Tuesday, May 17th, 1932.

FIFTY-SIX YEARS IN QUEENSLAND.

Reminiscences of a Pioneer.

VOYAGE ACROSS THE SEAS.

(By Michael O’Keeffe, Ex M.L.A.)

Mr Michael O’Keeffe now lives in retirement in McLennan Street, Albion, after spending fifty years on the land in the Laidley district as a successful farmer, dairyman, and stock owner. Mr O’Keeffe is recognised in Queensland as the father of the co-operative movement. He sat in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland for some years as the farmers’ representative of the Lockyer electorate, and during his parliamentary term gave the country the full benefit of his life-long experience on the land. He was commissioned by the Kidston Government in 1911, to proceed to Ireland as an Immigration Lecturer and Agent. In the early days of the farmers’ co- operative movement he travelled extensively in New South Wales, investigating the dairying industry, and submitted a valuable report on the subject. Close on sixty years ago, accompanied by his wife, and armed with a tomahawk and axe, he penetrated the dense scrub in the Laidley district, and ultimately carved out a home and achieved considerable success. He is thus qualified to write with some authority on the difficulties that confront the man on the land, and by virtue of his ripe experience, to suggest a remedy for the many ills that beset the country today.

Personal friends, for some considerable time, writes Mr O’Keeffe, continued to urge me to give some reminiscences of my pioneering days, and in consenting to commit to paper, to some extent, my own history, I feel that I may be thought egotistical. My sole object, however, is to enable young men of the present generation to reflect on the conditions today as compared with the conditions prevailing in the early pioneering history of this country. To begin with, I left school and was apprenticed to a drapery business in my native town, the ancient city of Cashel. One week-end as I visited my home I heard from my brother, Thomas, that he intended emigrating to Queensland. This was in February, 1873. Without waiting to seek information as to the prospects of success offering in that new and distant colony, I at once made up my mind to accompany my brother. On April 14th, 1875, we took train to Queenstown.

After a wait of three days, we embarked on board the sailing vessel, “Lady Douglas”, and set sail for Queensland. The “Lady Douglas” was a comparatively small barque of 300 tons, and was reckoned to be one of the least comfortable sailing vessels of its day. As far as I can remember, there were about five hundred emigrants, mostly Irish, on board, huddled together - except that the females were separated by a lattice partition on the deck, resembling a cattle pen. The married couples had quarters allotted to them, but all were equally cramped for room. At the commencement of the journey two or three emigrants were chosen to superintend the emigrants, and I was one of the officials selected. We were not long on the voyage when complaints began to be made about pilfering from the passengers. One day an old Irish farmer,

1 Philip Ryan, from Clonoulty, Co. Tipperary, came to me and reported that he was robbed. Mr Ryan had eighty sovereigns sewn in a flannel belt, which he wore round his waist. This comprised the whole of his wealth, and it was now gone. There was one particular young emigrant of whom I had frequent complaints of pilfering. Without waiting a moment I went in search of him. When I met him I noticed his trouser’s pocket was looking bulky. Without giving him the least sign of warning, I had him by the throat and drew from his pocket the belt with the eighty sovereigns intact. I took Mr Ryan to the Captain’s cabin, and there handed over the money to the captain for safe-keeping, and got his receipt.

While in the captain’s cabin an incident worth relating occurred. The captain shouted a whiskey for the old gentleman, and while he was drinking it, the ship’s doctor, who was present, took the old man’s stove-pipe hat and pressed it down over his shoulders, spilling the whiskey. I roared. I called him a coward and challenged him to try that game on me. I threatened to report him when we arrived at our destination. An apology followed and all was well. Mr Ryan was a fine type of Irishman, and had with him on board his wife and eight or nine sturdy children. The two eldest girls, Catherine and Johanna, became Sisters of Mercy within a year or two of their landing in the country. Catherine (Sister M. Ita) died a few years ago at Nudgee Orphanage, where she had given many years of devoted service.

“THE SHIP IS SINKING!”

We were now several weeks at sea, and the old ship rolled and rocked fearfully, tumbling the tin table service about, and making a fearful racket. In those days of immigrant ships there was no crockery ware. Looking back to that distant voyage I recall with a shudder, the rough fare provided as food for the passengers. The fat American pickled pork which looked like blubber, most of which was thrown overboard by the immigrants, was absolutely unfit for human consumption. Other items of food were equally objectionable.

After the first few weeks the water supply was condensed sea water measured out hot; about two quarts for drinking, washing, etc., per person per diem. I, being regarded as an officer, got special food from the galley. The weather through the Bay of Biscay was very boisterous as I retired to my bunk one night about ten o’clock. I was soon fast asleep. About midnight my brother came down crying out in great excitement,

“Get up! The ship is sinking.”

However, the night he came crying out that the ship was sinking, I thought it was the usual cry of “Wolf, Wolf.” I roared at him and told him to go to Jericho and let me sleep. I did sleep, and heard no more until morning. When I woke next morning and went on deck I got the shock of my life. All three masts and the jib-boom were smashed down and the old ship looked a perfect wreck. I went to have a talk with the Captain, and told him I had slept through the night.

