Royal Commission report day 41 page 5
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
14269 Do you think the want of that during the Kelly outbreak prevented the ends of justice being met earlier?— I think it very materially affected it, but it seemed to me to begin about the Kellys ; there was a great deal too much fuss about them. Had there been the go and dash about the police that there was in the early days, the thing would not have lasted any time. I know in my day they would just have sent us out and told us to bring them back, and we would have done it.
14270 Told you to make those men amenable to justice, and held you responsible?— Yes; we turned out at once, day or night, and in nine times out of ten we used to bring the offenders back. I could not understand this shifting the head-quarters and taking troops up and all that sort of thing; it astonished me. I understand that this evidence of mine is not going to be published, because it would place me in a very unpleasant position, having to speak of my late commanding officer.
[ The Commission directed that the evidence should be printed in the usual course.]
14271 Have you any instances in which you consider Captain Standish set you aside when you thought you should have been employed?— Yes, there is Weiberg's case.
14272 Did you give Captain Standish information about Weiberg?— Yes, most reliable information.
14273 How did you come to be in the Gippsland district at the time?— I was on leave of absence at that time with Mr. Kabat .
14274 Who was the superintendent in that district?— Mr. Kabat .
14275 Were you acting in concert with Mr. Kabat ?— I was.
14276 How did Captain Standish treat your information?— He treated it by telling me to come to town to see him. I telegraphed to him the information. I said that I had accurate information, and proposed getting a warrant for the arrest of the man Weiberg.
14277 Did Captain Standish assign any reason for not giving you the opportunity of arresting Weiberg in company with Mr. Kabat?— I first of all telegraphed that I had this information, and then I received the reply that if I did go and arrest this man it would interfere with steps that he was taking in respect to Weiberg, and he directed me then to go down to town and see him.
14278 Did he consult you before he took any steps?— I went to town and saw him the first of all, and, having written to him on the subject, and then he got from me all the information I possessed, and a portrait of the criminal and other information, and having done that I returned to Gippsland to my leave, but I was directed positively not to take any further action in the matter, and subsequently Mr. Secretan was sent a day or two afterwards, I think, with some others, and they met Weiberg on the road and arrested him.
14279 They did not get the money?— No.
14280 You consider that, in justice to you, you should have been allowed, as the senior officer, to go?— I do. I think, in the first instance, from the information which I had, and from my request, I ought to have been allowed to go there and then from Sale , where I was, without coming to Melbourne at all.
14281 Supposing that the Chief Commissioner, on receiving that letter from you, felt that the officer in charge of the district was responsible for the detection of crime and arrest of criminal”, he would have left it to Hr. Kabat?— Yes.
14282 But he was passed over also?— Yes, but in my action I was in consultation with Mr. Kabat all the time, as we were to go together.
14283 You agreed that you and Mr. Kabat should take equal action?— I did nothing without consulting him. I was in his district.
14284 If the officer is in charge of the district and responsible for the detection of crime and apprehension of criminals, if another officer is sent to discharge those duties, does it not really override his authority and supersede him?— It does. It is a cruel thing done to any officer. Either he is fit or unfit—I think it is most unfair. Mr. Kabat is capable of performing any duty that might devolve on any officer.
14285 In the Benalla district Mr. Sadleir was the superintendent and Mr. Hare was a superintendent, and, if any officer was sent into that district over Mr. Sadleir's head, it superseded him in the performance of duties devolving on him by law?— Yes.
14286 Do you know the duties of inspecting superintendent?— Yes.
14287 What are they?— To visit and inspect the different districts throughout the colony, to carefully supervise everything, and report upon it.
14288 And to furnish a return?— Yes.
14289 To forward a report to the Chief Commissioner as to the districts?— Yes.
14290 If you had been allowed to take action at the time for the arrest of Weiberg, do you think you would have got the money as well?— My firm belief is if I bad been left alone in that matter I should have got Weiberg and all the money except that which he spent in rations and all that sort of thing.
14291 In giving evidence one of the officers stated that his district had been very seldom visited by this inspecting superintendent. Has your district been visited constantly by the visiting superintendent— the Melbourne district?— Only once since I have been in charge of it.
14292 How long is that?— Since 1873. I think that is one of the greatest blots in our department —the want of supervision....
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