FRONTIER CONFLICT AND THE NATIVE MOUNTED POLICE IN QUEENSLAND Yillbong (aka Millbong Jemmy) [Associated individual] Name Yillbong (aka Millbong Jemmy) Role/status/position Aboriginal person Notes/comments Turrbal man, known as Millbong Jemmy by Europeans. Was caught taking our from the mill at the early convict depot in Brisbane by Constable William Thompson, who he attempted to stab; Thompson in turn beat him with a stave. He was alleged to have been involved in the murder of Andrew Gregor and Mary Shannon at Pine River in 1846. Yillbong was shot by two sawyers on Doboy Creek in order to gain the reward for his capture. "One of them was well-known as "Millbong Jemmy." Now this man's native name was really "Yilbung"— pronounced in English, "Yilbong." He rst put in an appearance at the missionary station at Nundah. (Nundah means "chain of waterholes.") Jemmy was taken in hand with some others to be converted. He got on very well for a good while; could say the Lord's Prayer, and the missionaries thought him a model. He had only one eye, this "Millbong Jemmy," having had the other burnt when a child, but he used it well, and always kept it open and on the lookout. His name—"Yilbung"—meant "one-eye."" (Petrie 1904:166) Default 7 entries Documents Title Text File Tools Title Text File Tools Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser, 6 December 1851, p2 BRISBANE CIRCUIT COURT.—... Moggy Moggy, an aboriginal native, was indicted for the wilful murder of William Bowler, by spearing him, at the Pine River, on the 21st September, 1847. Bowler, James Smith, and William Walter, three sawyers, were at work near the Pine River on that day, when a lot of blacks, who had frequently been about them, acting in a friendly manner, attacked them, and speared Bowler so much that although Smith and him escaped together, Bowler died six days after in the Brisbane hospital ; Smith positively identi ed the prisoner as one of those blacks, and said he saw him spear Bowler ; prisoner now said his name was Make-i'-light, to which form the indictment was altered. An interpreter named James Dans, who had been fourteen years among the blacks, and knew prisoner as Make-i'-light, deposed to the di culty of distinguishing one black from another. Guilty ; sentenced to death, the Judge being unable to hold out any hope of mercy in that place... Moreton Bay Courier, 13 November 1847, p2 LATEST FROM LONDON. THE NIGGERS' PROTECTION ASSOCIATION. BY the Ærial Machine's Mail we have received a report of the proceedings of the above-named Society at their last meeting in London, Mr. Alder-man Tallow in the chair. The worthy Alderman brie y explained the objects of the Society, which were to a ord protection and assistance to those persons who incurred the disapprobation of illiberal individuals by shedding human blood. At present the operations of the Society were con ned to the Aboriginal Blacks of the British Colonies, but many sensible men were of opinion that the same assistance should be extended to white men who were similarly unfortunate. The barbarous slaughter of the celebrated Sawney Bean and his family must have often excited the sympathy of his hearers ; and even their own times had witnessed a similar sacri ce in Title Text File Tools the persons of Messrs. Bishop and Williams (hear, hear). That rm had transacted an extensive business in London, and the unfortunate partners might have lived to this hour if they had possessed the countenance of that Society. But he would not agitate the question at present, as the means of the Society were limited, and every body must admit that the poor blacks ought to be attended to before the whites (hear). He should therefore call upon the meeting to proceed to business. Dr. Glossy rose to move the rst resolution. Far removed, as they all were, by unanimous consent of themselves, from the frailties incidental to common humanity, they must be horror-stricken at the revelations he was about to make. But the fearful truths with which he should electrify his hearers would give them more cause to be thankful that they, were not like other men (hear, hear). He had received private letters from a friend holding a responsible situation at Moreton Bay, an island about fty miles to the westward of Sydney, in the distant colony of Australia : those letters teemed with accounts of the cruelties perpetrated by the white settlers upon the harmless natives of that island. The rst case he should refer to was that of Mille Bon James (or "Jemmy," as he was disparagingly called by the colonists). This young man was the son of a Chief,—in other words a member of the Blood Royal in the island of Moreton Bay (hear, hear). It was well known to his hearers that Australia had been one of England's proudest conquests during the last war, and that its original possessors were the French. It was doubtless from one of their descendants that this young Prince received his name. He must inform the meeting that, from a peculiarity in the language of the Australian Aborigines, they could only judge of the positive, comparative, or superlative by numbers : the word "narang," with them, signi ed a cypher, and was Title Text File Tools expressive of positively nothing ; "coborne," meant one hundred, and was generally