“Well,” said the Captain, ”If you slept through the roar of the elements, the wailing of women, the shouting of seamen, etc, etc, you would sleep if you were in Hell.” “At one time,” said the Captain, “I cried out, ‘My God, she’ll never rise!’ ”

2

As the weight of the wrecked masts and jib-boom hung over the side, they caused the vessel to ship water until she was dangerously near going under. Thanks to the wonderful efficiency of seamen in those good old days, the vessel was saved and the ship’s carpenters set to work to erect new masts, etc., an extra supply of which every sailing vessel carried, and within a day or two we were once more making headway. Things went well for the next few weeks until we reached the “Zones” – the Equator – when we were becalmed for several days, there being no tradewinds to fill the sails. The Captain announced that those who could swim could go overboard for a dip, and assured us there was no danger of sharks so far out at sea. Most of the sailors and a few of the passengers, myself amongst them, braved the danger. It was here I had my first swim in salt water. I had had a good deal of experience in fresh water rivers. A boat was launched in case of danger, but after I swam around the boat a few times I essayed to get into the boat to rest, but the sailors in charge pushed me back and would not let me into the boat. I then swam to the ship’s side, and catching a rope, climbed to the deck.

DOCTOR’S INDISCRETION.

About this time a death occurred among the male passengers, and the body, wrapped in canvas, was consigned to the deep. The only incident of note that happened after this, until we arrived in Queensland, was the birth of a son to Mr and Mrs Crowe, of Glenough, Co. Tipperary. The ship’s doctor, in spite of the protests of the parents, took possession of the infant, and baptised it according to the Rites of the Church of England, giving it the name of Douglas Michael Crowe. I heard afterwards, as the infant grew to manhood he deeply resented the action and he renounced the name of Douglas. As soon as we landed at Rockhampton, I took Mr and Mrs Crowe and the baby to the Catholic Church, and explained to the late Dean Murlay what had happened. The Dean, of course, recognised that baptism was administered, and I think reported the matter to the authorities, and that the parents did not want the name “Douglas”. What the result was I never heard.

After eighty-four days at sea we landed at Keppel Bay, on July 9th, 1875, which according to the times of sailing ships, was considered a reasonably fast voyage. A medical officer came on board and found a case of scariatina and quarantined us for eight days. We were anchored about a mile from Curtis Island. The ship’s boats took the passengers to the island every morning, bringing them back to the ship in the evening. Several of the sailors and a few of the passengers, myself included, used to swim to the island every morning, sending our clothes ahead of us by the boat. One day a number of porpoises was seen crossing at right angles to us. I did not see them at first, and even if I had, I would not have known what they were. One of the sailors cried out, “Sharks, sharks!” and I can well remember how I worked with terror, reaching the shore exhausted, but before any of the others, only to be laughed at.

The eight days quarantine order was lifted, and we landed in Rockhampton in due course, and experienced no difficulty in securing employment. The men of the party were a fine able-bodied lot, and they did not stand on ceremony about particular jobs in the city or the country. They took what was offering, and almost in every instance, they made good. I obtained work as a scaler and packer at the Laurel Bank Meat Preserving Works on the Fitzroy River, about sixteen miles from Rockhampton.

3 (This company afterwards amalgamated with the Lakes Creek Meat Preserving Works.) Laurel Bank was then killing about thirty bullocks, and over one thousand sheep a day.

Friday, May 20th 1932.

EXPERIENCES IN THE “SEVENTIES.

Young Immigrant’s Early Trials.

HOW DIFFICULTIES WERE OVERCOME.

Continuing his reminiscences, Mr M. O’Keeffe, former Parliamentary member for Lockyer, interestingly describes some of the industrial conditions that obtained in Queensland in the seventies. The advice of the “Old Hands” he says, was;” Do not remain idle; take any kind of work until you get the job you want.” It was sound advice then, and is just as sound today, he observes.

We started work at 6.00am when the huge table was loaded with several carcases of parboiled beef, the steam from which rose in clouds around us as we worked, saturating our clothes. At 8.00am we had an hour for breakfast. When he returned to work at 9.00am the great piles of beef had cooled down and our saturated clothes clung to us wet, cold and clammy, and in this condition we worked until the clothes dried on our backs. I was greatly interested in the efficiency of the staff, and much admired each operation from the man who speared the thirty bullocks in a pen, as quick as one could count, (methods have very much improved since then) to the butcher who dressed the carcase for the boner. The boner’s work was to remove the meat from the bones, which he did without leaving a trace of meat thereon. I had the privilege of witnessing a contest between a Melbourne boner and an employee of the Laurel Bank works. The Melbourne man won the contest (18½ minutes) with the Laurel Bank man close on his heels (19 minutes). The contest was judged as to quickness and quality of work.

The greasy, damp steam and clammy wet clothes began to tell upon my health. I stubbornly stuck to my work until the works superintendent, having heard of my condition, sent a message for me to see him at his office. I was at this time dangerously ill, and when the manager saw me he was shocked. I will never forget how promptly he ordered a boat to be loaded with preserved meat in order to give me the opportunity of proceeding to Rockhampton Hospital. The boat got stuck on a sandbank. I was suffering intense pain and felt my position keenly. I was alone in this new country, without a friend. Laurel Bank is sixteen miles from Rockhampton, and we got stuck on the sandbank four miles from the start. There was no chance of getting off the sandbank until high tide the next day. My position was indeed serious. I was in great pain. Some small row boats were passing up the river, and I hailed one of them. It was occupied by a fisherman going out for the night to secure fish for his customers next day. He said he could not run the risk of losing his customers and turned to go away. He changed his mind, however, and came back, saying, “I cannot

4 see you in such distress. I will row you to Rockhampton.” It was about twelve miles from where we were stuck. He landed me and hailed a cab, and directed the driver to take me to the General Hospital. I put my hand in my pocket and handed him a sovereign which he refused to take, saying, “My poor lad, you will want that before you are well.” I have never forgotten his great kindness. I was so ill I neglected to ask his name, which I have regretted ever since. After several weeks in hospital, Dr Concannon, the Medical Superintendent, ordered me south as far as Melbourne, as he said the climate of Rockhampton would not suit me.

