Queensland Figaro and Punch (Brisbane, Qld. : 1885 - 1889), Saturday 14 April 1888, page 25


Murmurs ot the Shell

It really is quaint and unique

To hear modern orators spique; Some are so exceedingly miqae,

Their voice is a delicate eqnique; While others ascend to ashrique,

And terrorize nerves that are wique.

Rees R. Jones has officially served his capias ad satisfaciendum, to the electors of Rockhampton North. R. R. J. is a M'llwraithian. 1e says that Mac "is well fitted by his wide experience and long training to lead a political party and assume the responsi bilities which such leadership involves/' Rees Jones scornfully reviews Sam's five years of mal administration. He is opposed to a land tax, and considers that Sam's proposed reduction of the subsidy to Divisional Boards is " nothing less than a breach of faith." The Land Act has (ha holds), even with its repeated amendments, proved a financial failure, and has effectually locked up from close settlement half of the runs in the colony for the iiext 21 years. Rees Jones considers the State to be the worst landlord a tenant can have, and would like to see facilities afforded for enabling persons to acquire the fee simple of suitable areas for bona fide settlement, as were formerly given by the Land Acts of 1868 and 1876. He is anti-Chinese. He favors decentralization, and wants for Rockhampton a Supreme Court, with a resident judge. He isoppoBed to territorial separation. He advocates a railway from Rock ham pton to a deepwater port—at either Broadmoutit or Port Alma, of which Rees Jones prefers the former. He also advocates the construc tion of a railway from tbe Emu Park line to Yeppooil*.

and the construction of ietties nt. Emu Port and

Teppoon.

The Rev. Thomas Thatcher is to be asked to stand for the Lock—I mean, the Loekyer district. He is a strong advocate for the repeal of the C. D. Act

Robert Hall, of Mountain View, has consented to please the Loekyer electors by standing for the district. He says he thDroughly believes in the principles of the Land Act for 1884. He advocates branch lines through farming and mining districts. He is a Protectionist, and sniffs around the land tax question as if seeking inspiration respecting it from the electors themselves. He is anti-Chinese, and in favor of Sam's N aval Defence Bill. He wants to see the Upper House converted into an elective chamber. Generally sized-up, Bob Hall is about as meek and blind and muzzled a Sam's poodle as the Loekyer

can hope to breed;

E. A. Bullmore has announced himself for FaBsifern, in the M'llwraith interest. He would revise the tariff in the direction *of Protection. He claims to have been a producer all his life—first as a farmer, and then as a pioneer settler in the far West 5 while now he is largely interested in the electorate of Fassifern as an agriculturist.

William Allan and Francis Kates will have a rare old battle rojai, if they fight it out for Cunningham. Kates's apologists are never tired of pointing him out as a working farmer, and of saying that he is now "no more proud ash efer he vhas." All that may be true, and a credit to Francis. But what gets over the ordinary farmer—yoost the same sort of farmer as Kates, you know—is this fact—How is it that, with all undergoing the same sort of times and chances, so much more of the grist sticks to Kates the Miller than to his clients the farmers? And could not the guileless Francis a tale reveal of written, or verbal, or understood bargains with the great flour-millers of the South—the Harts and the Duffields, of Adelaide, for instance.

Tilbury has retired from the Gregory contest. It is now a choice between Eeltham and Corfield.

The following queer paragraphs are from the Cairns Chronicle(t- The Premier suggests a heavy poll-tax as a remedy against the Chinese question. Sir Samuel Griffith and Mr. Bolcock are the only landlords of Chinese about Queen-street, Brisbane.— Sir Thomas suggests the total exclusion of Chinese, and if carried out, Sir Samuel may lose a first-class weekly rental.—Sir Thomas M'llwraith and family made two journeys to England at a personal cost of a

£1000. Sir Samuel Griffith also made two similar journeys, the last at a cost to the colony of .£1400, while no one knows exactly how much the first cost the people. But, then, Sir Samuel is a 'Liberal,' and an excellent theoretical financier, as illustrated by his imaginary paying off the deficit with Treasury

Bills."