used as the comparative, while "Bolennty," which denoted one thousand (their highest number), meant, also, the superlative in anything else. He therefore concluded that the name of "Mille Bon" (or one thousand good) was bestowed as being most intelligible to the natives—the greater number of whom had doubtless acquired a smattering of French—and thus the correct translation of "MILLE BON JEMMY," was "EXTREMELY GOOD JAMES." Such titles as "The Good"—"The Bold"—and "The Wise," had been often bestowed upon the sovereigns of Europe, and the plain conclusion must be that Mille Bon Jemmy was a good and virtuous Prince. In drawing this conclusion it might, perhaps, be possible that he was wrong (cries of "No, No."). Well then, since he had satis ed the meeting upon that point, he would at once inform them that the amiable, the benevolent, and, he had no doubt, the accomplished MILLE BON, had been shot to death by the whites of Moreton Bay. (Great sensation.) Yes ! it was too true ; this virtuous youth had been ruthlessly destroyed, and his royal body was brought to town on a common bullock-dray ! And what was his crime? What act in the life of this ino ensive creature could have called for such a punishment? Perhaps his hearers were not aware that Moreton Bay boasted a newspaper, called "The Geelong Advertiser." In that paper it was stated that the hapless su erer had made himself dangerous to the whites ; but he (Dr. G.) held in his hand a number of "The Oldest Newspaper in the Australasian Colonies," and it was there declared that the poor blacks had committed no o ence, save a mere "execution of vengeance, according to the customs of the people" ! (Cries of "Shame, shame.") Ay, shame indeed—shame to those tyrannical exterminators of venerable national usages, who, under the mask of expediency, would Title Text File Tools resent, punish, and abolish those beautiful ebullitions of nature, those sublime exempli cations of character which alone remained, like the Temples of Mexico, to shadow forth the past greatness of a once mighty people (immense cheering). He would next call their attention to the case of MARGARET MARGARET, or as the colonists, in their vulgarity, chose to call him, "Moggy Moggy." This gentleman, for such he believed was his rank, had been the dearest friend of the unfortunate Mille Bon James— and, because he had faithfully followed the fortunes of his chieftian, because he had participated in his dangers, and shared in the spoils of the vanquished, as became an a ectionate friend and a loyal subject—he was now a proscribed outlaw in the land of his fore-fathers ; and the government of the colony—that paternal government which for so long a period had extended universal toleration to the natives had now so far forgotten itself as to permit the issue of a warrant for his apprehension. (Loud weeping.) But there was yet a resource for this persecuted o cer ; his habits were those of a soldier, and he could subsist upon the indigenous animals, and natural productions of his native sod. They had all heard of the Bunyip, a gigantic animal abounding in the neighbourhood of Sydney, and which was the favourite food of the natives : in Moreton Bay existed a still larger species of this animal, which was there called the Bunya Bunya ; and, at certain seasons of the year, the tribes assembled for the purpose of hunting them. There was also what is called the Australian Grub, which he had no doubt was a very luxurious fruit, as that great traveller Sir Thomas Mitchell had seen the natives eagerly cutting them from the trees. The name of this fruit would not appear strange to his hearers when he informed them that vulgar persons, such as formed the white population of Title Text File Tools Moreton Bay, made use of the term "Grub" indiscriminately to denote anything to eat. By these means Margaret Margaret might indeed support life for a time, but he was compelled to absent himself from the bosom of his family, and seek a refuge amongst the mountains. Lost to him for the present were those daily incursions so dear to the heart of a warrior, and which had shed a halo around the earlier years of his life : no more could he lead the dark-eyed daughters of his native land through the mazes of the festive corobboree, or pass his hours of peace in those gentle attentions to the sex for which the Australian Aborigines were so famous ; but, by the cruelty of the whites, a warrior and a gentleman had become a fugitive and a vagabond. (Loud cheers.) The resolution with which he (Dr. G.) was entrusted proposed a present to the families of the two gentlemen he had named. [HERE SEVERAL MEMBERS RETIRED.] Something substantial must be done for those a icted families. (Murmurs of disapprobation.) He did not propose a money vote. (Hear, hear.) He believed that an o er of that description would be indelicate. (Cheers.) What he asked for was merely an expression of sympathy on the part of that Society. (Enthusiastic cheering.) He would now read the address, and move that this meeting do adopt it. The worthy Doctor then read the following address :—"The members of this Society, cordially sympathising with Mille Bon Jemmy, and Moggy Moggy, desire now to present their families with this expression of their sentiments." Dr. Glossy