Untitled Document
| Summary of the evidence on day 1 of the hearings | ||
| Question number | Date | Witness |
| 1 -324 | 23/3/1881 | Commissioner Standish |
| 15774 - 15959
15960 - 16311 |
30/8/1881
31/8/1881 |
See these dates for other evidence given by Com Standish |
| Appendix | Title |
| 20 | Minutes of Proceedings at Meetings Held by the Royal Commission |
'
23/3/1881 Com Standish commenced his evidence -
some brief highlights
On the first sitting day the Royal Commission got down to business quickly. The first set of questions were to Standish as the former Commissioner of police. They related to the following topics:
what led up to the Kelly outrages
what effect did the Fitzpatrick incident play
what was the reason for the level of lawlessness
the murders at Stringy Bark Creek
the public relation mess known as the Sebastopol cavalcade and Standish's meeting with Mrs Byrne
the problem with Ass Com Nicolson and his 'procrastination and inefficiency' (by now the Royal Commission had asked the Commissioner less than 20 questions)
Standish then continued to outline the main events of the Euroa and Jerrilderie robberies, the changes in policing. And the events that led up to Glenrowan.
After the Euroa robbery Standish and Hare replaced Nicolson as the leaders of the hunt for the KellyGang. Standish explained to the Royal Commission his search methods
Standish did not appreciate the Government's decision to introduce black trackers (the name used in the Royal Commission report for aboriginal Australian who were employed by the police as trackers). This is part of what he had to say; "It is a well-known fact that they (the KellyGang) often used to ride 50, 60, and 70 miles between night and morning; and knowing, as they did, every corner and nook of the district, and having their numerous sympathizers, who would very soon obliterate their tracks, I thought, as I said before, the black trackers would be little or no use, which certainly was proved." He continued to take his first swipe at the Queensland police officer who was the leader of the trackers, Inspector O'Connor, "No doubt trackers can be utilized in following the traces of men on foot, but for this kind of work they are really perfectly useless, because their movements are so slow. I see in the printed documents which were sent to me a letter from Mr. O'Connor. I can merely say it is full of misrepresentations, and I have not the slightest intention of taking notice of it."
The battle between Standish and O'Connor and the other senior officers was to become one of the main issues of the Royal Commission. Standish got the Cabinet to remove Nicolson a month before Glenrowan. Standish describes his meetings with the police Minister to achieve this result. The following is a description of a meeting between Standish and Nicolson at about this time,"I waited there for a few minutes, and just as the train was starting in tumbled Mr Nicolson. I only had time to hand him the telegram and to give him a bit of my mind. In fact I may say that on that occasion, and subsequently when he was relieved, he behaved to me in a most discourteous, insolent, and ungentlemanly manner; and if I had not been a man who is gifted with not a very bad temper, I should not only have given him a bit of my mind but I would have suspended him from duty; but I had no animosity against anybody in the department. Thought I had a great contempt for the man, I had no ill-feeling against him."
A few days before Glenrowan Standish had succeeded in getting the Queensland trackers withdrawn. When the news of Aaron Sherritt's death came through they were in Melbourne waiting to catch the ship home Queensland. Standish had the unpleasant task of asking them to stay and to off on the special train. "... I told him, if and asked him if he was willing to go up; said it was a matter of great urgency; and he, in a rather haw-haw way, said he did not see any objection, and said he would go.."
Standish went up to Glenrowan on the day of the siege and arrived in time to instruct Sup Sadleir not to hand over the charred remains of Dan Kelly and Steve Hart to their families, for the disposal of Joe Byrne's body and to arrange for Ned Kelly's trip to Melbourne and Melbourne Gaol.
The structure of the police in Victoria described.
After Standish outlined the main features of role in the events of the KellyGang, the Royal Commission permitted the other senior police to cross examine him. Ass Com Nicolson asked the first set of questions. The process started with the following exchange, "By Mr Nicolson. -Of course you know the difference between what is evidence, and what are mere statements?- (Standish) I know what is the difference between what is speaking the truth and telling a lie." It did not get better as things went on. A bit later there was the following exchange "(Nicolson) Do you remember my making an inspection of that district in 1878?- (Standish) I remember you made an inspection of the district some time before this happened, but I must say I did not attach much importance to any of your reports. They were all merely twaddle."
Mixed in with these exchanges Standish provided the Royal Commission with a lot of information about the police officers and police stations including his views on decision to abandon a number of stations in the Kelly Country.
After Nicolson finished cross examination Insp O'Connor took up the task. The clashes continued. The Commission asked Standish, 'The clear inference left on my mind was that, if Superintendent Hare had not treated the men like dogs, some other officer had?'
Under this attack Standish did not change his mind about the usefulness of the aboriginal trackers.
This finished the main evidence given by Com Standish.
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