After leaving hospital I had just sufficient money left to pay my fare and that of a mate, to Brisbane, with whom I divided my pair of blankets. After some days of waiting I got a job at Mr George Raff’s sugar plantation, Morayfields, near Caboolture, which lasted about eight weeks when the season’s crushing finished. The wages were one pound per week, with board. On Christmas Eve between seventy and eighty of the employees started to walk to Brisbane. The majority of the men, strapping, stalwart fellows, determined to walk the distance in record time, and started off at a great pace. My mate and I agreed to take things steadily. After we had “negotiated” some miles, we passed here and there at intervals along the route, some of our co-workers sitting on the roadside with their boots off, taking stock of the blisters on their heels. My mate and I were the first to arrive at a suburban hotel, where I spent my first Christmas in Queensland – 1875. Next morning we went into the city, paying my way in a hotel in Wharf Street (kept by Mr Broderick). I soon found myself again almost penniless, but work was easy to obtain in those days for those who were willing to take any kind of work.

ROUGHING ON STRADBROKE ISLAND.

I might here state that I had never done a day’s manual labour until I landed in Queensland. I went straight from school to a drapery establishment, where I was apprenticed to that business, and after some six years I heard such glowing accounts of Queensland that I determined to migrate thither. On landing on the Creek, I accepted the advice of “Old Hands” – “Do not remain idle. Take any kind of work until you get the job you want.” Sound advice then; just as sound today. My next job was getting wharf poles on Stradbroke Island. Another man and myself were engaged. Our employer, was a Danish man who said he lived on a neighbouring island. His son landed us on Stradbroke, and started us at work at £1 per week and found in rations. Here our trouble started in earnest. I had had nothing to do with an axe or a cross-cut saw before in my life, but I soon found I could overcome this disability. I was young, strong and willing. Our troubles were in other directions. We were not provided with a tent. We stripped a few sheets of bark to cover us from the night dews, and stretched bags on poles and forked sticks, on which we placed some grass to make a bed, but alas, when we settled down to sleep we were attacked by myriads of mosquitoes, from the small black little fellow to the great Scotch Greys. After vain efforts to sleep we decided to take turns in fanning the mosquitoes away, and by this means we got a few hours rest. We set about to prepare breakfast and commence our first day’s pile getting. But oh, memory of memories, we found in the parcel of food two big camp oven loaves of home-made bread as solid as a brick, and bitter to the taste. There was some tea fairly good, and a tin of crude molasses that was to serve as sugar for our tea and to spread on the bitter bread. There was no butter, and when we inspected the meat it took but one glance to see it was taken from

5 a carcase that must have died, or was ready to die, of starvation. Our position seemed hopeless. Here we were on an island with no other human being within reach, and no means of getting to the mainland. However, after partaking of some black tea and some bread and molasses, we essayed to try our hands at timber getting. When we picked our first tree and prepared to cross-cut it, we were assailed with swarms of mosquitoes. It was impossible to work until we had to first gather dry cow manure and make a fire and smoke. This served to keep away the pests to some extent, but the blinding smoke was almost as bad as the mosquitoes. We managed to get down a couple of trees and strip them before our employer arrived about noon. When the young boss came in his row boat we demanded better food or to be put across the water to the mainland. He promised the food would be better, but the improvement was very little. We stood the ordeal for seven days and worked hard. When he arrived again he landed with a shotgun to go fowling on the island. We insisted on being put ashore, but he marched off up the hills with his gun upon his shoulder. When he returned my mate and I had waded out to where the boat was anchored, and were making ourselves comfortable. We put ashore without receiving any pay for seven days hard work.

PENNILESS AND NO FRIENDS.

Neither of us had any money and could not take steps to secure our wages. However, we trudged it on to Brisbane penniless. When we reached the Tingalpa Hotel I was able to dispose of an article of wearing apparel to secure a feed for both of us, and a shilling or two for the road. As we trudged along we heard the noise of a horse being ridden furiously, and a minute later the horseman pulled up apparently very agitated. He explained that his brother and himself were engaged in loading a raft of timber on the river, when his brother suddenly took seriously ill. He requested us to come and help to complete the loading and allow them to get to the doctor as soon as possible. Those were the days of no railways, no trams, no taxi cabs, and no telephones. Of course the old hansom cabs were to be had in Brisbane, but there were no means of communicating with the city. We received six shillings each for a day and a half’s work. As my companion and I were strangers to each other, we parted on reaching the city. My few shillings soon disappeared, and one night I found myself without the price of a bed or a meal. At this time the bank of the river at North Quay, near the Victoria Bridge, was a mass of wild lantana, and I camped under the bushes for the night. Next morning I walked to Indooroopilly. The old Indooroopilly Bridge was being built in 1876. (This bridge was carried away by the 1893 flood.) I applied for work, but was told they were full handed. Here I met a Mr Pike who lived close to the railway station. He was a building contractor in a small way, and he engaged me as carpenter’s labourer. He was then engaged in erecting a residence at Brookfield for the late Mr Charles Patterson, who was then the owner of the sawmills at Brookfield. When the job was finished Mr Pike found himself unable to pay the wages. I was his only employee. He had taken the job too cheaply and failed. Mr Pike offered me, for eight pound, an allotment in South Brisbane, near where Hogan’s sawmill used to be. I had secured work nearby and told Mr Pike I would wait for my wages. This same allotment within a year or two sold (I think to Hogan) for three hundred pounds.

I was next engaged as farm hand by the late Mr William Watt, a farmer, of Brookfield, at fifteen shillings a week. After working at farm work a few weeks I

6 heard of land being thrown open for homestead section at Upper Sandy Creek, Laidley (now known as Mt Berryman). I now was just twelve months in Queensland. I was determined to start on my own as soon as possible. I knew that I had made good with Mr Watt, and I plucked up courage to ask him to lend me eight pound towards the amount of deposit on eighty acre homestead. Mr Watt unhesitatingly lent me the money without interest, and I worked it out at fifteen shillings per week. I selected the land in July, 1876, and it was then I commenced my pioneering days in the Lockyer in reality.