sat down amidst an uproar of applause. Mr. Fig Muggins took great pleasure in seconding the resolution. After the eloquent speech of his friend the Doctor, little remained for him to say. The eloquence of that speech was its least recommendation. They might all declaim, they might all be poetical on so sublime a subject, but few could bring to their Title Text File Tools assistance the great fund of information with which Dr. Glossy had sup-ported his motion that day. For his own part, he was unworthy to follow such a leader, but having a near relation who was at present located in some part of Moreton Bay, he was enabled to furnish the meeting with some particulars respecting the natives which the Doctor had omitted. He had heard it stated that the aborigines of Australia were in a state of the deepest human degradation, but he knew the contrary. He had received from his son an original war song, called "Coreenda Braiaa," which had been written and set to music by a respectable old native called Ngaythun. Of the beauties of this composition he would enable them all to judge, as he had made himself master of it, and would sing it to them now if they pleased. (Hear, hear.) [Mr. Fig Muggins then sang the song called " Coreenda Braiaa," accompanying himself on an inkstand and a ruler, and perform-ing at the same time the appropriate war dance. The exhibition was received with great applause, after which Mr. Muggins proceeded.] He would now ask the meeting if a people boasting a musician like Ngaythun did not deserve their best assistance ? (Hear, hear.) But it was not only in music that they excelled. The natives of Moreton Bay were exceedingly skilful in capturing the turtle which were found in the lakes of that island —this alone should be a su cient recommendation to the Society. (" Hear, hear," from Alderman Tallow.) As a proof of their attachment to their own customs, and their horror of litigation, he would mention one circumstance, communicated to him by his son's letter. Two Lawyers had at- tempted to establish themselves on the Pine,— a stream so called from the number of pine apples growing upon its banks, it was a tributary of the Murrumbidgee, a large river which discharged it-self into the Derwent, at Port Essington. How did the deep-thinking Title Text File Tools natives behave to those troublesome persons who intruded upon their territories ? They slew them !—not in their beds— not in a moment when it might be expected that they were most harmless—no !—his son's letter distinctly stated that "two Lawyers were killed while they were at work." That is to say, they were in the very act of endeavouring to create law suits by sowing dissensions amongst the natives, when they met their just punishment. (A voice— "Humbug.") He did not know who it was that made that observation—perhaps it was the gentle-man with the beard and the tweed coat, whom he saw on the reporters' seat. He had before heard some expressions of feeling from that person dur-ng the speech of his friend Dr. Glossy—a speech displaying such extensive historical and geographical knowledge, as could rarely be found in a London citizen. (A convulsive grin from the bearded man.) He (Mr Muggins) would not be put down by laughter ; perhaps the gentleman was an Australian squatter—nothing more probable—for he had heard from the most respectable authority— his own grandmother—that those individuals were compelled by the Government to wear beards, in order to distinguish them from civilised beings. If he was indeed one of those unhappy persons, he (Mr. Muggins) could tell him that he had no business there, but had better return to his bark hut and his corn-meal damper. (Loud groans, during which the person with the beard lled his pipe.) Mr. Muggins having cordially seconded the motion, took his seat. A question was addressed to him by the bearded man, having reference to his mother's knowledge of his absence from home ; but Mr. M. declined to answer it. The motion was then put and carried. The following votes were next hastily proposed, and carried unanimously, viz :— A vote of thanks to the chairman. A vote of thanks to themselves, and Title Text File Tools A vote of censure on the bearded man ; after which the meeting hurriedly adjourned to the Guildhall Co ee-house. The bearded man gathered up his papers and departed. HE WAS OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT. Moreton Bay Courier, 2 January 1847, p2 To the Editor of the Moreton Bay Courier. SIR—In your paper of the 26th instant is an extract from a letter published in the Sydney Chronicle, professing to be from some party at Moreton Bay, as follows :—" Some parties went out last week into the bush, and red at a crowd of blacks in their camp, hoping to shoot one of those for whom a reward is o ered, as the murderer of Mr. Gregor. They brought in one black, Millbong Jemmy, quite dead, having driven three balls through him, and they received the reward. I have heard it whispered that the blacks have been shot in all directions, and that some persons in authority are conniving at it." I do not know who the writer is, or with whom he corresponds in Sydney, but I will venture to give them through your columns some more in-formation, since it is but just and fair that all the