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Story of the KellyGang - the Royal Commission evidence
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== The Royal Commission evidence for 14/6/1881 ==
''''''
=== full text ===
(see also introduction to [[Royal Commission report 14/6/1881|day 29]])
[[../../people/peN_P/oconnorPinsp.html|'''Insp Stanhope O'Connor''']] ''''''giving evidence''''''
''Present:''
The Hon. F. LONGMORE, M.L.A., in the Chair;
E. J. Dixon, Esq., J.P., W. Anderson , Esq., M.L.A.,
J. H. Graves, Esq., M.L.A. G. R. Fincham, Esq., M.L.A.
<span id="rc11432">[[#rc11432|11432]]</span> ''By the Commission''— The Commission desire to know., the position you held under the Queensland Government before you came here?— I joined as a sub-inspector of the native police of Queensland on the 1st January 1873; my salary was, before I came here, £180 fixed pay. I emphasize that because the fixed pay is the only pay that is counted in Queensland for our retiring allowance—it is different to this service altogether. The fixed pay of all the officers in Queensland is very low, and the allowance is very hight. My travelling allowance as a sub-inspector was £20 a year, and ration allowance £100 a year, with free quarters and a servant or an orderly allowed.
<span id="rc11433">[[#rc11433|11433]]</span> Do you have the engagement of the servant?— He is one of our men.
<span id="rc11434">[[#rc11434|11434]]</span> Are you supposed, as in the army and other services, to pay the orderly anything?— No, nothing. We do, but we are not supposed to do so.
<span id="rc11435">[[#rc11435|11435]]</span> You joined as sub-inspector and remained as sub-inspector?— Up to the present time.
<span id="rc11436">[[#rc11436|11436]]</span> You were never a sergeant?— No; I joined as an officer. After fifteen years, we can retire upon a medical certificate, upon half-pay.
<span id="rc11437">[[#rc11437|11437]]</span> That is if your health is injured?— Yes. After twenty years service, we can retire upon two-thirds; twenty-five years, three-fourths; and after thirty years, upon full pay. All those are with a certificate; but if an officer is sixty years of age, has served fifteen years, he can retire without any certificate. The officers in the Queensland force are sub-inspectors, inspectors, travelling inspectors, and commissioner.
<span id="rc11438">[[#rc11438|11438]]</span> Is sub-inspector the title of the lowest officer?— Yes, the lowest commissioned officer.
<span id="rc11439">[[#rc11439|11439]]</span> Is there promotion from the ranks?— Promotion in the white police can be from the ranks.
<span id="rc11440">[[#rc11440|11440]]</span> Is that provided by the regulations?— Yes; but a great many officers, all the native police officers, are appointed independent of the police altogether. An officer; upon being appointed sub-inspector of native police, is sent to the senior officer of native police, and there he remains for six months, generally, and if he is found to be adapted for the service, he is given a detachment. If not, very often they are drafted into the white police as officers. Any native police officer is eligible to be transferred to the white police, and I might say nearly all the inspectors are native police officers, because our duties consist of both white police and native police duties. I may state that, a few months ago, when I was in Queensland , I saw the Acting Commissioner, who informed me that, if I remained in the service, I would be due for my inspectorship in a very short time, that I was on the top of the list.
<span id="rc11441">[[#rc11441|11441]]</span> Would that be inspectorship in the black police or the other?— An inspector in the Queensland police is over both branches. He is equal to the rank of superintendent here.
<span id="rc11442">[[#rc11442|11442]]</span> But does he change as he gets promotion from one to the other?— He goes to head-quarters, and is in charge at head-quarters of all the native police in that district and all the white police.
<span id="rc11443">[[#rc11443|11443]]</span> You had an opportunity of still joining that again after your connection with this force?— Yes.
<span id="rc11444">[[#rc11444|11444]]</span> You came here at the request of the Victorian Government originally?— Yes; I was doing duty in [[Cooktown|Cooktown]] at the time. I had been sent for. Two men had been murdered, and I came down 120 miles, and just after returning from this duty a telegram was handed me from the Commissioner of Police, Brisbane.
<span id="rc11445">[[#rc11445|11445]]</span> There was no promise at any period given to fix you in the same relative position here that you had occupied in the force in Queensland at the time, or subsequent to your engagement?— I understood from Captain [[Sadleir|Standish]] I was an officer here.
<span id="rc11446">[[#rc11446|11446]]</span> You had no authority in writing?— No; none. This telegram from the Queensland Commissioner of Police stated that the Government of Victoria required a detachment of native police, with an officer who was capable of commanding them, and that he had chosen me for the duty, and wished to know if I was agreeable to go. I received it about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and I accepted it before 5, and sent an answer. The telegram I have not got, because it came to the inspector of the district and was only submitted to me to peruse. I had to wait a day for the boat to leave, when I proceeded to [[Brisbane|Brisbane]] and [[Sydney|Sydney]]; thence by train to [[Albury|Albury]]. There I met Captain Standish and placed myself under his command.
<span id="rc11447">[[#rc11447|11447]]</span> Before you left did you ascertain exactly what your pay would be?— No; I understood I was to get double pay.
<span id="rc11448">[[#rc11448|11448]]</span> Did you understand that?— Yes, double pay; I was informed that by the Commissioner of Police in Brisbane .....