Tuesday, May 24th, 1932.

BLAZING THE TRACK.

What the early Pioneers endured.

THE LOCKYER IN THE MAKING.

In this instalment of his reminiscences, Mr M. O’Keeffe refers to his early experiences in the Gatton district. He recalls some of the “roughing” on his selection in the scrub, his wife’s devoted assistance, and the steady development of the Lockyer. With pride he makes mention of the scholastic achievements of some of the pupils of the little Blenheim State School.

During the next ten or twelve months I worked at Gatton. The original township was on the hill where the Catholic Church and Congregational Church are still located. The railway took its route inconveniently distant from the old settlement, so the few business people began shifting near the new railway station. I was engaged by the late Mr Latimer to shift some buildings to where he had a small grocery shop and blacksmith’s shop. The same blacksmith’s shop was worked for many years by that fine old townsman, the late Mr John Whittle, who died recently at a very ripe old age. I also took contracts of fencing, and was able thus to put together a few pounds. In July, 1877, I married and commenced work on my selection. I previously mentioned that I had no experience of axe work, and now I was starting to fell a dense and heavy scrub to prepare the land for a maize crop. Through pure bullocking strength I managed to fell about twelve acres. I might here mention that I afterwards engaged an old man, seventy years of age, to assist me in getting down some very big trees. We both worked at the same tree. I was young and strong, and perhaps a little conceited. I set to work very hard in order to finish my own cut and go round to help the old man. To my chagrin, before I had made much headway, Mr Knudsen (that was his name) came round to my side of the tree and exclaimed, “Is that all you have done yet?” He had finished, his cut looking as free from gaps as if cut out of a piece of cheese. Mr Knudsen was looking quite cool while I was teeming in perspiration. My cut was not half completed and looking very jagged, and the conceit was taken out of me. Mr Knudsen came from Norway, a great timber country, and was a first- class axeman. He gave me valuable instructions in the use of an axe which were of good assistance to me afterwards.

7 The year 1877 was a drought year, and people from other parts brought their cattle to Sandy Creek in search of feed. As fast as I felled the scrub the cattle, when I retired in the evening, ate all the foliage off the felled scrub. This made the usual scrub fire impossible. In order to clear off the timber I had to chop and stack it in order to burn it off. This took weeks of strenuous work, and before long I was a sorry sight to look at compared with the fresh young counter-hand I was a short time before. My wife was living with her sister, the late Mrs Lyons, on the banks of Laidley Creek. I was camped in a hut of a few sheets of bark and rode into Laidley for the week-ends. After a few weeks of this my wife came to me and said, “I want you to get a man with a horse and dray to shift my things out to the camp. It is my place to be with you and help.” I laughed long and heartily. I told her the very idea was preposterous; that it was impossible for a woman to live under such conditions. She answered, “If it is good enough for you, it is good enough for me. A wife’s place is with her husband to look after and help him.” As I rode away to work I told her firmly to put such a thought out of her head, and I thought the matter ended there.

A WIFE’S DETERMINATION.

To my great surprise however, next day a messenger arrived saying Mrs O’Keeffe was down at Mrs Schluter’s and wanted to see me. I hurried down and found my wife landed with her goods and chattels, determined to go into residence in the hut on the selection. Schluter’s was about two and a half miles away and was the nearest point to which a wheeled vehicle could approach the selection. There was no road or even a bridle track, and we had to carry the few things through the scrub to the hut. Mrs O’Keeffe settled down and soon made things comfortable. She proved herself indeed a helpmate and during our forty-five years of married life she was indeed, in all our undertakings, a valuable partner. So far as I was concerned she was right, for my comfort was enhanced three hundred per cent, and I was able to work with greater will, and soon got my first crop underway.

Not long after Mrs O’Keeffe took up her residence on the selection, I was one day alarmed to hear loud coo-eeing while I was at my work some distance away. I rushed to the hut and there found an aboriginal trying to sell scrub turkeys and Wonga pigeons, numbers of which he carried over his shoulder. He carried a shotgun, which he said was lent to him by a selector, on condition that they shared the game half and half. The abo’ was naked, except for a cloth around his loins. The aboriginals at that time were harmless. My first crop was nearly ripe for harvesting, and some weeks earlier I wrote to the Minister for Works, the late Hon. William Miles, explaining that I had neither ingress or egress and requesting that the road be cleared and made passable. I went to Brisbane and interviewed the Minister, and gained his sympathy, and a gang of men were sent with instruction to start clearing the road where I would point out. Up to this time there was no road cleared to the Sandy Creek settlement, the bush tracks to Lower Sandy Creek, now known as Blenheim, being through open forest country. The gang cleared all the road from my selection down the creek around Blake’s corner to the top of Bisgrove’s Hill, a distance of seven miles.

PROGRESS WITH ROAD FACILITIES.