evidence should be produced in a case which the writer says "calls for Protection for the Aborigines." The black, Millbong Jemmy, whose fate excites so much of the writer's sympathy, has long been known in this district ; and the following are a few facts from his personal history :— In 1832, he, with several others, attacked two men belonging to a boat's crew, and after beating them severely, proceeded to roast them on the re. The return of the Commandant and the remainder of the crew fortunately saved the lives of the men, but they were both in the Hospital for nearly twelve months, and never fully recovered. About seven years ago, he broke open the Government Mill, to steal our, and being caught in the act by Mr. Thomson, the Acting Title Text File Tools Chief Constable, he stabbed him (Mr. Thomson) in the chest with a knife. He attacked the Government Station at Eagle Farm, and since the district has been opened, has repeatedly threatened the lives of Mr. Westaway and family, who now reside there. At the death of Mr. Gregor and his servant, Millbong Jemmy was the most active of the murderers, as is proved by the depositions on which Government issued a notice o ering rewards for his apprehension. On the day preceding his death, he with a large party of armed blacks committed several robberies on parties residing at Breakfast Creek ; and cross-ing the river to avoid pursuit, accidentally met with a boat in Doughboy Creek, containing three men, whom they attacked, and in defending them-selves one of the crew was accidentally shot by his comrade, who was handing him a gun. The next morning Millbong Jemmy and his party went to the hut of some sawyers, and with threats demanded provisions and tobacco. Fortunately, assistance arrived at the time, and attempts were made to capture him- he being engaged in an unlawful and violent act, and a proclaimed murderer. In this one of the men was severely hurt, and the sawyers in self-defence had recourse to re-arms ; when, as is truly stated by the writer in the Sydney Chronicle, he was shot with three balls. He was immediately brought to the settlement, but died on the road. His body was subsequently placed in the same room with that of the victim of his attack on the boat on the evening before. An inquest was held on both the same day. With the opinions of the writer of the letter, I have nothing to do. Thought is free ; but I beg you " Look now upon this picture, and on this." It can be no excuse for him that he did not know all the facts connected with this black's murderous career, and which I have related Title Text File Tools above. The circumstances connected with his history for the two months preceding his death, were too notorious to be unknown to any inhabitant of Brisbane ; and of themselves furnished in equity a justi cation for his apprehension, as in law, they had provided a warrant. I do not know to whom this " ami des noirs" refers in his statement, " of the persons in authority conniving at shooting the blacks," but this gratuitous assertion is a stab in the dark, and is characteristic of one who expends all his sympathy on the murderer, while he has no tear for the victim. It is matter of history that those who gured most during the French Revolution under the epithet which 1 have ventured to apply here, dipped their own hands deepest in their country's blood-and shall it be any excuse for him or them to plead that they were actuated by the best intentions, and warmest philanthropy ? I beg to tell this writer in parting, that it is not by the suppression of facts or the substitution of falsehood, that the cause of the aborigines will be best served, but by treating them justly according to the maxims of international law, which is the only law save that of nature which is applicable to their case. All attempts to apply to a people, utterly unacquainted with our institutions, the details of English common law and Acts of Parliament, will produce more legal injustice and su ering than the course I have adverted to-a consequence which all good men would wish to avoid. ANTI-HUMBUG. Moreton Bay Courier, 24 October 1846, p2 HORRIBLE MURDERS BY THE BLACKS.—It is our melancholy duty to record the particulars of two of the most brutal cases of murder that perhaps ever occurred in this part of the colony, and which were perpetrated by the natives on the Pine River, on the morning, of Sunday last. The victims are Mr. Andrew Title Text File Tools Gregor, a settler, and Mary Shannon, his hired servant. It appears that the unfortunate gentleman sent four blacks named Jemmy, Millbong Jemmy, Dick Ben, and Jackey into the bush to cut bark, on the morning in question. During their absence about twenty other blacks came to the hut, and were driven away by Mr. Gregor. About an hour after, the four blacks returned, and the others subsequently joined them. The murderous work then commenced. Dick Ben and Jackey went to the stock-yard, where Mr. Gregor was inspecting some bark, and struck him on the back of the head with their waddies, and quickly deprived him of life. A native named Moggy Moggy and Millbong Jemmy then attacked the poor unfortunate woman while she was standing in front of the hut, and killed her by striking her on the neck and head with similar