Royal Commission report day 43 page 1
The Royal Commission evidence for 4/8/1881
(see also introduction to day 43)
[[../../people/peB/bolam.html|Mr Thomas Bolam]] sworn and examined
Present:
The Hon. F. LONGMORE , M.L.A., in the Chair;
W. Anderson , Esq., M.L.A., J. Gibb , Esq. , M.L.A.,
E. J. Dixon , Esq., J.P. , G. R. Fincham , Esq. , M.L.A.
15040 By the Commission— What are you?— Inspector-General and Acting Secretary of the Education Department.
15041 Do you know James Wallace, teacher, who was at Hurdle Creek?— Not personally— officially I know of him.
15042 What was his position as a teacher at the time that the outlaws were out.?— He was acting as head teacher in two half-time schools, the one being at Hurdle Creek, and the other at Bobinawarrah.
15043 What direction was Bobinawarrah from Hurdle Creek?— About due east.
15044 More towards the Woolshed—towards Beechworth?— I am not able to speak very definitely with respect to the geographical positions. I could point it out on the map.—[ The witness did so.]
15045 He was promoted after that?— It was not exactly promotion.
15046 What salary was he getting?— The special salary of £3 10s. a week, as the teacher of the two half-time schools.
15047 Did you consider his movement to the other school in the Yea district an advance?— It was an improvement in position, but not very much in regard to salary. The school he is at present in is what is called a full-time school, where the duties are not so heavy as in the half-time schools. Although the salary is very little more than the other the position must be held to be preferable.
15048 When he was at the half -time school had he any perquisites at all?— No, not that I am aware of.
15049 Nothing for results?— The £3 10s. a week included salary and results—it was a special salary.
15050 He would be open to teach special subjects?— In those small schools, special subjects were not dealt with.
15051 That was all he received from your department?— Yes.
15052 From any other department?— He was acting as postmaster, for which he received a small salary—a very small salary.
15053 What does he get now as teacher?— At the time of his appointment to the Yea school the income was £170 a year.
15054 And he is entitled to results?— That includes salary and results, but the income varies from year to year in accordance. with the result examination.
15055 Can you tell us what was the cause of his removal?— If I may be allowed to express myself pretty fully— —
15056 We wish you to do so?— Rumors reached me that he was showing very friendly relations to the outlaws. I also heard that he was a schoolfellow of one of them. I at once examined old reports in the Education Department, and from those learned that he had attended the same school with Joseph Byrne , and that he had been in the same class with him for some considerable time. I saw that he had very great facilities for assisting the outlaws—that his position as teacher of half-time schools enabled him to be constantly moving about, and in that way that he had opportunities of seeing them. I also saw that his position as postmaster gave him very great facilities for rendering them assistance; and taking all this together I called upon Captain Standish, and pointed out to him that I was under the impression that the facilities which Wallace had for assisting the outlaws were so great as to induce him to render them some assistance, and the fact of his being a schoolmate, and evidently an old friend of one of the outlaws, would be likely to lead him to help them if it was in his power; and I learned from Captain Standish in a private conversation.
15057 We wish you to give that?— That he had every reason to believe that my opinion was well founded—that from information he had received there was every reason to believe that Wallace was sympathizing with the outlaws. On learning this from Captain Standish , I reported the matter to my chief, Mr. Ramsay , and suggested that we should at once take steps to remove Wallace from the district. I am expressing myself freely —may I refer to my conversation with Mr. Ramsay ?
15058 I think so, because we have got a good many of those things in evidence already. Can you fix the date of the interview with Captain Standish?— I took no note of the time. It was a very few days before the removal of Wallace , and Wallace was removed a week before the outlaws were captured.....
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