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[written at top] Police Magistrate Cooktown Report Road to Palmer river Goldfields [end]
Per[?] Boomerang
Cooktown Endeavour River 8 March 1874
The Hon The Colonial Secretary Brisbane
Sir,
I have the honor to own receipt of your telegram of the 3rd. instructing me to organise measures for the purpose of opening communication with the Palmer and for relieving those in distress and beg to reply thereto
1. I have sent a telegraphic message by the Pioneer, a small coasting steamer calling at Cardwell, informing you that communication was now open and that several hundreds of pack horses had started with rations, and there is no doubt that this day, that all danger for want of rations at the Palmer is now at an end, at least for the present. [last 2 lines underlined]
2. There are large numbers of men and horses carrying rations on pack leaving Cooktown [every day][underlined] and as there are plenty of supplies in Cooktown, and the Palmer within six days reach with a lightly packed horse, and nine days of a heavily laden one: I have not any hesitation in saying that no circumstances exist demanding any [extraordinary][underlined] measures on the part of the Government.
3. There is no doubt that if the wet weather had continued, I should have had to report to you a very different state of things. Good weather and the enterprise of the people in sending up supplies in the way it was done have accomplished all that can be done in the meantime
4. At the present time the most important thing that could be done, and this I desire to impress on you in very strong terms, is the [last 3 lines marked with 2 vertical lines in margin]
[left margin at top] AM
[inside faded stamp] 587 20 Mar 74
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formation of road party to make the roads passable for days, as the price of carriage of goods carried by pack horses at present 1/6 to 2/- per lb will always prevent a stock of supplies being in the hands merchants on the Palmer sufficiently large to last thro' the wet season, and a recurrence of the same miseries & sufferings may be repeated, till once supplies can by ordinary means be put in the place.
5. To be able to assist the road department in clearing the best track Mr Morisset Inspector intends leaving in three or four days for the purpose of opening up a new road, and he believes, indeed is almost certain, that the Palmer will be reached in less than 100 miles from Cooktown. That gentleman would have been started ere this, but for his having a sprained ankle from a horse having fallen on him.
6. I am perfectly satisfied from what people on whom I can depend tell me that a passable dray road could be opened without any very large expenditure at first: the crossing accomodation [sic] on the rivers would probably be done by private people building punts &c x if they had protection. In any case there is more to be accomplished by having a dray track made to the Palmer than any other way, and the need for it is urgent.
6.[sic] As far as Cooktown is concerned: it is quiet and orderly: there are a few cases of dysentry and some illness from other causes such as exposure wet &c, but there is no general suffering of any kind: trade is good and money plentiful and the people are as comfortable as any people could be suddenly collected together as they have been
7. The necessity for an hospital is getting every day more apparent. So many people are collected together without having any fixed tie to the place that it would be impossible to raise enough of money for that purpose and I would like to be advised if
[left margin] x if in a new road it could be effected without either punts or bridges at all
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if you would sanction some temporary assistance to such as are sick and have no no [sic] means. So far these cases have been reached by private aid, but that has a limit. The most of the invalids are men who were worn out by exposure and privation on the road had to return after losing everything. But the applications for relief have been much fewer than I thought [they - inserted] would have been.
8. The present population of Cooktown is about 2500. I dont [sic] think it has increased any for the last 3 weeks. There seems to [be] about as many leaving for the Palmer and for the south as there comes in by the vessels coming into port. There cannot be less than 1000 people on the road from Cooktown to the diggings either going or returning. And the population on the Palmer at present can not be less than 2500, and the population flocking there will not be less than 5000 by the 1st. April on the various parts of that gold field. To feed this population if their supplies are to be packed on horses would require upwards of 2000 horses constantly on the road from Cooktown, and can only be accomplished in moderate weather. When wet weather sets in and closes the road death and starvation [must inevitably follow][underlined].
9. Whilst I think the suffering is small now, and whilst I think that it would be unwise for the Government to interfere with it I do strongly feel the prospects to be such that an effort should be made at once, to have a road opened for drays; the best that could be got. I do not know either the strength or efficiency of the present road party nor do I hear anything of them: but a party should be organised for a dray road & that at once. A good number of men could be engaged now.
10 I should have written more fully by the last Boomerang but Mr. Seymour was amongst with carry—all the information I was in possession
[left margin] [paragraph 8 marked with 2 vertical lines]
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possession of.
11. I will wire and write you by every mail all the information, I possess and hope you will be pleased to advise me in what particular points information is more particularly required.
I have the honor to be Your O. Servant
[signed] Tho Hamilton
I hope you will kindly send me the Book &c [entered?] on separate requisition
[written under] Requisition to Govt. Printer 20/3/74
to Col. Secretary Copying press & Memo 135 20.3.74