The Argus at KellyGang 22/2/1881
MR J H GRAVES, MLA, AND THE POLICE
TO THE EDITOR 0F THE ARGUS
Sir,-A gentleman has just pointed out to me your article in last Saturday's Argus upon the personnel of the Police Board of Inqury in which you state that the selection of the chairman (Judge Cope) was decidedly unhappy, through his being untested and untried, and that the selection of Mr J H Graves was indecent. These are solely matters of opinion between you and your leaders, and of which the public have already formed their own judgment, but you further state that 1 (J H Graves) have made serious and bitter charges against the police and against particular officers. These statements I say are incorrect. May I therefore request you to inform me upon what authority you make these allegations. 1 may, in conclusion, add that I know that the reluctance of gentlemen to act on this board arises from the fact that the labour pertaining thereto involves a sacrifice of time and expense, to say nothing of the unpleasant- ness of the duties, to which members, already severcly overtaxed by Parliamentary service,
feel themselves unequal -Yours, &.c , _
Feb 21 JAMES H. GRAVES.
[We refer Mr Graves to his own speeches in Parliament last year. To give one instance Mr Graves is reported in Hansard to have said on November 25 -"I am in a position to assert and to prove, when the proper time cornes, that a large amount of money was spent by the outlaws at Benalla, under the very noses and to the knowledge of the police." Our assertion is that a gentleman who has serious charges such aa this to make, and to prove, should, as we said, be a wit- ness or a prosecutor, and not a judge. Mr Graves is the very last man who ought to have been appointed, and if he had any feel- ing of delicacy, or decency, he would at once resign,-Ed A ]
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31-aug-10