8 Up to 1879 when the Divisional Board Act was passed, all roads and bridges work was carried on by the Government, under district overseers and gangs of men. The late Mr Collins was overseer at the time I write of, and after completing the matter of clearing and building small culverts he withdrew the gang and took them to Esk, leaving one large gully unbridged and impassable. He reported that this bridge would cost three hundred pounds. He could not recommend its construction because, he said, there was only one settler residing above this point. I was the one settler. I was thus left in an awkward predicament. The wallabies and bush vermin were destroying my crops. I immediately got into communication with Mr Miles, with the result that the gang was ordered back at two days’ notice. It was true I was the only settler, but it was equally true that several others had selected land in that neighbourhood, but they could not see their way clear to enter and reside on their selections with such gloomy prospects of road facilities. This was a strong argument in my favour. I was the only one with the hardihood to brave the conditions and pave the way for further settlement. When I arrived there were only twenty-four settlers in the whole of the valley of Sandy Creek, mostly Irish, Scotch and English. From the old Toowoomba road to the railway was still in the hands of the Jondaryan Estate Co – Kent and Wienholt. Amongst the early pioneers of the Sandy Creek valley were the Blakes, Pitts, Fitzpatricks, Carews, Dowlings and O’Keeffe’s.

Soon afterwards the late Mr A.J. Boyd came along and selected a considerable area on the Blenheim hill. On this selection, which he named Forest Hill, Mr Boyd put down a shaft in search of coal, which proved a dead loss. He then started an orchard with a Mr Blandford as manager, which was fairly successful until his property was cut up and settled on by those thriving people who still successfully make comfortable livings there. Mr Boyd was a man of many parts, and from his early manhood was engaged in various activities with more or less fluctuating success. He was farming in the very early days at Oxley, where he felled his own scrub and grew maize etc. Mr Boyd was a man of culture, and at one time was Principal of a private Grammar School from which he retired to try his hand once more on the land at Blenheim. Some time after disposing of his Blenheim property he was appointed Editor of the Queensland Agricultural Journal, a position which he held for many years, retiring a short time before his death a few years ago. Mr Boyd will be affectionately remembered by all who knew him as a kindly, cultured and refined gentleman. When he was engaged on his land in the Blenheim hills, he invited myself and the late Mr James Lee to go with him and make a rough survey of the distance across Kent and Wienholt’s paddock to the railway, in order to prove that the distance was less than the road to Laidley. The station now called Forest Hill was then only a wayside stopping place, and was known as the fifty-five mile peg. It was Mr Boyd who suggested the name to the present town of Forest Hill.

STURDY PIONEERS AND THEIR CHILDREN.

The early pioneers were a sturdy lot and surmounted every obstacle that came their way. The district had given many of its first generation to honourable professions, of which the Blenheim State School may well feel proud, it having a special place in preparing the young minds to achieve greater things educational. Amongst the first to make a move in this way was young Denis Matthew O’Keeffe, my third son, who went to Ireland to study for the priesthood, and is now the administrator of St Patrick’s Parish, Fortitude Valley. Father O’Keeffe had two and a half years

9 studying at the Christian Brothers’ College, Ipswich, before he proceeded to Ireland in 1902. That year I had my first Parliamentary contest and was defeated. When the election was over my wife said to me, “I suppose all the money is spent now, and the boy will lose his chance of education.” Before I had time to reply the young student said, “Don’t worry, Mother, if Father cannot help me I will fight my way through myself.” However he left almost immediately for the Old Country, where he spent several years at Mount Melleray Preparatory College and at All Hallow’s Ecclesiastical College, Dublin. The Rev Mr James Blake is a son of the late Mr R.J. Blake, and Mr Samuel Dart has two sons, Blenheim boys, belonging to the medical profession, and his eldest son is a Minister of Religion in the United States. Mr Harold Fewtrell, another Blenheim boy, occupies an honoured position in one of the Southern States. Other sons and daughters of the district attained prominence, notably Sub-Inspector James Portley, who through sheer ability and captivating disposition, won the approbation of his superiors.

I was now over eight years of work on my homestead, and a number of new settlers, most of whom had children of school age, arrived. We held meetings and petitioned the Department of Public Instruction for a school to be provided for our children. I was appointed Chairman and Secretary. Within a short time our petition was granted. In order to make up the minimum number required by the Department before granting a provisional school, some of the parents, myself included, listed children for school attendance as young as four years of age. At this time it was the custom of the Department to request the school committee to nominate a local person for the position of teacher in a small provisional school. The reason for this was so as to ensure board and residence accommodation for the teacher. In due course I received a letter from the Department requesting me to nominate the teacher for the position. After looking around within reasonable distance of the proposed school, I nominated Miss Marion O’Shea. This young lady was appointed and had charge of the school for many years. She was eventually transferred to a school near Stanthorpe, and shortly after her transfer she resigned and married the late Mr O’Callaghan. It is interesting to note that the first school building at Upper Sandy Creek was a slab and shingled hut abandoned by a gentleman named Berryman. Mr Berryman was a Victorian and he sent funds to a relative to select a desirable piece of land and build a cottage ready for himself and family to occupy on their arrival. Mr Berryman arrived, and after a few weeks abandoned the property in disappointment and disgust without looking for compensation for his outlay. Mr Berryman returned to Victoria. It thus happened that we were able to advise the Government that the slab house could be had “free” for the purposes of a school house as it was on Crown land. This building did duty for many years until the present neat structure was erected on the site by the Department.

Friday, May 27th, 1932.

EMANCIPATION OF THE FARMER.

Beginning of Co-operation.

MOVEMENT IN WEST MORETON.

10 The trials of the settlers in the early days – low prices for products, the 1893 floods, the bank failures – are recalled by Mr M. O’Keeffe in this article. The problem of market organization aroused keen interest in the principle of co-operation, chiefly in relation to butter manufacture, and Mr O’Keeffe gives a highly interesting resume of the movement which led to its adoption.

