly and to Inspector O'Connor cannot be regarded as transferring the command. This neglect he might have rectified when he essayed to reach the front on the second occasion, but he failed to do so. Did he propose to rush the place, and at once overpower the outlaws? If that were his intention, he should not have been deterred by a mere wound in his wrist from doing so. If he had resolved merely to surround the gang and prevent their escape, then he ran unnecessary-risk in exposing himself and his men to the fire of the outlaws. If, however, he simply trusted to the chapter of accidents, without any definite idea of what was best to be done, then his management of affairs displayed a decided lack of judgment and forethought. Comparisons may be odious, but it cannot fall to strike one as singular that, while Superintendent Hare felt himself obliged to leave his post and return to Benalla, under the impression that the wound in his wrist would prove fatal, the leader of the outlaws, with a rifle bullet lodged in his foot, and otherwise wounded in the extremities, was enabled to hold his ground, encumbered too by iron armour, until seven o'clock, when, in the effort to rejoin his companions, he fell overpowered by numbers.

21. Superintendent Hare's bill against the Government for surgical attendance amounted to £607, about £480 of which was paid to his relative, Dr. Chas. Ryan. While this officer was being petted and coddled on all sides, and a special surgeon despatched almost daily some thirty miles by train to attend him, the Government questioned the payment of four guineas for the treatment of one of the black trackers who had received a wound in the head at Glenrowan.

22. It is, however, chiefly in relation to Superintendent Hare's official report of the 2nd of June 1880 that we, the undersigned Commissioners, have been led to regard this officer's conduct with suspicion. The document was manifestly written with the design of crushing Mr. Nicolson once and for all; to deprive him of all credit for anything that he had done or suffered in the pursuit, and to brand him as disloyal to the service and his brother officers. The evidence, however, discloses that many of the charges contained in the report were unfounded, the insinuations unjustifiable, and the statements mere assumptions.

23. It must be borne in mind too that Mr. Hare's personal quarrel with Inspector O'Connor led up to the latter officer's unfortunate complications with Captain Standish; the favoritism exhibited towards him by the Chief Commissioner was the cause of jealousy and dissension amongst the officers. And it is only fair to conclude that Superintendent Hare has been for many years a disturbing element in the force, and that his withdrawal from the service has become a matter of public necessity.

24. We have no desire to act unkindly towards Superintendent Hare. We regret deeply that, in justice to ourselves and in explanation of our action, we should be compelled thus to refer to matters that otherwise had better be buried in oblivion. The services rendered, and the injury sustained by Superintendent Hare have not been lost sight of, and, while declaring his immediate retirement from the force as indispensably necessary, the Commissioners have treated him, we consider, in connection with the recommendation submitted to Your Excellency, with the greatest possible liberality.

FRANCIS LONGMORE,

GEORGE WILSON HALL,

GEORGE RANDALL FINCHAM,

WILLIAM ANDERSON.

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