USC21

Map of State Forest

PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS RELATING TO CAPTAIN KENT & FRASER IS. 1907 (condensed)

Maryborough 12 July 1907, J . Green, manager for Wilson, Hart &Co. Ltd. wrote to the Under Secretary for Public Lands enclosing a cutting from the Maryborough Chronicle of 4 July 1907 , which read: FRASER IS. ENTERPRISE FISH CANNING AND SISAL CULTURE - INTRODUCTION OF PEARL OYSTERS.

"Captain H.C. Kent, R.N.R., who some time ago was locally well known as the Superintendent of the Fraser Is. Aboriginal Settle ment, has arrived in Maryborough again from the South, accompan ied by his wife, and they intend to take up their residence in our midst again. Captain Kent is now engaged upon an undertaking which shows that he paid close attention to his material surroundings when stationed on Fraser Is. The project now on foot, which Captain Kent informs us has a very substantial Southern backing, is to gather all the district Aborigines and place them on Fraser Is., where they will be engaged in develop ing the resources of land and water. This will be entirely commercial and not a missionary work, and all creeds will be at liberty to minister to the blacks as they please; there will be no church monopoly . It is proposed to go in extensively for fish preserving and canning, the production of oil from dugong and porpoise, and also for sisal hemp cultivation on the island in which industries the labour of the Aborigines will be utilised as far as possible. Application is being made to the State Government for a certain grant of country on the Island. The activities contemplated, while absorbing the Aboriginal populat ion, will give employment to a large body of white men in more responsible and expert positions. The pearl and edible oyster will also have the attention of the company. Professor Sydney Jackson, who with some directors will shortly visit Fraser Is. has patented a method for the cultivation of the pearl and table oyster, which he proposed to put in operation in Hervey Bay and the straits. He appears sanguine that the pearl oyster can be brought down from Torres Straits and successfully intro

2.

duced to our waters. It will be seen that Capt. Kent is piloting a scheme the realization of which will be a matter of the utmost value and benefit to this community and he and his principals deserve all encouragement and everything that can be given to them to carry it through to a successful issue. The field of their enterprise has undoubtedly been well chosen. Our bay waters abound with edible fish of all kinds, and are already famed for their oysters, while a vast area of Fraser Is. should be ideal land for the growth of sisal hemp. 'the introduction of the pearl oyster is an experiment well worthy of a trial, and, seeing how well the common oyster does here, there seems no good reason why the pearl oyster should not thrive in the deeper waters of the bay. The career of the company will be watched with keen and sympathetic interest." Wilson and Hart and also Hyne & Son, timber merchants of Maryborough both with leases on Fraser ls. lobbied the Government for the protection of their interests. After being interviewed by Ministers and Government officials, Captain Kent submitted his plans, accompanied with Press clippings from the Sydney Mail and the Daily Mail - all very impressive! Kent's submission: THE FRASER ISLAND COMPANY IN PROCESS OF FORMATION.

"The original offer made by the representative of this company was: To take all the homeless blacks, who are now loafing about the various towns in Queensland and who the Protector (capable and vigilent as he undoubtedly is) cannot reach, and employ such of them as are able to work at various new industries at the same rates of pay as white men, and finding rations, blankets and clothing for the women, children and men unable to work, with schooling and religious (unsectarian) instruction for the young. "During the six months, in 1903, Capt. and Mrs Kent were in charge of Fraser Is. Mission Reserve, with an average number of about 150 blacks of mixed sexes and ages, there was only one

3.

death (an old woman who died of old age ). When that place was broken up, the majority of the blacks were taken to Yarrabah, in the North at which place tbere have been very few deaths . About sixty were left behind, and became scattered about. Of this sixty fully twenty have died within three years. This shows distinctly that under humane white supervision this fast dying race have a better chance of surviving .

"The figures quoted above are approximate. In any case these blacks, if employed, would have been under the supervision of Mr Howard, the Chief Protector of Aborigines Protector, who is a thoroughly humane man, and probably the best friend the Queensland blacks have ever had. He has reported favourably of the scheme. " Who can deny the right of the Fraser Is. blacks to earn their own living on their own island? ''Great Sandy Is. has been lying idle since it was created, excepting one company ( Wilson Hart & Co.), who have invested enormous sums to work a portion of it for timber, and now, when an offer is made to develop it, all kinds of stumbling blocks are put in the way. Will the Government sink £50,000 or £100, 000 in developing it? "Recognising the fact that this question cannot be settled "off hand" by the Government, the company (in process of formation) have dropped the aboriginal matter until it can be thoroughly inquired into and will employ white men entirely (local married men for preference) at the highest rates of pay ruling in Federated Australia for such work , and abide by all union rules and regulations. It has never been their intention to cut rates or wages, or to enslave or oppress any human being. " While Capt. Kent was in Maryborough last month, numerous deputations of natives, many coming from the Far North, waited on him and begged him to use his influence with the Government to have them returned under him (Capt. Kent) to Fraser Is. "Finally, Capt. and Mrs Kent are well known as having befriended these people, and they were more successful in their

4.

efforts than anyone who has undertaken the work (Reverend Gribble Snr.Mr & Mrs Gribble Senior and Junior, excepted)."

In an interview with the Secretary for Lands, Kent tried to bluff his way by stating he had been promised timber leases and should not have to tender for them at public auction. When he saw he was not getting what he wanted he left threatening to write to the Courier, which he did, casting reflections on the Administration of the Lands Department. This brought a prompt response from Brown of Brown and Broad, timber merchants of Brisbane, stating that Kent had approached him with an offer to sell timber concessions on Fraser Is. which he was just about to secure from the Government. The Lands Department had asked for the names of the principals in Kent's company which he refused to disclose - of course there not being any. The Director of Forests, writing to the Under Secretary for Public Lands, revealed what Kent has asked for, which was no less than 315 square miles which was practically all the timber on the island and at ½ royalties being paid by Wilson Hart and Hyne and as a private sale without competition. Some cheek! There were more letters, then finally the C.I.B. came into it and revealed that Herbert Kent, alias Kenneth Graeme, alias J. K. Graham, alias Henry Grant had had four criminal convictions in the following places, Broken Hill, Parramatta, Sydney and Brisbane for forgery and uttering (2 charges), false pretences, stealing in a dwelling and illegally on premises .