A year or two after the establishment of the Blenheim school we began to agitate for a mail service to the district. Our request was granted and a bi-weekly service commenced with the school house as a receiving office. Up to this time the district was known as Upper Sandy Creek, Laidley. The Postmaster General’s Department wrote to me requesting to give a new name to the district as the name Sandy Creek was almost everywhere in Queensland, and was very disconcerting to the Department. I thought the matter over and decided to give the name Mount Berryman to the district in recognition of the advantage that we derived from the gentleman of that name, and thus the name was recommended and adopted by the Postal Department. Soon after this I purchased the property now known as “Hollyford”, some two or three miles down the creek, and selected the scrub land at the back, which property is now owned and occupied by my second son, Mr M.J. O’Keeffe. I was now getting on to my feet, so to speak, and from time to time selected more land under the 1884 Act, and stocked it with cattle and horses. I took up my residence on my new purchase towards the end of 1886, having sold my eighty acre homestead to the late Mr George Smith, a carter at Ipswich.

My activities were now divided between my new farm and my grazing property at the head of the creek. Until now, as I have said, the lower end of the valley was called Sandy Creek, Laidley. Mr John Fielding suggested to me one day that we should change the name of the district to that of Blenheim. Mr John Fielding came to the district a year or two later than I did, and all the time he had resided there he had always taken an interest in every movement that pertained to the progress of the district. Mr Fielding and myself did not always see eye to eye on political and public questions, but he could always be relied upon to give expression to his opinion in a courteous and moderate manner. On our joint recommendation the district was henceforth known as Blenheim. Blenheim was, and is, the official Government name given to the parish extending from Scully’s Road northward to a point taking in the Agricultural College, near Gatton.

DAIRYING ACTIVITY COMMENCED.

During the eighties dairying was taken up by many of the farmers, and the hand-made butter was sold to local storekeepers on condition that the farmers took out that amount in groceries. The retail price of butter at that time was an average of one shilling and fourpence per pound, and the price the farmers received was four pence, provided he took payment in the form of groceries, etc. About this time separators began to come into use, and proprietary companies set up creameries in many districts. The first separator for the Blenheim district was introduced by Mr H. Cardew, brother of the late P.L.Cardew, Ipswich. Mr Cardew established a creamery at Scully’s crossing. This was in the late eighties or early nineties. The cream was separated and the skim milk returned to the supplier. The cream was paid for on the commercial butter fat system. Soon after this Howes Bros of Brisbane, established a

11 cheese factory in an old building near the Laidley lagoon that was once an hotel and afterwards used as a State School. The factory did not last long because it was found that the new scrub pastures contained herbage which tainted the cheese, causing a gas which honeycombed it, rendering it unsaleable. Prices of farm products were very unsatisfactory, and farmers had, to a great extent, to be helped by the generous credit of the storekeeper of the day.

A DISASTEROUS YEAR.

The great floods of 1893, together with the failure of the banks in that year, brought about a crisis which almost paralysed industry. Ipswich merchants and storekeepers of those days had great faith in the honesty and determination of the settlers, and they stuck to them until better times came. They knew the district must make good when it was peopled by the right class of settler. During all the eighties and nineties farm and dairy produce was entirely at the mercy of the middleman, principally the produce auctioneer and commission agents and proprietary butter factories. The late Hon. A.J. Thynne, in the early nineties, began to take a keen interest in the man on the land, and it was he who at that time instituted agricultural conferences for farmers. The first agricultural conference was held at the Gatton Agricultural College in June, 1897, just before the College was formally opened to students. Mr Thynne, as Minister for Agriculture and Stock, presided at the conference. It was just after returning from a visit to Canada and the USA. In his address to the conference, he waxed eloquent and enthusiastic over the Canadian method of handling wheat and other produce, and urged farmers to go in for machinery that was too costly. The methods he was recommending provided that no boys were to be used. Farmers should have properly constructed wagons to carry the grain in bulk, and capable of being tilted into railway wagons specially built so that the railway in turn, should deliver the grain into the granaries of flour millers. This all sounded very alluring and the address was very interesting. There were at that conference over one hundred and fifty farmers, delegated from the various farming centres throughout Queensland. I was one of two selected to represent the Lockyer. I do not now remember the name of the other representative, who was a Gatton district man. Although we all agreed that Mr Tynne dealt with his subject in his well-known able manner, the experienced farmers present were not impressed, as they thought the enormous expenses involved in such a venture were impracticable to a comparatively small community of wheat growers. So far as Queensland is concerned, and Australia for that matter, this venture has not yet been realised.

PROPRIETARY INTERESTS ALARMED.

The next year, 1898, the conference was held in Rockhampton, and was presided over by the late Hon. J.V. Chataway, who succeeded Mr Thynne as Minister for Agriculture. A number of papers were read by different delegates, and the discussions were both interesting and educational. I read a paper on the marketing of produce, and Mr P. Dwyer, of Lower Tent Hill, was also a delegate of the Lockyer. At this conference the late Mr Chataway invited the late Mr W.D. Lamb, of Yangan, and myself, to accompany him on a visit of inspection to Gindi, where it was then proposed to establish a State farm. Unfortunately, I was prevented, through circumstances over which I had no control, from accompanying the Minister. The State farm was established, and Mr Robert Jarrott, a farmer of Laidley, was appointed

12 its first manager, a position he held for many years. The next conference was held at Mackay in 1899. Evidently the proprietary system of dairying was thoroughly alarmed. A large contingent of business people attended the conference at Mackay, and the co-operative movement was attacked with strong force. The late Mr Alex. Hunter and Mr James Logan, Jnr., of Gatton, were this year the Lockyer delegates. I was not a delegate but I attended the conference on the special invitation of the Minister for Agriculture. During the discussion there was no farmers’ representative ready to take up the cudgels in support of farmers’ co-operation. Messrs Hunter and Logan kept urging me to speak, but I refused on the ground that I had no standing, not being a delegate. The Chairman (Mr Chataway), however, called on me to speak. For some time previously I was making a special study of the organization of agriculture in the various countries of the world, and when I got on my feet I had many arguments proving the complete success of farmers’ co-operative societies in various countries. Having named many of them, I got on to the very interesting tale of what led to the great success of farmers’ co-operation in Denmark.

