Royal Commission report day 51 page 3
The Royal Commission evidence for 8/9/1881
(see also introduction to day 51)
[[../../people/peN_P/nicolsonPAC.html|Ass Com Charles Hope Nicolson]] giving evidence
17147 What was it?— I did remember the circumstance myself, but I have been reminded of it, and I would rather not speak of it. It w as about the indignation Mr. Hare showed at my visiting the depot particularly. Captain Standish told me when he instructed me to visit the County Bourke district that I need not visit the stud at Dandenong, and that was quite enough for me, as I understood that Captain Standish and Mr. Hare looked after the stud. I visited the men and stations, and Richmond depot. When I came in I sent in my report about the depot, and Captain Standish found fault with me for visiting the depot. I could not understand it, and he said he told me not to visit the depot. I said he told me not to visit the stud depot, and those remarks were not made till I sent in that report a portion of which I sent in yesterday. Captain Standish is a man, I may tell you, of no military instincts, although he is styled “Captain.” He has no idea of the management of stables and mounted men, or barracks, or anything of the kind-not to my knowledge. I never saw a symptom of it; and my report was contrary to the system carried on in the stables and so on, and he was very much annoyed. There was an instance of it in saying I used bad language to a man when the man was bringing his horse to the stable. The fact was simply this: Captain Standish went into the stables, and there were two or three men present, and he called to a very awkward man (since discharged the service) to bring a horse out of the stable. This man was bringing the horse out in a careless slovenly manner, hauling the brute about, and consequently I spoke to him. I had taught him and the others how to do it, and I told him to bring his horse out properly. The way is when the horse's bridle is on to take the end of the bridle like this, and run your hand up under his throat, and lead him gently out; and if the door is narrow, all mounted men turn facing the horse like that, holding with both hands—[illustrating by gesture]. If you like, I can produce the Instruction book. Not one of those men knew that, and that is what I did before Captain Standish . I did not lose my temper or use any strong language to the men, and there were members of the force present then that saw it.
17148 Do you know who the man was that was ordered?— I think it was Meahan, since discharged and I think Senior-Constable Irving was present. As to using bad language, I am not in the habit of doing so. I never did such a thing. I may have called him stupid.
17149 When you found fault with this Constable Redding, he being in Mr. Hare's district, was he not justified in asking why you found fault with him if he believed in the man?— I gave my reason in my report
17150 That is a matter that would occur under any management, such small things as that-that was not a matter of jealousy?— No, I merely mean to say that what was stated there was not received properly by the Chief Commissioner, and Mr. Hare made remarks on the matter which Captain Standish should not have permitted; it was my duty to point out everything I saw.
17151 This is with reference to the fault found in the bookkeeping with reference to the receipt- “With reference to the receipt for prisoner Murdoch , the W. house book at Hotham will show the prisoner was lodged there. I consider that in a place like Donnybrook, where the C. P. Sessions only visits twice a month, and the clerk requests that the proceeds of distress warrants may be paid over to the plaintiffs, there is no objection to the constable doing so, providing he holds a receipt from the person to whom he paid the money, which was done in these cases. I am not aware how Mr. Nicolson became aware that Constable Redding is wanting in discretion and requires looking after. He has been a long time under me, and I have not discovered it, on the contrary, I have found him a most zealous man, and most anxious to do his work, and a man in whom I can place the greatest reliance. – FRANCIS HARE, Superintendent. 3/5/76 .” That is what you object to?— Well, see what I stated in that report.
17152 You say—“At other stations within the district the police do not adopt the irregular and objectionable course above mentioned. It is more like a loose practice adopted or fallen into by the constable himself. I am not aware whether he obtained the approval of his superintendent first. I doubt it, although his station was visited by that officer on 14/9/74 , 4/1/75 , 14/6/70 , and February 76”?— The word “although” is a mistake.
17153 What do you complain of in that-that Captain Standish supported Mr. Hare in that?— Mr. Hare remarks that he does not know what knowledge I have of this man. It was not Mr. Hare 's duty to know what knowledge I had, or to put such a question, and I make the reply that it might have intimidated the Inspecting Superintendent from noting matters considered necessary.
17154 Was the matter about this man-is it an irregularity in practice, as far as the force was concerned?— All through the force, and whenever I met with such an irregularity I always corrected it. It was for the safety of the force generally that we came to the conclusion that men in executing warrants, receiving a warrant from the bench, should return the money to the bench.
17155 This is your minute on it in 1876—“In my endeavors to introduce a uniformity of system and practice, so far as circumstances will permit, among the police throughout the colony, in matters of the kind within referred to, the only opposition I am aware of having met has been in the Bourke district.” That is May 1876?— Yes. I found the same thing in a station not very far away-at Sunbury, Constable Walters . I pointed out the same thing there.....
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