Another Jones to the rescue—this time to Bun-damba, or Bundanba, or something. (Everybody spells it differently to everybody else, and there is high feud between those who spell it with an m and those who do so with an n.) However—

Dare to be a Daniel Jones,

Dare to stand in a crowd,

Dare to blindly follow Samuel,

Dare to howl it loud.

Daniel says he knows Bundamba ever since he was a

boy, and is still a Griffith poodle. He thinks he is a Protectionist ; fancies Dutton's Land Act is a good one ; favors a land tax and an income tax ; and

generally follows the grooved ticket of his party, Stand down, Dan'l.

Edward Fitzpatrick woos the voters of Aubigny. He is a supporter of M'Hwraith, whom he believes to be " the only statesman in Queensland at the present time, competent to lift the colony out of its present

difficulties." He is a farmer and anti-Chinee and anti-cheap labor. He is a Protectionist all-round. He is strongly opposed to Sam's Land Tax. He advocates the establishment of large railway work shops in Toowoomba. His appearance has caused Jamie Campbell to announce that he comes forward with M'II wraith's approval.

John Gebbie announces himself as a Griffith candi date for Enoggera. He promises to advocate the

construction of railways through the district. He believes in railway management by a Board. He hopes to see a second cable laid to England via Canada. He advocates a monthly P. & O. steamer to Brisbane, thus giving us a fortnightly service with Europe. He is opposed to land-grant railways; thinks the tariff should be modified Protectively; does not believe in the necessity for a land tax; is in favor of the total exclusion of Chinesej will support Sam's Naval Defence Bill; and will support the expenditure of large sums on irrigation. He plumes himself especially on his commercial training.

Jack Hoolan, a Croydon editor and a candidate for Burke, notes the fact that one, G-arnett, an evange

list, has arrived at Croydon " to fight the devil," and puts the case merrily thus:—" Mr. Garnett has all his work cut out here on Croydon, because the devil holds a lot of paid-ups on these diggings. We can't do a great deal for Mr. G-arnett as yet. We wish him luck, and trust that he will do a share in the glory and piety line of business, and that he will plump for Hoolan at the coming election. That would be about the biggest knock he could give the

devil."

Thomas & Thomas, undertakers, of Croydon, have ' got them a new hearse. They are evidently deter mined, to be in time to tote up the plumpers for Hodgkmson at the Burke election.

James Tolson's address to the electors of Flinders claims that Tolson's interests are identical with those

of the district. He regards Separation as the main feature in any politioal programme to be submitted by Northern Members to their constituents, and advocates that movement on the lines laid down by the Separation Council. He is distinctly opposed to the introduction and employment in any way what ever, of Chinese and Coolies. He expresses great interest in the question of arresting and controlling the spread of contagious diseases among stock, and in that of the destruction of rabbits. He recognises the importance of the question of artesian water supply; advocates a town reserve for Hughenden, cheap carriage and cheap machinery for minerB, and

the immediate construction of the Normanton-Clon

carry railway.

Richard Rendle, otherwise Dr. Rendle, a well known Brisbane medico, has offered his services to the Moreton electors. He comes forward as an inde pendent candidate, and promises to advocate :—Land laws that will encourage settlement and cultivation, and will facilitate freeholds being obtained; agri cultural, technical and mining schools; amendment of the present timber regulations; branch lines of railroad; better management of and easier freight charges on existing lines; total exclusion of Cooties and. Chinese ; Protection; no land tax; extension of local Government; reform of the Civil Service in the direction of lessening political patronage, and of encouraging faithful service; federation of the colonies for National purposes, but not Imperial federation; and the formation of a department of public health (Minister Rendle I, eh ?) to investi gate and prevent the causes of diseases in plants and animals, as . well as in man. If elected, Dr. Rendle will sit on the M'llwraithian cross-benches.

ThoB. Harbottle was one of Sam's best supporters in Gladstone five years ago. But he's a disgusted Harbottle now. This is how he lifts up his voice ijj

the political wilderness of Port Curtis:—"What hks . the Land Act done for Queensland ? Did it not bring ' the colony to the verge of bankruptcy ? Did it not shake it to its very foundation P And if it had not been tinkered with over and over again, to restore confidence in financial circles, Queensland would have been insolvent to-day; and the defects which it still contains will greatly impede its progress, if not tinkered with again at an early date."