The following is a copy from the news report of the government inquiry into the conditions of the police services
in Australia in 1835.
This section of the report covers the district of Bathurst.
Reports for the remaining districts (Van Diemens Land, Maitland,Goulburn,Paterson,Argyle, Wollongong,
Patricks Plains, Ivermien and Yass Plains) can be found at Genseek's Police History
The Committee (consisting of the Colonial Secretary, the Attorney General,
Mr Berry, H.H.M'Arthur, and Mr Bell ) was appointed to "..enquire into and report upon the establishment
and strength of the Police Force and all it's branches, to what extent
it may be expedient to maintain it, and the expense it will occasion, and
to enquire into the capacity and condition of the Gaols in the colony,
and to report what additional buildings appear to be required, and
the probably expense of providing them.." .
presented by © J.Fawcett (Genseek) 2002 |
"Tuesday 2nd of June 1835
A.K.McKenzie, Esq, J.P, brought in and examined:
In the police district of Bathurst,are included the
the counties of Roxburgh, Georgiana, Bathurst, Wellington,Bligh,
and Phillip; the population may be estimated at four thousand.
I think the present police force of the district consists
of one chief constable, ten constables,one of whom is stationed at
the distant post of Capita, and one scourger.
The jail at Bathurst is not capable of holding more than
twelve prisoners, although I have known it as many as twenty or
thirty crowded into it at one time.On more mature consideration,
the jail will, I believe, contain a few more prisoners than I have
stated. There is a factory, with cells, for female prisoners.
The jail is a brick building, and very insecure. There is no lock-
up or watchhouse in any other part of the district, that I am aware
of, but I think a watch house has been ordered on the other side
of the Macquarie.
The weekly average of cases at the Bathurst Bench is from
forty to fifty, and four-fifths at least are convict cases.
I consider, that the present police force should be doubled.
Many of the settlers in the Bathurst district have so far to travel
to the Bench that they decline bringing in their assigned servants
to trial for most offences: This remark more particularly applies
to settlers at Wellington, where I strongly recommend that a police
magistrate should be stationed, as well as one at Mudgee, whence we
have the greatest number of complaints at present.
I consider it also indispensible that a police magistrate
should be stationed at the southern part of the district, but I have
not sufficient local information in that direction to say where this
station should be.
A paid magistrate is also much wanted at Cox's river.
There are at present residing in our district, ten unpaid
magistrates, seven of whom regularly attend the bench in turn.
The clerk of the Bench has a salary of £90 a-year, he is also the
registrar of the Couurt of Reqests, Coroner, Postmaster and
Government auctioneer for the district, but I am not aware of the
income he receives from those appointments.
A party of mounted police is stationed in the district,
consisting of one officer, two serjeants and twenty privates, and
I strongly recommend that ten more men be added to that nmber, as
we are now frequently without a single man in barracks. I am not
aware that the mounted police are ever employed on any but police
duty.
The constables serve summonses from the Supreme Court and
the Court of Requests; some of them are always employed on escort
duty, as far as Penrith; there are no places for security for
prisoners between Bathurst and Penrith except the two stockades.
We find great difficulty in our district, in procuring fit
men for constables, and I am of the opinion, that this difficulty
is caused by the low rate of pay which constables receive at present.
The police magistrate at Bathurst receives a salary of
£300 a-year, with quarters, he has no other allowance that I am
aware of.
I would strongly recommend that the mounted police should
be made a permanent and stationary force,as great loss and injury
to the public have accrued from changing stations of those who had
become acquainted with the localities of the district and had thus
become more efficient.
Overseers who will do their duty are much wanted in the
ironed gangs, and on the road parties - they do little work.
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