The Argus at KellyGang 24/1/1883 (2)
MR SECRETAN AND THE POLICE COMMISSION
The following memo, by Inspector Secretan, of the detective department, has been forwarded to the Chief Secretary, Mr Secretan left for England by the Loch Tay yesterday :-
To the Hon. the Chief Secretary, Melbourne
January 20, 1883 .
Sir,-I have the honour to inform you that I have read the special report of the Royal Commission of Police on the detective department.
As you are aware, I am on sick leave of absence for eight months, and in consequence of my present state of health, and acting under the advice of my medical attendants, who will not allow me to undergo any strong mental strain, I now respectfully request that any charges that may be preferred against me, arising out of the said special report or otherwise, may be allowed to stand over until my leave of absence shall have expired.
I may point out that, with a view of recruiting my health, I have taken my passage to England in a sailing vessel, which is advertised to sail at once.
I also respectfully submit that no evidence was given before the said commission which can justify or support the several conclusions of fact or recommendations made by it, so far as I or the detective department are concerned, and when charges are preferred against me under the 42nd section of the Police Regulation Statute, before a duly constituted board as therein provided, I shall be easily able to meet them in an honourable manner, and show conclusively that I have never failed in my official duty, or been guilty of any other conduct rendering it unfit that I should remain in the police force.
I may further say that, after 24 years of service in the detective force, and without any opportunity of defending myself or being supplied with any alleged charges, I find by the special report that my official conduct and character has been grossly maligned and misrepresented, and I shall be extremely glad, on my return from England, to have an opportunity of thoroughly vindicating myself, and at the same time showing the erroneous and unfounded nature of the conclusions of the said commission.
I attach two copies of sworn declarations, the originals of which I sent to the commission, but I could never ascertain whether they would be printed in evidence. On this point I forward a copy of a letter received from the secretary to the commission.
The declarations are from Superintendent Sadleir and Sub-inspector Kennedy, both gentlemen who have known me officially for years.
I also attach a copy of the Honourable Sir Bryan O'Loghlen's decision in the Wiberg case, as that is referred to in a most unfair way by the commission.
Also a copy of the Honourable Graham Berry's opinion of the manner in which the detectives performed their duties at the International Exhibition, 1880-81, which was at a very trying time, owing to the immense influx of population and criminals. Finally, I forward a copy of a most eulogistic letter from the secretary of the commission on receipt of some voluminous returns prepared at the request of the commission, which necessitated going through the books and papers in the office during the last twenty years in order to collate the information required.
I forward these to show that neither the office nor the department were in the state of disorganisation that the commissioners represent, but I would add that in my opinion it has been far more difficult for police officers to keep their respective departments in a state of efficiency since the commission have commenced their labours.
I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant,
FREDK SECRETAN,
Inspector of Police, on sick leave.
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I, John Sadleir, superintendent of police in the colony of Victoria , do solemnly and sincerely declare that
I have been a member of the police force of Victoria since the year 1852
I performed duty in Melbourne from 1854 to 1856, from 1864 to 1867, and from 1873 to 1875, and that during these periods I had special opportunities of observing the management of the detective branch of the service
I have always understood that Messrs P H Smith and Nicolson, who preceded Inspector Secretan in the management of the detectives, had virtually full right of the selection and rejection of candidates, and that for many years they had the use of funds, both from the Police Reward Fund and from special allowances by the Government, by which special acts of merit could be rewarded, and special agents employed to furnish them with information.
I have also understood that Inspector Secretan has not had equal advantages in these respects and I confidently believe that any falling off in the efficiency of the detective police may fully be accounted for there- by.
I have always considered Inspector Secretan to be a most conscientious zealous and efficient officer and that he is specially qualified beyond any other officer in the service for the management of the detective branch. I have never had any reason to suspect on the part of Inspector Secretan any jealousy towards members of the general police or any unwillingness to co-operate with them, but on the contrary, he has always exhibited a readiness to assist in the public interest and this notwithstanding the well known animosity towards him of more than one superior officer of the general police.
My experience leads me to the belief that if the detective branch is placed under an officer of the general police the public interests will seriously suffer. The result that is to be expected is that the officer having nominal control will retain any emolument attaching to the extra duties while deputing some junior officer to do the work. Under these circumstances all the evils of a divided responsibility are to be expected while virtually no real amalgamation of the two branches of the service is effected.
And I make this solemn declaration believing the same to be true and by virtue of the provisions of an act of the Parliament of Victoria rendering persons making false declarations punishable for wilful and corrupt perjury.
J SADLEIR
Declared before me at Ballarat in the colony aforesaid this fourth day of September in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
W L Cooper a commissioner of the Supreme Court of the colony of Victoria for taking affidavits
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