weapons. While this was taking place near the hut, the husband of the woman was at a water-hole, about two hundred yards distant, and on hearing screams he immediately proceeded towards the house, when he was attacked by the blacks, who threw their spears at him. On account of the great number of natives about the premises, he had taken the precaution of carrying a gun with him, and red it at one of the blacks. He then ran away in the direction of Captain Gri n's station, pursued for about a mile by one of the wretches, who appeared determined, if possible, to take his life. Fortunately, he happened to meet Mr. W. Haly, about four miles o , who on being informed of the fate of Mr. Gregor, immediately galloped back to Captain Gri n's station, and reported the circumstances. Captain Gri n's three sons instantly armed themselves, and accompanied by Mr. Haly proceeded to Mr. Gregor's station, where they found two of the blacks lling their "dillies" with our. The scoundrels then made o for the scrub, pursued by the horsemen, one of whom attempted to arrest their ight by ring at them, but they both managed to Title Text File Tools reach the scrub. On returning to the hut, they found Shannon's three children standing at the door, and on asking for Mr. Gregor, the eldest girl made answer, " Oh, he is dead." She was then asked where her mother was, when she replied, " Oh, she is dead too," and pointed out the places where the bodies were lying. The party then placed them on some bark, and removed them to the hut. The head and face of Mr. Gregor were covered with blood; the left eye had been driven from the orbit, and there were numberless fractures of the skull, more particularly one on the left side, extending from the orbit to behind the ear, and another on the right side, through which the brain protruded. The head and face of the murdered woman were also covered with blood, and on the left side there was a large open wound extending from near the orbit to behind the ear, exposing the brain, which appeared to have been in icted by a tomahawk. It is painful to add that she was far advanced in pregnancy. As soon as intelligence of the murders reached Brisbane, the Police Magistrate, accompanied by Dr. Ballow, immediately proceeded to the spot, and held an inquisition on the bodies, when the foregoing facts were deposed by the witnesses. From the evidence of a black boy, named Ralph William Bow, it appears he had overheard the blacks say, two days before the murders were committed, that they would " numcull" (kill) Gregor, white woman, and the children, because they would not give them food. He communicated what they had said to Mr. Gregor. Another black, named "Constable," who had been living with Mr. Gregor, and who left the station two days previous to the occurrence, had also told the boy " that the blacks would kill Mr. Gregor," which was also communicated to him. At the time these murders were being committed, the boy was on horseback on the opposite side of the Creek, and witnessed the whole of the dreadful proceedings, but did not attempt to run away. Title Text File Tools The black named Dick Ben had always been well treated, and had been in the habit of bringing sh to the hut. On Wednesday, one of the blacks named Jackey, who, as we have already stated, was one of the murderers of Mr. Gregor, and who had taken a letter to him from his brother, the Rev. J. Gregor, on the previous Thursday, was seen in the town. As soon as he was recognised a hue and cry was raised, and a number of persons, including the Chief Constable, started o in pursuit. The villain, however, managed to elude the grasp of the whites that came up with him, notwithstanding that he was held by the hair of his head, while others laid hold of him by the arms and legs. He struggled so violently that they were completely exhausted by the e orts made to secure him, and at length he e ected his escape. The deplorable fate of Mr. Gregor and his hapless servant has caused the greatest excitement ; and the enormity of the crime has given rise to feelings of execration against the natives, which will not soon be allayed. It seems scarcely necessary, after these facts, to impress upon the Government the pressing necessity for increasing the mounted police force in the squatting districts. At the present time life and property are entirely at the mercy of ruthless savages, who require to be promptly checked in their destructive career. It is the bounden duty of Government, in this exigency, to take decisive measures against them. The matter will not brook delay. On Monday, Dr. Simpson, the Commissioner of Crown Lands, and two mounted policemen went in pursuit of the blacks, but it is feared that, owing to the scrubby character of the country, his e orts to capture them will not be successful. We would strongly recommend that the Government should o er a handsome reward for their apprehension. [Since the above was in type, we have learned that one of the blacks, named "Constable," Title Text File Tools who was present with the others, has been captured, and placed in the Lock-up.] Moreton Bay Courier, 26 December 1846, p2 [2] PROTECTION OF THE ABORIGINES.