37

1.—4 a

Sergeant Fraser-

Ist Oct., 1878.

Detective Farrell.

Ist Oct., 1878,

1051. Is it not stiflish work for him to be up all night, and then all day attending to the pound? He has warm quarters at the police station; and his wife attends to the pound a good deal. They live near the pound, and she runs across, if there is anything to be done. Detective Fabeell recalled, and further examined on oath. 1052. The Chairman] AYe understand you wish to give some further evidence ? —Tes ; but Inspector Atchison is not here, and I think it would be more manly to say what I have to say when he is present. 1053. He has sent us word that he cannot come here to-day, in consequence of being engaged in Court in some cases. Tou had better proceed ? —The last day I was here I was rather nervous, but I then told you they were down on me ; and I feel it very much. I wish to say this: Now, the other day I spoke to a constable on Lambton Quay about some matter of business after I left the Committee. I saw the man again next day, and spoke to him, and he said, "Don't speak to me. I have been reprimanded this morning for speaking to you yesterday." I said, " AVhat, you have been reprimanded?" He said, "Tes, for speaking to you yesterday. Sergeant Smith reprimanded me in front of the other men." lat once came here to complain, not for my own protection, but for the protection of the men. This man was absolutely reprimanded for speaking to me on a matter of public duty. I would respectfully beg to hand in the Police Regulations, to show I have a perfect right to question the man as I did. [Extract read.] That is the regulation, and this man has been fined 10s., or something of that sort, by Atchison, for some supposed offence. 1054. AVhat did you speak to the man about? —I was speaking about a man named Clarke, from Sydney, whom I wanted to find. This is his photograph (produced). The constable said he did not know him. Sergeairt Smith saw us speaking, and the next morning this man was charged with gossipping on his beat. He said, "I only spoke to Farrell;" and Smith said, "Tes, you speak too much to Farrell." It seems any man who speaks to me is to be put down. 1055. AVho is the constable ?—Timothy Carroll. 1056. Hon. Mr. Gisborne] Did you say the man was punished ?—Since then he has been brought up for something, and fined ss. or 10s. 1057. Hon. Mr. Fox] AVhat for? —For some crime, and a charge of having spoken to me in the street was added. Smith saw him speaking to me, and the man was reprimanded on parade next day for speaking to me. 1058. Supposing you had not had business with him, was it any offence for him to speak to you if you said anything to him, or passed a remark about the weather, or anything of that sort ? —Certainly not, I should think. But if I took the man off his beat, or gave him drink, or anything of that sort, it might be wrong. 1059. Surely it is not contrary to the rules to say " Good-day, John," to a constable? —No. There is another point. It was said that Atchison pointed out Heggarty to me. To show that that is not correct, I may say that, in order to make sure of the thing, I looked up the records and I found that upon the sth of February, 1877,1 arrested a man named Gordon on a charge of stealing Heggarty's horses. Gordon was prosecuted at the Court the following sessions, and convicted; so that I must have known Heggarty then, because I worked up the case, and appeared in Court at the same time as Heggarty did, to give evidence. I knew Heggarty before date of Gordon's arrest. I knew him personally before that, so that it was not necessary for Inspector Atchison to point him out to me. I also wish to state that Heggarty was not arrested on the jetty at all, but was arrested near Mr. Allan's office, near the Oddfellow's Hall. 1 saw him and his brother in Mr. Allan's office, and waited till they came out, when I arrested him. Inspector Atchison was not present. Atchison did not know he was in town till I told him, near the Empire Hotel, that Heggarty had come to town, and that I believed he had come down so as to get away in one or other of the Melbourne or Sydney steamers, in order to evade justice. He then told me to arrest him, and I did so. I would respectfully submit the Regulations, to show what is the rule as to rewards. Tou will see by this rule (rule 50 read) that Inspector Atchison had no right to retain a penny of the £40. Although I may have had no claim, still Atchison had no claim, and had no right to keep one farthing. 1060. Mr. Swanson] Whoever gets the money, you say Atchison should get none? —Exactly Mr. AVallace told me he sent the money to Atchison, with a letter of instructions what to do with it. He never gave me any, but kept it himself, contrary to all rules and regulations. As I said before, 1. have been injured in my character and reputation, and in my profession, because it was supposed I gave information to Mr. Barton, which I never did. I wish to make a further statement in connection with Quin's case. I made a full statement of that case, and Mr. Atchison promised both Boardman and myself that he would view 7 the place and the scene of the fire. On one occasion, however, I went with Mr. Boardman to the Empire Hotel, where we saw Mr. Atchison. Mr. Boardman then asked if he would go and look at the scene of the fire. Some high words ensued, and Mr. Atchison absolutely refused to go. Boardman said, "Tou will not go?" Atchison said, "No." Boardman said, "Then I will report you to the Government." I simply say that to show that Boardman's report to the Government commenced then, and yet, after I had been laid by for four months by illness, I am blamed as being the cause of it. 1061. Mr. Barton] AVho had the key of Quin's place ?—I bought a lock and key and chain, and fastened the place up, aud I gave the key to Mr. Boardman, he being the agent for the insurance company interested. 1062. How long was the place locked up ?—Possibly for a fortnight. The Foresters and Odd Fellows wanted their books, and, after they got permission from the Inspector, I gave them up. 1063. Mr. Swanson] Were the Foresters all right—as to their cash ? —No. The cash balance was not right; but they would not give any information to prosecute on. Since then Quin has again failed for £300. 1004. Failed ?—AVell, embezzled £300.