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[[Royal Commission report day 28 page 18|previous page]] / [[Royal Commission report day 29 page 2|next page]]
== The Royal Commission evidence for 14/6/1881 ==
''''''
=== full text ===
(see also introduction to [[Royal Commission report 14/6/1881|day 29]])
[[../../people/peN_P/oconnorPinsp.html|'''Insp Stanhope O'Connor''']] ''''''giving evidence''''''
''Present:''
The Hon. F. LONGMORE, M.L.A., in the Chair;
E. J. Dixon, Esq., J.P., W. Anderson , Esq., M.L.A.,
J. H. Graves, Esq., M.L.A. G. R. Fincham, Esq., M.L.A.
<span id="rc11432">[[#rc11432|11432]]</span> ''By the Commission''— The Commission desire to know., the position you held under the Queensland Government before you came here?— I joined as a sub-inspector of the native police of Queensland on the 1st January 1873; my salary was, before I came here, £180 fixed pay. I emphasize that because the fixed pay is the only pay that is counted in Queensland for our retiring allowance—it is different to this service altogether. The fixed pay of all the officers in Queensland is very low, and the allowance is very hight. My travelling allowance as a sub-inspector was £20 a year, and ration allowance £100 a year, with free quarters and a servant or an orderly allowed.
<span id="rc11433">[[#rc11433|11433]]</span> Do you have the engagement of the servant?— He is one of our men.
<span id="rc11434">[[#rc11434|11434]]</span> Are you supposed, as in the army and other services, to pay the orderly anything?— No, nothing. We do, but we are not supposed to do so.
<span id="rc11435">[[#rc11435|11435]]</span> You joined as sub-inspector and remained as sub-inspector?— Up to the present time.
<span id="rc11436">[[#rc11436|11436]]</span> You were never a sergeant?— No; I joined as an officer. After fifteen years, we can retire upon a medical certificate, upon half-pay.
<span id="rc11437">[[#rc11437|11437]]</span> That is if your health is injured?— Yes. After twenty years service, we can retire upon two-thirds; twenty-five years, three-fourths; and after thirty years, upon full pay. All those are with a certificate; but if an officer is sixty years of age, has served fifteen years, he can retire without any certificate. The officers in the Queensland force are sub-inspectors, inspectors, travelling inspectors, and commissioner.
<span id="rc11438">[[#rc11438|11438]]</span> Is sub-inspector the title of the lowest officer?— Yes, the lowest commissioned officer.
<span id="rc11439">[[#rc11439|11439]]</span> Is there promotion from the ranks?— Promotion in the white police can be from the ranks.
<span id="rc11440">[[#rc11440|11440]]</span> Is that provided by the regulations?— Yes; but a great many officers, all the native police officers, are appointed independent of the police altogether. An officer; upon being appointed sub-inspector of native police, is sent to the senior officer of native police, and there he remains for six months, generally, and if he is found to be adapted for the service, he is given a detachment. If not, very often they are drafted into the white police as officers. Any native police officer is eligible to be transferred to the white police, and I might say nearly all the inspectors are native police officers, because our duties consist of both white police and native police duties. I may state that, a few months ago, when I was in Queensland , I saw the Acting Commissioner, who informed me that, if I remained in the service, I would be due for my inspectorship in a very short time, that I was on the top of the list.
<span id="rc11441">[[#rc11441|11441]]</span> Would that be inspectorship in the black police or the other?— An inspector in the Queensland police is over both branches. He is equal to the rank of superintendent here.
<span id="rc11442">[[#rc11442|11442]]</span> But does he change as he gets promotion from one to the other?— He goes to head-quarters, and is in charge at head-quarters of all the native police in that district and all the white police.
<span id="rc11443">[[#rc11443|11443]]</span> You had an opportunity of still joining that again after your connection with this force?— Yes.
<span id="rc11444">[[#rc11444|11444]]</span> You came here at the request of the Victorian Government originally?— Yes; I was doing duty in [[Cooktown|Cooktown]] at the time. I had been sent for. Two men had been murdered, and I came down 120 miles, and just after returning from this duty a telegram was handed me from the Commissioner of Police, Brisbane.
<span id="rc11445">[[#rc11445|11445]]</span> There was no promise at any period given to fix you in the same relative position here that you had occupied in the force in Queensland at the time, or subsequent to your engagement?— I understood from Captain [[Sadleir|Standish]] I was an officer here.
<span id="rc11446">[[#rc11446|11446]]</span> You had no authority in writing?— No; none. This telegram from the Queensland Commissioner of Police stated that the Government of Victoria required a detachment of native police, with an officer who was capable of commanding them, and that he had chosen me for the duty, and wished to know if I was agreeable to go. I received it about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and I accepted it before 5, and sent an answer. The telegram I have not got, because it came to the inspector of the district and was only submitted to me to peruse. I had to wait a day for the boat to leave, when I proceeded to [[Brisbane|Brisbane]] and [[Sydney|Sydney]]; thence by train to [[Albury|Albury]]. There I met Captain Standish and placed myself under his command.
<span id="rc11447">[[#rc11447|11447]]</span> Before you left did you ascertain exactly what your pay would be?— No; I understood I was to get double pay.
<span id="rc11448">[[#rc11448|11448]]</span> Did you understand that?— Yes, double pay; I was informed that by the Commissioner of Police in Brisbane .....
=== Previous page / Next page ===
<br />
{{MicroficheCopy}}<br />
'''The [[Royal Commission report day 28 page 1|previous day]] / [[Royal Commission report day 30 page 1|next day]] . . . Royal Commission [[Royal Commission Index|index]]'''
[[Category:Royal Commission]] [[Category:May 1614]] [[Category:Royal Commission]] [[Category:Commisioner Standish]] [[Category:history]]
MediaWiki:Sidebar
{{^|Original page location \documents\RoyalCommission\RC810614_29_01_11432.html}}