WHAT DENMARK DID.

It is a matter of history that co-operation in Denmark was started more as a matter of spite against the Government of the day, than any real desire to improve conditions. In 1872 swine fever broke out in Denmark and Germany closed her ports against live pigs. There was no objection to the cured bacon, but there were no bacon factories in Denmark, and it was here the trouble began. The Government of Denmark at the time, was the appointee of the King, and was carried on by the Landsthing, or Upper House, composed of rich land proprietors and merchants. The Folksthing, or Lower House, was elected by the people, and was in perpetual opposition. Germany was the principal purchaser of Danish pigs, and when the trouble arose out of the swine fever the Danish Government refused to assist, and thus the first co-operative bacon factory was established in 1872. It proved such an enormous success that co-operative companies sprang up throughout Denmark, and the merchant was completely beaten. The Danish farmers’ co-operative societies quickly saw their advantage and extended their energies to Siberia, with wonderful success. Up to then Siberia was only thought of as a land of frosts and snows and political prisoners, and the inhabitants were little better than serfs. Up to this time there was no dairying in Siberia, and there were practically no cattle. The first pound of hand made butter was made by an Englishwoman. The Danes started branches of their own societies, and soon Siberia became an important factor to be dealt with as an exporter of butter to London and other British markets.

FARMERS’ AWAKENING.

The farmers and dairymen began to wake up to the necessity of co-operation. The first meeting was advertised to be held at Rosewood early in 1899. I saw the advertisement in “The Queensland Times” and I rode from Blenheim to Rosewood to attend the meeting. There was a large attendance, and the late Denis Thomas Keogh, M.L.A. presided. I listened to several speeches, and then spoke in support of the movement and explained that I had just then turned out my dairy herd to rear their calves because in January of that year I received a cheque for £9 for the month, from a herd of forty cows. The meeting elected me chairman of the movement, and appointed the late Mr Robert Cuthbertson as secretary and canvasser at £3/10/- per

13 week and 10/- per day travelling expenses. Mr Cuthbertson was an earnest co- operator and had his heart and soul in the movement. After some weeks’ canvassing amongst the dairymen he became disheartened. He could only get promises and sympathy, but he failed to get anyone to take shares. He sent in his resignation to me as Chairman saying he could not satisfy himself. At a subsequent meeting I offered to take up the work of share canvassing. My offer was accepted, but without remuneration. I followed in the same districts as Mr Cuthbertson had failed. My first meeting was at Lanefield. It looked as if I were to be confronted with the same obstacles that hindered Mr Cuthbertson, i.e. timidity of the farmers to take decided action. The Lanefield Farmers’ Co-operative Coy. was then composed of sixty-four shareholders, fifty-five of whom were present at the meeting. After my explanation of the prospectus and articles of association, there was a good deal of discussion. All seemed to agree that co-operation was necessary, but were, of course, very timid to launch out in a business that few had any experience in. One shareholder rose and moved that the meeting stand adjourned to a date when the whole of the shareholders would be present. I asked the mover if he ever saw a white blackbird. The late Mr George Colvin was in the chair. I tore a leaf from my notebook and wrote the following resolution; “That this meeting is of the opinion that the time has arrived for the establishment of a farmers’ co-operative dairy coy., etc.” I handed it to the Chairman, and requested him to put it to the meeting and let me have finality – “Yes” or “No.” The motion was carried unanimously. I next wrote a resolution that the Lanefield Co-op Coy take five shares each for the sixty-four shareholders at £1 each, and requested the Chairman to put it to the meeting. Mr Colvin did so, and it was carried unanimously. I now requested the shareholders to authorise the Chairman and Secretary of their company to sign a cheque covering the application and allotment deposit of 5/- each, and this authority was readily given. I might say that at this meeting the late Mr John Pender, the late T.E. Coulson, and, I think, Mr J.H.M. Stevens, who is still taking an active interest in the affairs of the company (although he was not one of the original directors) and others supported me. The success of the Lanefield meeting was of great assistance to me in the success which met the movement all through West Moreton.

Tuesday, May 31st, 1932.

CO-OPERATION IN WEST MORETON.

Surmounting the big obstacles.

GENESIS OF STATE-WIDE ACTIVITY.

Co-operation in the dairying industry in the west Moreton was not easily achieved according to Mr M. O’Keeffe, former member fro Lockyer, who, in this article, recounts the stern fight that was necessary to combat proprietary interests. When difficulties were overcome, what is now the Queensland Farmers’ Co-operative Association, Ltd. was established. Mr O’Keeffe, interestingly, reviews the initial arrangements made for the launching of that enterprise.

