Curio

State Library of New South Wales
Detectives Powell & Hannan and their office, Gulgong

Detectives Powell & Hannan and their office, Gulgong

1870-1875
Glass photonegative

These are detectives Charles Powell and Robert Hannan, outside their office. They had plenty to do. In a letter to the editor of the Maitland Mercury, 16 May 1872, William Collins stated:

… the very diligent police speedily settle … hostile engagements, by marching the pugilists to a place called the town cage, from which place they are brought in the morning before the magistrate, who has often heard of mercy, but does not know what it means …

From the Australian Town and Country Journal, 15 June 1872

POLICE BUILDINGS IN THE INTERIOR. During a late visit among some of the Western Gold fields, and a few country townships of various sizes, I had an opportunity of seeing the accommodation provided by Government for the housing of police, and administration of justice; and, after comparing the several amounts expended under these heads, with the population of the respective towns, and the amount of work to be done, I arrived at the conclusion that the number of inhabitants and extent of actual requirements exercise a very infinitessimal influence indeed over the actions of our rulers. [Australian Town and Country Journal, 15 June 1872 p 18]