Royal Commission report day 31 page 3
The Royal Commission evidence for 16/6/1881
(see also introduction to day 31)
Sup John Sadleir giving evidence
11905 About a month after, I believe?— I believe it was sooner. He told me he had written to Mr. Fosbery to say he wished he had several officers like you; he spoke in very flattering terms about you. I did not feel the disparagement, at least, I do not care about other people's opinion; but I remember Mr. Hare was very angry about it. It was treated in such a way, though Captain Standish did not mean it perhaps, that it was a disparagement of every other officer in the service.
11906 By the Commission— Might it not have been with regard to Mr. O'Connor's age?— It might have been. Though I do not think it was.
11907 It did not strike you as being in that connection at all?— No. Captain Standish was a man to take ready fancies, and he gave expression to them. I do not wish to give any more weight to the thing, I would have passed it at the time without comment, if another officer had not felt offended at it.
11908 By Mr. O'Connor— Do you remember saying how reticent Captain Standish was in his information to you and me?— He had a queer way when he got information; he made a mystery of it for a little time.
11909 But he made no mystery to Mr. Hare?— No; he went to him; he was more intimate with him than with the others. He made a mystery of it for half-an-hour, an hour, or perhaps an afternoon, and then he would come and confide in me; ant I think in nearly all cases he would come to you afterwards. He had an air of mystery. He was unaccustomed to the work, and he exaggerated the importance of his information.
11910 Did not Mr. Hare receive the information and have all the arrangements made before we heard about it?— It was simply this, that Mr. Hare generally got the information before we did. Sometimes only a few moments, when he could make no arrangements.
11911 Do you know any cases where he got information which was kept from us for an afternoon?— Without specifying a case, I have already said he would keep up that air of mystery for a few minutes, an hour, or perhaps an afternoon. I think it was more Captain Standish's way than any set purpose.
11912 You have heard in the evidence several references by Captain Standish as to the slowness of the trackers working?— Yes.
11913 It has been stated that, on account of the baggage horses, we could not be any good?— I think that is not a correct assertion. Of course we had to have a large number of pack-horses. Your boys were more susceptible of cold than white men, and it was necessary to carry a fly or tent for them and their blankets; but we had no real trial of your speed that I can call to mind. They were very active on foot. On one occasion we had a very long trip to search for some place, and they were certainly then quicker than our men, and in better condition.
11914 We were on tracks once or twice, were we not?— Yes.
11915 That we thought were undoubtedly the outlaws?— Yes.
11916 Did you then complain of a want of quickness on the part of the men?— No; but in both those cases the boys followed the tracks on foot, if I recollect rightly.
11917 Excuse me, I think you are mistaken—do you remember the time that Constable Graves was with, our party?— Yes.
11918 Do you remember our picking up tracks on the top of the range over from Pyers' Gap?— Yes.
11919 Were we on foot?— No, not when we picked up the tracks.
11920 Did we not follow the tracks to the selector’s house on the side of the range?— Your men actually on the tracks, I think, were on foot, and went down the range through burnt ground. The horses were near, I know, because you or I got on our horses occasionally. The tracks were very difficult.
11921 They were very old?— They were. I will not be positive about it, but I think that particular work was done on foot.
11922 But was our party singular in having pack-horses?— No, every party after you came had pack-horses.
11923 Every party, from March, had pack-horses?— Yes; and there was very little difference between two pack-horses and four—they make no difference.
11924 Did not I often state to you that if we were on sure information, we would go without pack horses or anything?— Certainly. We did that at the King, where we thought we had sure information. There we left our pack-horses at a Chinaman's, and one or two constables to watch them. Indeed, I think we left all our horses there, and got upon the tracks where they went through a fence, and all in there up the King to Morphy's selection.
11925 Did we not send all our white men away?— Yes, there were only you and I and the black boys, I think, out on the tracks, so that the plan you proposed at first was carried out at this time.....
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