ioi6 



REVIEW OF REVIEWS. 



Decemhcr I, 1913. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A VICTORIAN POLICE 



OFFICER. 



Recollections of a Victorian Police Officer. 



By John Sadleir. (Geo. Robertson & Co. 

 Ltd.) 



The author of this book is an active 

 member of the Historical Society of 

 Victoria, and at the meetings of that 

 body has taken his part in fostering its 

 desire to place on permanent record the 

 doings of the pioneers of our not very 

 distant past. Though only 76 \ears 

 have elapsed since the site of the Cit\' 

 of Melbourne was roughly laid out in 

 the wilderness, it is safe to say that no 

 one who took part in that historical 

 function still survives. But many old 

 colonists who were here before the gold 

 discoveries will remember how the com- 

 munity was divided into hostile camps 

 by the rival clauns of Batman and 

 Fawkner to the honour of being the 

 founder of this great metropolis. Bat- 

 man, who was undoubtedl)' entitled to 

 the distinction, died early, without see- 

 ing what a prominent place in the 

 world's history the collection of wattle 

 and daub huts was destined to attain. 

 Fawkner lived to a great age, and 

 realised personal affluence and political 

 honours. But throughout his long life 

 he never ceased to sneer at his deceased 

 rival's achievements, and to throw dis- 

 credit alike upon his work and his in- 

 tentions. Such a case accentuates the 

 importance of our having reliable re- 

 cords of events from men who have seen 

 the things about which they write, and 

 have taken a personal part in political 

 or social movements. 



It is true that Mr. Sadleir's book does 

 not deal with those prehistoric days, 

 for he only arrived in Victoria in 1852, 

 and he wisely confines his narrati\e to 

 his own experiences. He came at the 

 opening of the .second chapter of \'ic- 

 toria's histor}'. The period following 

 the placid, hum-drum, but prosperous 

 days of the later forties, when wool was 

 king, and the cry of the unemployed 

 was not heard. He came at a time when 



people were pouring through Port Phil- 

 lip Heads at the rate of about 2000 a 

 week, and he found the Colony in a 

 state of social, commercial and financial 

 confusion. He is generous in his praise 

 of the fine body of young cadets, with 

 whom his lot was soon cast, and of the 

 good work they did in maintaining 

 order, with very indifferent material in 

 the rank and file of the police force. 

 This book is most informative of offi- 

 cial life, and gives us glimpses behind 

 the scenes of many events, which took 

 on quite another aspect, as narrated in 

 the dail\- journals. He writes very tem- 

 perately and fairly of the burning ques- 

 tion of the relations between the police 

 and the diggers, and though he was not 

 engaged in the Ballarat riot, he had 

 large experience on the other goldfields. 

 Practicall}' he had more to do with bush- 

 rangers than with rebellious diggers, 

 and the story of his adventures in that 

 direction impress one favourably by 

 their air of simple truth, and absence of 

 exaggeration. The exploits of the Kell}" 

 Gang are told with conciseness and 

 spirit, and Mr. Sadleir, who took a very 

 active i^art in the final caj^ture, does not 

 hesitate to point out, and to blame, cer- 

 tain official disputes as the cause of the 

 tardy suppression of these outlaws. 



On the whole, without any pretension 

 to literary excellence, the book is well 

 written, and an honest, unbiassed record 

 of a stirring page in Victorian history. 

 Candid in its criticisms of contemporary 

 colleagues, leaning always to the kindly 

 side, and withal independence in deal- 

 ing with matters of public interest. 

 Some of the pen portraits of bygone 

 celebrities will appeal to old colonists 

 as admirably done. It is hoped that 

 others who may be tempted to follow 

 Mr. Sadleir s example may bring to their 

 tasK the same lucidity of statement and 

 moderation of opinion which make this 

 book such pleasant reading. 



