616 
THE TROPICAL 
AiSEICULTUELST. [June 2, 1902. 
more marked as one goes north. To reflect on 
the swift disapoearance of their former thousands 
is somewhat terrible — in fact appalling. Except 
in the N. W. and in the Cape York Peninsula, 
their camps are few and but sparsely occupied. 
Drink, opium, and disease have mainly contributed 
to their disappearance, and dteils of violence have 
not been altogether wanting. Had large reserves 
teen established in the first instance, missionaries 
and education might have developed a moral 
spirit that wouid have combated more successfully 
tiie worst influences of civilisation. I do not pre- 
tend that the race would have been perpetuated 
indefinitely, but at least its existence would have 
been prolonged. They have undoubtedly suffered 
at the hands of our race, arid I never could learn 
for certain of a single authenticated case where 
the wild blocks injured a white man or his pro- 
perty without some provocation having been given 
previously by a white man, or occasionally by 
one of the new comers through ignorance giving 
offence by a neglect of their superstitions. From 
their inability to differentiate between one white and 
another, the provocation may have been given by 
a very different party to the one upon whom 
revenge was inflicted, and, perhaps, at a date long 
anterior, whereas the oldest residents have told 
nie sad tales of the punishment and cruelties 
inflicted when a nniider had been committed by 
THE NATIVES. 
Here I may quote the experience of Mr. 
Petrie. He settled at North Pine about forty- 
two years ago and can remember seeing tribal 
fights take place where now the Brisbane Exhi- 
bition building stands. Some white settlers had 
made complaints of natives who were in hundreds 
about the place. He was, however, considerate 
to them, and, as a result, never lost a single 
bullock. He would leave them in charge of his 
house, and never missed even an ounce of tobacco. 
They would bring him presents, as they did to 
anyone who treated them with any consideration, 
and, furthermore, their conduct towards ship- 
wrecked people was generally good. Tlie two 
most frequent causes of trouble were the taking 
of black women by the settlers, and in the 
spearing of cattle by the blacks. The former 
incident invariably led to the trouble, and in 
conneciion with the second, it must be remem- 
bered that the natives were largely deprived of 
their means of subsistence by pastoral and 
mining occupation, and hunting, in conse- 
quence, almost ceased because of its difii- 
culties. What were the blacks to do? Surely 
they had a claim for protection, and not to run 
the risk of being dispersed and shot. At no time 
are they liked on a run, as the cattle get fright- 
ened by their appearance amongst them. "It is 
impossible," as a judge said in a summing-up, " to 
overcome racial prejudices where juries of another 
colour are employed." I hope matters are now 
on a different footing. I am proud to think that 
the first real remedial measure was passed during 
my term of office. Sir Horace Tozer was then 
Home Secretary, His strenuous and humane 
endeavours to bring about happier relations are, 
1 am glad to say, being vigorously maintained by 
his successor, the Hon. J E G Eoxton. The 
continuance of Sit Hoiace's policy is especially 
noticeable in the Acts prohibiting the sale ot drink 
and opium to aboriginals and lialf-castes. Doubt- 
less these are provisions very hard to enforce in 
Uealii'S with semi-civilised nation?, Again, as 
part of the general scheme of improvement, 
protectors have been appointed to exercise 
supervibion. One of these. Dr. Roth, has been 
specially selected for his interest in native life 
and his ability to administer medical treatment 
in cases of disease. 1 may say here that a native 
believes that sickness or death is always 
due to the operations of some foe, and 
has no idea that they could possibly 
result from physical causes, and does not therefore 
understand taking; any steps to guard against ill- 
ness. Buc perhaps the most benefieial feature 
of these Acts is to be found in their causing the 
natives to l^e legarded as fellow-creatures worthy 
of help, rather than troublesome beings whose 
presence was unwelcome and irksome. Greater 
precautions, too, have been taken against cruel 
and unfair treatment where natives engage to 
serve on the pearl or beche-de-mer fishing boats. 
These were grievously necessary. It must be 
remembered that the pioneers of civilisation are 
not always given to sentiment. 
The Missions that have started are meeting 
with considerable success. Tiie children afford the 
best, if not only, chance of obtaining permanent 
good results The great obstacle to improve- 
ment in the adult consists in the lack of any 
appreciation of wants beyond those of bodily 
gratification for the moment. The perfect com- 
munism that prevails is chiefly responsible for 
this cliaracteris'.ic. Everything a m,an possesses, or 
may earn, is at once shared by all other members 
of the family or tribe, old and young. The 
chief incentive to work is thereby removed. 
Mr. Hey, the missionary in charge of Mapoon, 
quoted to me how a native came to him 
who had earned two bags of flour as 
wages. He shared one with the rest of 
the tribe, but saved the other by handing it over 
to the custody of the missonary who, from time 
to time, doled the flour out as required But as 
each dole had to be shared with his friends and 
relatives the poor native merely became a philan- 
thropist on a sort of instalment system, and 
failed utterly as a domestic economist. Perhaps 
the only sense of properly is to be found in res- 
pect of their weapons and dogs. The absence of 
this sense might, I believe, be traced to the want 
of any religious faith. They receive no guide to 
present conduct by looking to tlie future or 
hereafter. The present day is the only considera- 
tion, Avithout the slightest regard to the next. In 
a greater or lesser degree I believe this to be a 
great factor in the disappearance of a race. 
To turn to topics more associated with 
THE NEWCOMERS 
is now our business. Outside of political 
questions, I suppose, there is none of greater in- 
terest than of climate. Indeed, it has, in the last 
few months, assumed the aspect of a political ques- 
tion in itself. I always endeavoured to learn what 
doctors and others possessed of experience thought 
upon this point. Naturally, there was some diver- 
gence of opinion, but, on the whole, it was corro- 
borative. I will make a geueal deduction, but 
allowance must be made for the vast area of country 
and consequent local variations. To begin with, the 
death-rate of Brisbane in 1899 was 10 90 per 
1,000— the lowest for any of the Australian 
capitals. For the year 1900 the death-rate of 
Brisbane was 14 99 per 1,000, and for the colony 
of Queensland 11'72 per 1,000. The higher rate of 
Brisbane is due partly to the more crowded Q0^' 
