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as much as possible but I consider that my party cannot at present, with any degree of safety to life & property, be reduced. I shall however according to your orders discharge Edmund Browne, at the end of the month - he being, as stated in my letter of the 12 Ins. No. 53/57 engaged only by the week: but pending your further orders I shall retain the other man whose agreement will not expire until the 31 May next.
The Circumstances detailed in this letter are not referred to in my "annual report," for being anxious that that document should reach you by the 31 Inst I wrote & posted it to go on the 17 Inst. by the Burnett.
I have &c
[signed] Arthur. S. Halloran Comm'r
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The Chief Comm'r
of Crown Lands.
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The CC Lands Wide Bay to the CCC Lands respecting the necessity for retaining the four men now attached to this establishment
[right of page] From Lands Office Tinana Tinana 28 December 1853
Sir
[in left margin]1 ... Refering [sic] to my letter of the 20 Inst N.o 53/58 respecting the discharge of two of my unmounted Troopers I do myself the honor to acquaint you that from the continued & increasing aggression of the Blacks close to my new house I considered it unsafe to reduce the strength of my Establishment & shall therefore defer doing so until I am honored with your further orders on the subject The enclose [sic] letters from the Chief Constable & 3 other old residents in the District will inform you as to the present state of the Blacks more fully than I can do & from the number of natives on Frasers Island (who constantly visit this place) & the very great facilities of eluding pursuit I feel satisfied that it will
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be many years before they are brought into anything like a quiet or civilized state in fact until their numbers are greatly diminished or the white population considerably increased, life & property will be in a very precarious state. I have now for several days been in pursuit of two Blacks against whom I have issued warrants & although assisted by 4 of the Native Police & two of my own mounted Troopers they have succeeded in escaping to the island.
[in left margin] 2. It is almost impossible for me to describe the constant state of alarm in which the Townspeople are kept from the a dread of the aggressions of the Blacks whose treachery & audacity are almost incredible & I understand an application is about being made for an increased Police Force.
[in left margin] 3 ... I beg to repeat that I consider it will be unsafe to reduce the number of my men, and I trust that so long as the necessity exists for the two additional men, I may not be deprived of their services.
I have the honor to be &c
[signed, on right] Arthur E. Halloran Comm'r of Crown Lands.
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The Chief Commissioner
of Crown Lands
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[centred] =============================
[centred] Enclosures.
No. 1.
[right of page] Maryborough 21 December 1853
Sir
I have to inform you that a man named William Cook in the employment of Mr Henry Palmer was this morning attacked by a black fellow near Mr Palmer's new Stores at the Boiling down, and seriously beaten.
The man Cook states that he was returning from West Maryboro' early this morning, and when within a few yards of Mr Palmer's new Store a black fellow who has been working on board the Brig "Burnett" the day previous rushed on him, took a Carbine from him, and endeavored to discharge it at him, not succeeding in firing the Gun he knocked him down by ~
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striking him on the head, and when lying on the Ground beat him on the arms and other parts of his body leaving him insensible
I have &c W. McAdam
Enclosure No. 2
Maryborough 24th December 1853
Sir
Being apprehensive of an attack from the Blacks on my new store at the Boiling down in which a large quantity of wool & goods is now stored, I have requested the CL to assist me with one or two of his men for a couple of days at the end of which time I expect to be able to resist them with my own men.
I have &c
H Palmer
The Comm. of Crown Lands - Tinana.
Maryborough 25 Dec 1853
Enclosure No. 3
Sir
I have to inform you that one of Mr John Palmers [sic] on coming in from the Camp on Tinana Creek this morning was speared by a black fellow who accompanied him from the Camp. The man Morehead does not know the black who speared him but he is known at Mr Palmers [sic] Camp by Mr. Furber.
The blackfellow who speared Morehead took his Carpet bag & other Articles. I herewith enclose Dr Palmer's report on the matter.
I have &c W McAdam.
