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 Van Diemen's Land.
Reports for the remaining districts (Maitland, Paterson,Goulbourn,Bathurst, Windsor,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 |
May 27th 1835.
William Gunn - Esq, called in and examined:-
"I am a Justice of the Peace for the Colony of Van Diemens
Land, and Superindendant of the Prisoners Barracks in Hobart Town,
and having held that situation for nearly ten years, I am perfectly
acquainted with the system of police in that colony.
The Chief Police Magistrate has the general control of the
Police. All correspondence connected with the Police, passes through
the department of the Chief Police Magistrate, before it reaches the
Governor,and all orders issued to the Police,are conveyed through him.
The sentences of local Benches, except those of corporal
punishment and solitary confinement are sent to the Chief Police
Magistrate, to be submitted by him to the Govenor for approval.
There is no Bench of Magistrates to which a Police Magistrate or
Assistance Police Magistrate is not attached. None of the Police
Magistrates are military officers on full pay; the salary of a Police
Magistrate is £300 a-year,£50 for a houuse and £45 for forage.The
possession of property in his district by a Police Magistrate, is
not considered objectionable,on the contrary, instances have occurred
of Police Magistrates having been removed to districts in which their
property was situated.
The pay of an Assistant Police Magistrate is ten shillings
per day, and £50 for a house where there is no house belonging to
the Government, and an allowance of £45 for forage.
The Police Magistrates are also the Coroners of their
districts and Commissioners of the Court of Requests, but without
additional emolument.The Assistant Police Magistrates are in some
instances officers on full pay.
The duty of the Muster Master is to keep records of the
characters and descriptions of all Convicts, and also the hulks
lists, and to muster convicts on board vessels on their arrival; he
also acts as Assistant Police Magistrate in Hobart Town.
The "Divison Constables" are in general farmers, who receive
twenty five pounds a year; and are assisted in the performance of
their duties generally by one or two 'petty constables'; who reside
with them on their farms.
The Special Constables receive no pay; they are respectable
persons, and are frequently the poundkeepers of their district.
Of the Petty Constables about one third are free; and perhaps
one fifth or one sixth are Ticket-of-Leave men; the remainder are
Convicts, but to whom no extraordinary inducement is held out in the
promise of remission of sentence, for ordinary services the pay of
all petty constables is one shilling and nine pence a-day; in some
instances quarters are provided for them. Petty Constables, when in
pursuit of bushrangers, or on other special duty receive rations in
addition to their pay, and are entitled to a reward of two pounds
for every runaway apprehended; this reward is immediately paid by
the convicting magistrate out of the fees and fines in the office.
On the performance of any act of particular merit by a ticket-of-leave
or convict constable, he is immediately rewarded by the Government
with a conditional pardon or ticket-of-leave, without any reference
to the usual period of probation for these indulgences.
The present establishment of Police in Van Diemens Land is,
in my opinion, sufficient for the town, but not for the country.
Solitary Confinement is in some instances a much more
effectual punishment than flogging; the tread mill is occasionally
used; generally speaking, I consdier solitary confinement the
severest punishment of the three, and most dreaded by the culprit.
There is no Colonial Vagrant Act in Van Diemens Land, but
the magistrates act on the English law.
All the convicts in the service of Government, and all the
convict women in Hobart Town, are tried by the Principal Superintendent
of Convicts and myself, with the assistance of another magistrate
when necessary - either can, when acting single, sentence to fifty
lashes, or twelve months months imprisonment and hard labour, or
thirty days solitary confinement; no sentence of a single magistrate
is accumulative.
Two acting together can sentence to 100 lashes, or three
years extension of original sentence, or three years imprisonment
with hard labour. Confiement in solitary working cells is the common
punishment for the women; the neglect of or refusal to work, is
punished by confinement in dark cells on bread and water, or by
sentencing them to wash the blankets and clothes of the hospitals,
orphan schools, and other public establishments. The allowance of
bread in the cells are one pound and half a day. "
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