Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Saturday 12 December 1903, page 12


FIFTY-YEARS AGO. - XIX.

THE " COURIER " FILES OF

1858.

(Our extracts to-day are from the "Courier''

of 9th December, 1853.)

TREATMENT OF THE ABORIGINES.

'The leader in the "Courier" was on the "Treatment of the Aborigines," and it began: -"If it be notorious that all the effort of conceited philanthropists and trading missionaries have hitherto failed to inculcate principles of Christianity or gratitude amongst the aborigines of More-ton Bay, it is equally certain that the terrors of the law are as yet inefficient to deter them from the most daring and ferocious outrages." Reference was made to the murders of Mr. M'Gregor and Mrs. Shannon ; of the two sawyers at the Pine River ; and of Charles Gray at Bribie's

Island ; the recent attacks on the Pine River stations, the robberies of suburban farms near Brisbane, and "the late mur-derous attack at Sandgate" (referred to elsewhere). The Government was urged to deal sharply with " the nest of robbers and murderers at Bribie's Island. "

NEWS FROM OVERSEA. ~~

The Queen had been to Ireland "de lighting by her manners all well-affected people there ' .

Two hundred deaths daily were occurring from yellow fever at New Orleans

The Emperor of Austria was betrothed to Princess Elizabeth of Bavaria " The amusement appears to hale originated in love at first sight "

In the New York Exhibition several

pictols of the time of Elizabeth, Charles J . and Cromwell have been exhibited, which arc made with several barrels each, and to turn round in the stock, thus snow-ing that the invention of ' revolvers' is much more ancient than was supposed

The " Times'' had been officially pro-hibited throughout the Spanish dominions

The notorious Lolu Montez is again married. Her choice this time is the editor ot a Californian newspaper

OUTRAGE BY BLACKS.

On the previous Saturday Mr. Thomas Dowse and his family were attacked by aboriginal natives at Sandgate or Cabbage-tree Creek, and driven off the ground which he had lately purchased there, and where he had pitched his camp. About thirty blacks first tried to get at the provisions, but were driven off, and threw stones back. Being apprehensive, Mr. Dowse and family packed their goods in boats to return to Brisbane. They were pre-paring for a start at about 2 a.m., when the blacks appeared in large numbers. "The whites made off to the boats, but Mr. Dowse was overtaken in the water by one of the natives, who struck him down with a club or 'waddy,' inflicting a wound on the back of the head, which bled pro-fusely. He was about to repeat the blow when Henry, Mr. Dowse's eldest son, fired amongst the blacks, who then par-tially drew off. At this moment the other lad, Thomas, called out that he was wounded, a spear having passed through his leg above the knee. Henry Dowse then fired point blank at a black who was close by and about to strike the youth, and the native was seen to fall." Mr. Dowse and family succeeded in getting away, and

their wounds were not serious.

PORT CURTIS

A town had been laid off at Auckland Inlet where the Lord Auckland that con-veyed the former expedition, hove down. The main street was called Auckland street. On a creek called King Corah Creek, about three miles distant, suburban allotments from five to ten acres were laid out. The river to the west was navigable twenty miles from its mouth and it was proposed to call it Liffy, but the Govern

ment preferred if possible to retain its aboriginal name " A large river debouches, into the sea about forty miles to the north of Port Curtis , this has been named the

rier Fitzroy . There is a fine open-ing for some enterprising man to follow Captain Caddel's example and to open up the country which this noble stream must water. The aboriginals are beginning to be troublesome. Mr Hay, who has sta-tions about sixty miles to the southward, sends his teams with wool to Port Curtis They were attacked by the blacks who drove off the teamsmen and tore open the bags and scattered the wool abroad

A skirmish had taken place between the blacks and the surveying party, who re-pulsed them effectually, and they de-camped. Mr Walker, the Commissioner of Native Police had arrived with twelve troopers and had shot some of the black concerned in the robbery of Mr. Kays

wool "

GENERAL NEWS

We understand that a contract has been entered into by Messrs J and G Horns for the construction of a large stone store at the waterside at North Brisbane below the steam saw mills.

