Royal Commission report day 47 page 12
The Royal Commission evidence for 31/8/1881
(see also introduction to day 47)
F. C. Standish giving evidence
16171 And you considered that the best way to manage the affair?— If you talked about everything it would be a great error.
16172 Did you ever find Mr. Nicolson untrue to you when you spoke about anything?— Not to my knowledge.
16173 Why did you not give him some little confidence, to know what was going on?— If there was nothing going on, what could I tell him?
16174 Do you mean to say there was at any time, during the Kelly outbreak, nothing going on in reference to it—that shore was not sufficient to talk about so as to consult?— We were sometimes weeks and weeks without hearing of them.
16175 You tell us you always consulted with Mr. Hare?— When he was up there with me, and very often with Mr.Sadleir. We generally used to talk the matter over.
16176 Mr. Sadleir has sworn he could not get you to speak for two minutes at a time?
Mr. Sadleir — That was only on occasions. Captain Standish often consulted with me.
16177 By the Commission (to the witness)— Then the fact remains that you were six months in the district and it ended without any result?— Certainly.
16178 And ended with all your officers complaining that you would not give them any of your confidence?— I had perfect confidence in Mr. Hare and Mr. Sadleir. Why I should go and tell other people anything seems to be rather curious.
16179 They have all complained?— Who do you mean by “all”?
16180 Mr. Sadleir, Mr. Nicolson, and Mr. O'Connor?— Mr. O'Connor was merely subordinate, in charge of the black trackers—why should I tell him everything I heard?
16181 Was he not recognized as a branch of the service, and it was advisable for him to know what was going on?— I am afraid it would have got about.
16182 Did Mr. O'Connor, to your knowledge, tell anything of importance that should have been kept secret with reference to the Kellys while you were with him?— I do not know what you are alluding to.
16183 You see how unsatisfactory the evidence is—it is no reply to the charges of this officer that you say it might have got about. They have simply made a charge, and there is no reply other than that it is not true?— I do not know what the charge is you particularly allude to.
16184 They have made charges that it was difficult to get you to speak to them about the Kellys and outrages?— I certainly did not deem it part of my duty when I beard anything to go and blab it about to everybody.
16185 They all complain you did not give them confidence, and when I asked whether you had ever found them breaking confidence with you by telling what you told them you say no?— Not to my knowledge.
16186 Quite so?— But with reference to that I may tell you, as a matter of policy—a matter of duty—that when a man hears an important piece of information, which may possibly result satisfactorily, to go and tell everybody, that I think the man would be a fool.
16187 Do you consider the three officers co-operating with you “everybody”?— I had perfect confidence in Mr. Hare and Mr. Sadleir.
16188 What shook your confidence in Mr. Nicolson—was it telling what you bad told him about the Kellys?— I had a most friendly feeling towards Mr. Nicolson.
16189 You have left him out several times in that clear way, to mark that you had no confidence in him, I presume—did he ever betray your confidence by telling your secrets with reference to the Kellys?— Not to my knowledge.
16190 About the information that might lead to a satisfactory result not being divulged—how could satisfactory results be obtained from information of that kind, if the information was not divulged to your responsible officers?— If action had to be taken on it, it would be divulged.
16191 What satisfactory action could be taken if not from instructions about the information?— If I had received information that was necessary to act upon at once, I would have instructed the officers at once, and told them all the information.
16192 You say that by divulging information which you may have received to your officers it might prevent leading up to satisfactory results—how could that be, when those results could not be obtained without informing your officers who would require to carry out the work?— Of course, the two officers serving with me at Benalla, Mr. Sadleir and Mr. Hare, I had perfect confidence in, and I would never withhold anything from them.....
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