-The follow- ing is an extract from a private letter from More-ton Bay :—"Some parties went out last week into the bush, and red at a crowd of blacks in their camp, hoping to shoot one of those for whom a reward is o ered, as the murderer of Mr. Gregor. They brought in one black, Millbong Jemmy, quite dead, having driven three balls through him, and they received the reward. I have heard it whispered that the blacks have been shot in all directions, and that some persons in authority are conniving at it. The Government ought to give the aborigines some protection, else they will be soon swept away in this district. The Moreton Bay Courier advocates their utter destruction ! !" —Sydney Chronicle.—[Who this veracious cor-respondent ( anguis in herba ) may be, we know not, neither do we care; we are quite certain, however, that " he is a butcher of the truth, and an assassin of facts." When we tell this man that we hate liars, we hope he will believe us.—ED. M. B. C. ] Title Text File Tools Moreton Bay Courier, 7 November 1846, p2 A BLACK MURDERER SHOT.—Our pen has been so often employed this week in recording the loss of life among the white population, the death of one of whom, at least, is to be attributed to the outrages of the blacks, that we have something like satisfaction in informing our readers the hand of retributive justice has reached one of its victims—and that one no minor o ender against the laws which bind society together. Millbong Jemmy, the principal in no less than ve murders within a comparatively short space of time, was killed yesterday morning. It appears that this horrible villain accompanied by a number of other blacks, after driving Mr. Richards away from his station at Eagle Farm on Wednesday, and nding himself hotly pursued, retreated across the river to Doboy Creek on the same evening. Yesterday morning, he appeared at the hut on the creek occupied by some sawyers, and demanded rations, which were given to him. Not being satis ed, he asked for more, and on being refused, attempted to rush the hut. At this critical moment, one of the sawyers and a bullock driver happened to return to the hut, when a contest commenced. Millbong Jemmy, armed with a waddie, struck one of the sawyers on the arm, and made him retreat to the hut. The party then brought his gun, and shot him on the spot, two balls having penetrated the brain. He survived upwards of two hours. The other blacks, on seeing their ringleader fall, instantly decamped, and made for the scrubs. The body of the black was brought on the dray to Brisbane the same morning, when an inquiry took place before the Police Magistrate. A clearer case of justi able homicide we never before heard, and it is to be hoped that the death of this native will teach the others a lesson which they will not soon forget. Our limited space precludes us from furnishing minor details. North Australian, Ipswich and General THE NATIVE POLICE REPORT Title Text File Tools Advertiser, 26 July 1861, p2 We have now before us the Report of the Select Committee, appointed by the Legislative Assembly, to enquire into the organisation and management of this fores, and also as to the possibility of adopting any measures for the amelioration of the present condition of the aborigines. The report is a very voluminous one, containing no less than 167 folios of foolscap. Much valuable information has been obtained by the committee during the course of the enquiry, and their proceedings will be read with much more than the usual amount of interest created by such documents, by all philanthropists or others who feel an interest in the aboriginal race of this colony. We feel con dent that those who peruse the evidence appended to this report will come to the conclusion that Dr. CHALLINOR did good service to the country by the publication of the Fassifern enquiry. The attention of the Press and the public were awakened, and other similar occurrences which might have passed without observation or remark, but for the awakening of that attention, were brought to light. Although it is possible that some of the statements which from time to time gained currency may have been somewhat exaggerated, the evidence which has been taken is quite su cient to prove that wanton outrage has been committed by the Native Police, and that it was high time that a re- organization of the force took place. The Committee have met with some unseemly obstructions in their enquiry by the refusal of attendance of those who had been foremost in making charges against the Native Police force. If they declined to give that evidence which might have thrown more light on the proceedings of the force than has yet been brought forward, and through, the withholding of that evidence the Committee are prevented from arriving at a correct conclusion, none will be so much to blame as those who have failed in the performance of what we consider to be Title Text File Tools a public duty. These persons must blame themselves only, if through their neglect of this duty they have prevented justice being done and a thorough reorganization of the force taking place. There is only one other view of the conduct of these persons to be taken, and that is that, they are unable to substantiate the charges they have made — We here wish it distinctly to be understood that we include both charges made against the Native Police, and charges made against the aborigines.