Royal Commission report day 30 page 15
The Royal Commission evidence for 15/6/1881
(see also introduction to day 30)
[[../../people/peN_P/oconnorPinsp.html|Insp Stanhope O'Connor]] 'giving evidence'
11854 You would not accept anything under?— No.
11855 You would not have taken a lower position than that of inspector in the police?— No.
11856 I ask you now, having reference to the regulations, are you aware that all appointment to that position, there being no vacancy, would be contrary to the regulations?— No.
11857 They provide that, “When a vacancy occurs in the higher grades of the force, and the duties of the vacant office are of such a nature that the Governor in Council shall be of opinion that there is no person of lower grade in the department who is competent to discharge them, Governor in Council may appoint such person as he may think fit, although not previously engaged in the police force, and with or without examination or probation”?— Yes.
11858 I contend that you could not have got that legally unless there was a vacancy?— How can you tell there was not a vacancy. I believe there are two or three inspectors short, but I could not state positively. I believe when I was up in the North-Eastern district, there were one or two or three inspectors short, I cannot say positively so, therefore it would come within the Act if there were.
11859 You do not know of your own knowledge there was one short?— No, I never enquired.
11860 Those telegrams sent by Mr. Hare have been put in?— I have never seen them.
11861 “Captain Standish, Melbourne Club, Melbourne.—The pilot engine was stopped half-a-mile from Glenrowan, and we were told that the line had been pulled up by the Kellys miles beyond Glenrowan. Train and pilot went up to the Glenrowan station. I jumped out of train and went to station-master's house. The wife told me everybody in Glenrowan had been taken into the bush by the Kellys. I immediately ordered every man out of the train, and at same moment Constable Bracken rushed up saying he had escaped from Jones's public-house, and for God's sake go quickly or they will get away. I ran away with two or three men following me, and I went up towards Jones's, and when I got within fifty or eighty yards, a shot was fired from the house and struck me in the arm (not seriously). I immediately got the house surrounded by all the men I had. I have telegraphed for the men from Wangaratta, and Mr. Sadleir with all available men from here are going up at once.” That is 5.10 a.m ?— May I point out the point in that. You see here is a telegram written immediately after, and Mr. Hare admits it is fifty to eighty yards. We all know that the distances seem a great deal shorter than they really are, and that would corroborate where I say Mr. Hare was. The witnesses all state he was within five or ten yards—nobody could make a mistake like that in writing a telegram.
11862 Is there anything more you wish to say?— I may just point out that there have been a great number of witnesses who stated that they did not see me, and did not know I was there and all this. Well, in any court of law if one man does see you it upsets all the evidence of those who do not—is not that the fact?
11863 Is there any one that did not see you during the day?——Yes, certainly.
11864 Is there any one witness that we have examined who makes that statement?— Yes, that they did not see me on the ground, doing duty on the ground—I believe Senior-Constable Johnson denied having seen me. I wish to add as to the position in the drain being so extraordinarily safe, that the man alongside of me, Trooper Jimmy, a Queensland tracker, was wounded, and I stood exactly the same chance of being wounded that he did, and the others in the drain also, and when he came down to Essendon he showed symptoms of erysipelas through suffering from his injuries, and I called in Dr. Turner, who attended him several times and made a charge of four guineas, which was refused to be paid—I suppose by the Police Department.
11865 You made a claim?— No, the doctor did. That was done although the medical attendance on Mr. Hare was over £600, and I believe it was paid.
The witness withdrew.
Adjourned to to-morrow at Eleven o’clock .
[~[[See report of Proceedings 15/6/1881]|6296]~]
' see next day'
16/ 6/1881 ....
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