Five months had elapsed since the last English mail. The " Courier said, ' steam communication with England has not done much for Moreton Bay."

For the Gold Discovery Fund, £2800 had been collected. A committee consisting of Messrs Turner Craies, B Cribb, Powers, Swan, and Davidson was appointed

Mr Stuchbury, the Government ideologist, was expected in town

Mr. Joseph Biscol had been appointed Clerk of Petty Sessions at Gayndah

The notorious aboriginal Sippey had been captured in the Callandoon district

by Mr. Goodfellow.

DOMESTIC EVENTS

Married.-By special license, on the 8th

instant by the Rev J G. Millard, Mr

John Markwell of Queen street, Brisbane, to Georgianna, eldest daughter of Mr George Edmonston, of same place.

Birth.- At the parsonage, North Bris bane, on the 9th instant, Mrs Irwin, of a

son.

MR JOHN HARRIS

Mr. John Harris, owner of the brig Brothers, with Mrs. Harris, sailed for Syd-ney en route for London. The steamer Swallow went down the river to take pas-singers on board, and about twenty citizens took advantage of the opportunity to bid Mr and Mrs Harris farewell. The healths of the departing colonists were " drunk with three times three and three cheers more." Mr Harris the proposer of the toast said, " was the first resident pro-prietor w ho had the courage to place a line of efficient coasters in the trades (with

Sydney) Mr. Harris said : "Ships should

be built for the river instead of the river being made to suit the ships and within twelve months he hoped to have alongside his wharf a ship of 500 tons drawing only 11ft when laden, and to have a steamer fit to tow her out "

WRECK IN TORRES STRAITS

The Bourneuf, the ship that became so notorious from the great number of deaths occurring on the voyage to Port Phillip has, been lost on the great detached reef going into Torres Straits. The captain, his wife sister-in-law and four sailors and the boatswain were drowned. The others were saved by a Dutch barque.

SHIPPING

Arrivals -December 4 Iron Prince, s, 181 tons. Captain Hugh Welsh, from Syd-ney Passengers - Captain Wickham, R. N., Master Wickham, Messrs Napper, Anderson, nnd Blair December 9 City of Melbourne, s, Captain O'Reilly, from Sydney Passengers-Mr Coulsate and 2 Masters Hirst. Departure -Caroline, ship in ballast, for Callao

The Courier recently put into Moreton Bay from the South Sea Islands. It was understood that she would load off Cleve-land for London.

Of the seamen ordered on board the Caroline seven escaped on a raft to More-ton Island. The remainder refused to work and the water police and harbour master's crews assisted in reefing the top sails and getting the ship under way, and

she put to sea.

The mail which arrived in London by the Harbinger consisted of nearly 450,000 letters, making a postal revenue of nearly £30,000.

SOME ADVERTISEMENTS.

Stephen Mehan advertised extensively his " Downs General Store, Drayton,'' ironmongery, wines and spirits, and so on.

James Warner, licensed surveyor, noti-fied that he was prepared to carry out the views of associated persons, with the view to importing immigrants and taking up

land.

In notifying the sale of the wreck of the barque " Countess of Derby," Mr. Alex-ander Knowles stated that she had been carried over the bar (of sand without rocks), to its inner edge, " where she now lies so screened that at ebb tides she may be approached in all weathers, and worked upon without difficulty or danger."

A meeting was called of "Heads of Families and Others" to co-operate in the

establishment of baths.

Mr. C. O'Connell, Commissioner of Crown Lands, Gayndah, called a meeting to be held at Gayndah on the 20th December, to consider the separation. A requisition was signed by Messrs. Henry Herbert, J. C. Mackay, and Wm. Henry Walsh. JJ.P., Henry H. Brown, M.R.C.S, and J. Swift,

MD.