QSA847527 1895 Report of the Civil Service Board on Frederick Murray 27 August, Colonial Secretarys Office In Letters, In letter 95/11462, DR66309

[centred, in red ink] Boards, Col Secy

[oval stamp, right of centre] COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE. QUEENSLAND. 10253 28. AUG. 95

[oval stamp, below top stamp] COMMISSIONER OF POLICE 09,573. QUEENSLAND 9. SEP. 95

[centred] Queensland

[centred and underlined in red] Civil Service Board

[right of page] Brisbane, 27th August 1895.

[in red ink] Report on Insp Murray's case.

[written in left margin] No in 726/2.

[diagonal stamp, in left margin] PREVIOUS [in red ink] 95... 9792.. Police Serial No.....[in red ink] 2....

Sir,

I have the honour, by direction, to forward you the Report of the Civil Service Board on the Inquiry held by them, at the instance of the Honourable the Colonial Secretary, into the Insolvency of Mr Inspector Murray of the Police Force, together with ^ all papers relating thereto.

I have the honour to be, Sir, Your Obedient Servant,

[signed] J.P. Richard Secretary.

[bottom-left margin] The Principal Under Secretary, Brisbane.

[centred, in red ink] Col Secy

[oval stamp, right of centre] COMMISSIONER OF POLICE 09,573 QUEENSLAND 9. SEP. 95

[centred] Queensland

[centred] Civil Service Board

[oval stamp, to right of other stamp] COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE. QUEENSLAND. 10253 28. AUG. 95

[written diagonally, top left] 95. 9068 Cook

[left margin] Ch. Bk 715/1

[Notes in margin]

Mr Murray vacated his office by his insolvency 15 July 1895 -

Bring up minute reappointing him from 1 Septr as an Inspector of 2nd class at £330 -

Let him produce to me a Certificate from his Medical officer that he is suffering from deafness and hemorrhoids &c and I will recommend his retirement or his pension £330 a year.

[initials] HT 31. 8. 95

Comr of Police Mr Tozer wishes Insp Murray to furnish the required Certificate [initials] W.H.R.[?] 6. 9. 95 [in pencil] C.C[?] Arrange WEPO

[in red ink] Drs Wray & Lyons advised. W.F. 9. 9. 95

[underlined in red ink] Mr. F. J. Murray Inspector of Police.

I do [although?] Send me Ex. Minute re Inspector Isley

[rectangular stamp] B. C. ...6...9...95.. No. ...5270... Returned .....

The Board have [sic] obtained from Townsville a Certified Copy of the Statement of affairs in the Liquidation by Arrangement with his Creditors of the above Officer.

It appears from this Statement that the amount owing to unsecured Creditors is £439 " 4 " 5 and to other Creditors £284 " 17 " 0 - in all £724 " 1" 5. With Assets set down at £319, leaving a net deficiency, should his expectations be realized, of £405 " 1 " 5, of which sum £77 " 1 " 3 is owing to Medical men and Chemists, and the balance to Tradespeople at Rockhampton, and Townsville.

Mr Murray has satisfied the Board that since leaving Rockhampton he has paid to ^ Banks and Tradesmen there, the sum of £219 " 14 " 11 in reduction of the amount owing by him when removed from that town.

Mr Murray gives as the principal cause of his insolvency, long sickness in his family, and the pressure of Creditors, one of whom obtained judgment against him

him and sold under Execution.

The Creditors are satisfied that Mr Murray has not been guilty of fraud, or dishonourable conduct, and that he has adopted the proper course under the circumstances in coming to an arrangement with his Creditors, and the Board endorse [sic] these views. They, however, recognise that it is very undesirable for an Inspector of Police to be indebted to tradespeople, in the Town in which he is stationed, beyond his ability to pay, and they ^ therefore consider Inspector Murray's removal from Townsville to another District essential, if his services are retained.

During the Enquiry however, it has been made apparent that Inspector Murray suffers from deafness, (especially in rooms such as the Board room and most Police Court Buildings where there is a considerable echo) to such an extent as, in the opinion of the Board, to interfere with the satisfactory performance of his duties. He has served in the Police Force for more than 30 years, and always so far as the Board are [sic] aware with a satisfactory record, but in consequence of the physical defect to which they have drawn attention the Board consider [sic] that it would be to the interest of the Public Service that he should now be retired on the pension provided in the Police Act of 1863. Inspector Murray is now between 54 and 55 years of age.

For the Board W.L.G. Drow Chairman.

[bottom left, underlined in red ink] Civil Service Board, Brisbane. 27th August, 1895.

[centred, in red ink] Col Secy

[oval stamp, centred] COMMISSIONER OF POLICE 10,032 QUEENSLAND 19. SEP. 95

[right of stamp, in blue pencil] 10253 Boards

[rectangular stamp, top left] B. C. ....[in red ink] 18 -...9 -...95... [in red ink] ...5430... [stamp] Returned..... [written diagonally across bottom-right corner of stamp] 95: 10051 M

[written sideways, on left] Comr of Police 17 . 9. 95

[centred] Minute re Inspector Murray

This officer prior to his being removed to Townsville was warned by me that if a judgment was recorded against him and remained unsatisfied I would consider his conduct as showing an unfitness to continue in the service. I also pointed out to him that Police Inspectors especially should show an example to the public by living within their means and that it was most undesirable for Inspectors to be indebted to tradespeople beyond their ability to pay -

Though warned by me Inspector Murray without consulting with me or receiving my sanction applied to take the benefit of an Act for the relief of Insolvent debtors It is possible when he commenced these proceedings he may have thought the Commr of Police telegram giving him leave of absence as a sanction to this course of action but if so he was (in ample time not to proceed further in this direction) informed that I should consider insolvency as a vacation of his office following the intention of the Signature as conveyed in the 38^th clause of the Civil Service Act. Without apparently taking the slightest steps to recant his action or even intimating to his creditors the result of his unauthorised proceedings he attended the meeting & was in the ordinary course released upon the condition that he hypothecated his salary and pension as a pledge to pay his creditors in full. This in my opinion rendered it necesssary he should vacate his office as is the case for[?] all of Civil Servants -

The CS Board are [sic] satisfied his pecuniary embarrassment has not been caused or attended by fraud or dishonorable conduct but they offer no opinion on the subject of extravagance & it appears to me from the evidence could not so certify. They did not recommend his reinstatement to the position he held or even to some other inferior position but that he should be allowed to retire on a pension. The recommendation I was prepared to accept if Mr Murray could produce to me the usual medical certificate of incapacity from infirmity or injury of body or mind but this he is unable to do

[written sideways, across lines 44 to 47] Cancel [initials] HT

and under the Act being under the age of 60 years it shall not be lawful to grant him any superannuation allowance unless upon such Certificate.

There are only two courses open either to allow his vacation of office to be permanent or to appoint him again to some inferior office—In view of the long service of Mr Murray I am not disposed to vacate his office altogether but as it is undesirable he should be stationed either in Townsville, Rockhampton or Cooktown he can be reappointed as a Sub Inspector of the 1^st class to take precedence if other Sub Inspectors at such place as the Commr shall determine.

This will give him presently £260 a year and allowances equivalent in value to about £360 a year & will ensure to him his pension 5 or 6 years hence.

Commr to arrange accordingly.

[initials] HT 17. 9. 95

Pay to commence from this date at reduced rate Time of leave one month to be allowed & paid for

[initials] HT