The Comm'r of Crown Lands
Wide Bay
Yulalah 27 December 1853
Enclosure No. 4
Sir
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I have the honor to report to you with a request that you will be good enough to bring the same before his Excellency The Governor General the aggressions that are daily being committed by the Aborigines of this place.
In the first place - I would best report that during my temporary absence from home at Brisbane several Blacks attacked my house & had it not been for the fortunate circumstance of two men passing at the time, I feel convinced that all or many members of my family would have been murdered. Since my return two men have been murderously attacked by the Blacks one near my own residence who was knocked down by a blow from his own gun. The black having taken him unawares & wrenched it from him & the other man a sawyer returning to Maryb'ro' from a party employed sawing on Tinana Creek both their attacks were most unprovoked & these combined with many other depredations committed by these savages lately such as stealing corn robbing stores & breaking into houses which I am told have been duly reported to you shews the necessity of some active measure being taken to prevent such aggressions. I have therefore to solicit that you will use your influence in laying these matters before the government in order that we may receive that protection which the urgency of our case demands. I may add that I live only one mile from Maryborough & that I really feel it unsafe to proceed there unless fully armed or on horseback
I have &c E.B. Uhr
The Comm'r of Crown Lands
Wide Bay
Bush Inn Maryb'ro' December 26th 1853
Enclosure No. 5
Sir
I have the honor of calling your attention to the following statement that during the last
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few months the Aborigines in this town and neighbourhood have been guilty of committing several assaults upon the white population & thefts innumerable That I have been resident in this township 5½ years I being the first white man on the ground having opened the place & I beg to assure you that the blacks are now more daring in their attacks & depredations than at any other period, that within the past fortnight a black fellow in sight of an occupied house attacked a man named William Cook who at the time was armed with a loaded gun & beat him with the butt end of the weapon having snatched the gun away from Cook, that yesterday a second black attacked another armed man named Herbert Morehead when he was within 2 or 3 miles of your own residence & speared him severely in the back. My wife found a black forcing open my back gate with a slab 5 am & the brute threatened her life with a slab & then with a glass bottle. That the blacks pinioned your predecessor the late Mr Bidwell in his own garden & that they speared his gardener dead when at work in the garden, and they bailed up the late Mr Bidwell for several hours in his house with seven or eight men. In fact to enumerate a list of the assaults and depredations committed by the Blacks would occupy too much of your time. The Blacks have openly threatened to kill the white people and I beg most respectfully to suggest that our Police Force be increased or that we may be empowered to coerce them into obedience ourselves, for without these cannibals receive a check neither life or property will be safe and they will drive us out.
I have &c Edgar J Aldridge
The Commr. of Crown Lands Wide Bay
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The Commr. of Crown Lands Wide Bay to the Honble The Col. Treasurer enclosing cheque for £15 for Timber Licenses.
No. 51/1.
Crown Lands Office Tinana 2 January 1854
Sir
I have the honor to enclose a cheque for £13 being the amount received by me during the quarter ended 31 December 1853 for Licenses to cut Timber in the district during that period.
[margin] No. 56/1 2 Jan /56 on Union Bank.
I have &c Arthur S Halleran Commr. Crown Lands
The Honble The Colonial Treasurer
B.C. Forwarding Commission from Sup. Court missent to me
Crown Lands Office Tinana 2 January 1854
Arthur Macalister Engl Ipswich
B.C. Forwarding return of Fees for Timber Licenses issued during the quarter ended 31 December 1853.
Crown Lands Office Wide Bay 2 Jany 1854
The Honb. The Col Treasurer
B.C. Enclosing contingent accounts for quarter ended 31 Dec. 1853. Hickson - shoeing horse - 5/ Postages - 18/10
Crown Lands Office Wide Bay 2 Jan 1854
The Honble The Auditor General
B.C. Enclosing receipts for 200 Blankets for Blacks Crown Lands Offie Wide Bay 2 Jan 1854
The Colonial Storekeeper