— This is the general impression which remains upon the minds of all intelligent men who have considered the question, and which must continue to be attached to their conduct, until steps have been taken by them to substantiate their statements. The conduct of those persons contrasts most strongly with that of Dr CHALLINOR, who, whilst fully aware of the dislike and ill-will which his proceedings were to produce, did not shrink from performing what he conceived to be a public duty at all risks. Without committing ourselves to a full approval of all the acts of the Doctor in this matter, we yet feel satis ed that it was only by some such bold and determined course as that adopted by him that interest could be created, which resulted in the appointment of this committee. It is scarcely possible within the compass of a newspaper article to review the whole of the evidence taken before the Committee. We shall, however, endeavour to put our readers in possession of the most prominent features of the proceedings, and make a few comments thereon. We nd Lieut. WHEELER, in his examination, de nes the term "dispersing the blacks" as " ring at them." He says, "I gave strict orders not to shoot any gins. It is only some times when in the dark, that a gin is mistaken for a blackfellow, or might be wounded inadvertently." He further states that he considers it right to re upon them in that way, "if they are the right mob." He allows the black troopers to go out of his sight for half an Title Text File Tools hour, having previously received orders to disperse a certain tribe ; and he does not consider it indiscriminate slaughter,—because there were only two blacks shot. He further acknowledges to the shooting of a gin in his own presence, but "that was a mistake." The only evidence, for this foray on the Telemon blacks, were the letters which he had received from the squatters in the neighbourhood, com-plaining of depredations committed by the tribe, and he knew it was the same mob, because he had "followed their tracks for a fortnight." Very circumstantial evidence, indeed ! especially when it is taken into consideration that they were camped in the same scrub with the Dugandan blacks, and that he used considerable exertion to get the latter away, "so that they might not get shot." Amazing discrimination on the part of Lieut. WHEELER! After performing this exploit, we had this hero journeying to a new eld, "following up the same track" to Fassifern, where he acknowledges that two blacks were killed, and that he himself was present on the occasion. The unfortunates, in this instance, were sacri ced because he had received a letter from HARDIE, "stating that a mob of blacks had been threatening him, and that he coud not get rid of them." He saw nothing himself, for he "could not waste time to see whether a cow or a bullock was killed." Excellent reasoning this. It was not necessary to take any trouble to ascertain the truth of the charges of depredation, or who were the perpetrators; a much better and easier mode of settling the di culty being to shoot indiscriminately any blackfellow who might come within guushot range! No wonder that the blacks are now everywhere much quieter in Lieut. WHEELER's district. He says : — "We have driven them almost entirely away from the Logan; they generally go to the islands in the Bay, over the dividing range, to the boiling-down Title Text File Tools establishments, and to the townships." No wonder at their disappearance, after the description of the means adopted to disperse them; there ought, however, have been an addition to the last piece of evidence, and that should be — the rest are shot. It would appear, from this evidence, that the most e ectual means of relieving the squat-ters from annoyance is to drive the blacks from their runs — shooting a few as a warning to the rest — depriving them of the means of obtaining their usual food, and sending them into the neighbourhood of the towns to feed on the refuse of the boiling-down establishments, and, as a matter of course, obtain a more extended eld for committing their depredations. On a second examination, Lieut. WHEELER informs the Committee that the Commandant of the force has never issued any written or printed instructions, that he never interferes with anything he (Lieut. WHEELER) does — that the latter acts upon his own discretion and upon his own responsibility —that he acts upon the letters he receives from squatters — that he thinks it right to pursue a tribe for a month — that he does "not think they can understand anything else except shooting them !" There are discrepancies in Lieut. WHEELER's evidence which appear strange to us, and which must have escaped the attention of the committee. We place before our readers the following : — 10. In those particular cases which the Chairman alluded to the other day at Fassifern and Dugandan, had you any warrant to apprehend any particular man in that tribe? I had old warrants for several blacks that live about there; there is one out against Cranky Charlie, who committed a rape upon a girl many years ago; and I had an old warrant for a boy of the name of Johnny One-eye (Millbong Jemmy) for trying to commit a rape at the Peak Mountains.