14 At a subsequent public meeting held at Ipswich, the late Mr Cuthbertson and myself were delegated to visit the South, particularly New South Wales, where co-operation had already achieved marked success. The proprietary companies now became thoroughly alarmed. They recognised that the dairymen were in earnest and that co- operation amongst suppliers was assured. I received a letter from the late Hon. A.J. Thynne, writing on behalf of a certain proprietary dairy company, requesting me to grant him an interview so as to enable him to lay before me the provisional prospectus and articles of association of the proposal to convert that company into a “semi” farmers’ co-operative company. We met at Laidley, and Mr Tynne explained the prospectus etc in which the farmers were invited to become shareholders. I opposed the proposals. Mr Tynne then requested me to introduce him to some leading farmers of the Lockyer and Rosewood, and other centres of West Moreton. I arranged a meeting at Laidley to meet Mr Tynne, and invited Messrs Alex Hunter, John Cook, Thos. E. Coulson, John Pender, all of whom are since dead, as well as several other well-known farmers. Up to this point all the gentlemen named were supporters of the movement of which I was the leader. After listening to the eloquence of Mr Tynne, whose undoubted ability to put matters in an attractive light as well as the glamour of supporting a movement of such a leading light as compared with a movement led by one of themselves proved too much for my supporters, they began (with the exception of Mr John Pender) to waver and openly transferred their allegiance to the Tynne proposals. This company’s movement called a meeting at the Queen’s Hotel, Toowoomba, at which Mr Tynne presided. The Chairman explained the provisional prospectus and articles of association and the assembled farmers applauded him. I strongly urged that nothing should be done without mature deliberation, and requested that the meeting be adjourned until Mr Cuthbertson and myself returned from New South Wales and reported the result of our investigations. This was agreed to.

Mr Cuthbertson and I left next morning and, armed with letters of introduction to proprietary as well as co-operative companies, we put in a very busy time and succeeded in securing valuable information which greatly assisted and encouraged us to go on with our movement. In the early days of co-operation in New South Wales, Sir William McMillan had succeeded in converting the Butter Co., of which he was principal, into a semi-farmers’ co-operative society, but at such a price that the farmers groaned under the financial burden for some years, and Sir William eventually foreclosed. The proposal which Mr Tynne was now placing before the farmers in Queensland was on all fours with New South Wales’ fiasco. On our return the adjourned meeting was called together at the Queen’s Hotel. Mr Cuthbertson was not present. I made a report that the Tynne proposal was totally unacceptable; that the price asked was too great; that the plant and the machinery were old and out of date; that the situation of the factory was not suitable. I was laughed to scorn, and the late Mr John Cook told me that I was only afraid my own tinpot movement would be knocked out. In the face of this I made a most urgent appeal to Mr Tynne not to foist such a dangerous proposal on the struggling farmers. There was a general cry in response to my appeal, that I should allow my name to be put on the provisional directorate of the proposed company.

AN ACTION RESENTED.

This meeting was on a Saturday and I left the meeting to catch my train for home. On Monday I went into Laidley and secured a copy of “The Toowoomba Chronicle”

15 and there saw my name amongst the others as a provisional director. I sent an urgent wire demanding that my name be struck off the provisional directorate. I knew that Mr Tynne intended returning to Brisbane by the mail train on Monday evening, and I boarded the train at Laidley and travelled with him to Ipswich. I again earnestly urged Mr Tynne not to proceed further with his proposal. I proved to him I had most damning evidence against the soundness of his proposals. The matter ended there. We heard no more of the proposed conversion of the company.

I may here state that we were furnished by the then Premier of New South Wales, the late Sir George Dibbs, with first class free passes over all railways in that State. This concession was secured for us through the good offices of Mr W.D. Armstrong, who was then member for Lockyer in the Queensland Legislative Assembly. This gave us great facility to carry out our investigations. Some weeks after, as the Queensland farmers’ movement progressed, a gentleman came to me and said,

“O’Keeffe, if you will stand out of this business it will be made worth your while.”

I answered, “What do you take me to be?”

“Oh, well, if you will be a fool that’s your own look-out,” he said, and added that the proprietary companies had a fund of £12,000 to fight with.

I replied, “I have not got 12,000 pence, but I will beat you, for I have the people behind me, and it is they who hold the raw material without which you can do nothing.”

In establishing the Queensland Farmers’ Company as the first co-operative butter company, it was laid down that none but men living on the land or partly on the land should be eligible as shareholders. It was also agreed, even by men not supplying dairy products but living on the land, that dividends would not be expected, as it was recognised that the introduction of dairying would relieve the markets for those going in for agriculture. In this way the company got a very strong footing, and gained the support of the whole of Southern Queensland. At first, as was to be expected, there was considerable discussion as to where the factory should be built, groups of farmers arguing that it should be in their respective centres. Finally, Ipswich was agreed to as being suitable for the service of a much greater area than any other place in the district. Ipswich was on the main line of railway and was the junction of the Fassifern and the Esk branch railways, and was then much more a centre of West Moreton than it is now. The smaller towns of West Moreton had then less business, and Ipswich was the chief marketing town.

The company had practically arranged to establish the factory close to Brisbane Street beside the railway, and with the assistance of the members of parliament for the district, Messrs T.B. Cribb and A.J. Stephenson, a promise of land was made by the Railways Commissioner, Mr Thallon, for a railway siding. Then the railway authorities withdrew their promise stating that the land was required for the building of the new Ipswich railway station.

This was one of the best things that ever happened to the dairy industry. Although the land in this place under offer by a private owner might have been adequate for

16 building and siding purposes then, it would be hopelessly inadequate for the enormously increased trade of today. Land was then obtained at Booval, as near to the town as sufficient land for proper buildings, yard space, and railway siding, could be got. Without such a space it would be impossible to handle the factory’s present business. As the company fostered the growth of dairying in various parts of the district new factories were needed to handle the produce. Branch factories were erected at Laidley, (1903), Boonah, and Grantham, and a cheese factory at Rosevale, as these districts required them.

The success of this first co-operative dairy company was soon noted, and farmers’ co- operative companies quickly came into being throughout the State. The proprietary companies dropped out one by one, and today the proprietary system of dairying is of little consequence. At the time of the commencement of the co-operative system of dairying, Queensland had not made much progress in scientific dairying. We were much behind New South Wales and Victoria, and when the necessity arose of securing a manager for our new company we advertised in Brisbane and in the southern papers. We had one or two applications from Brisbane men, both of whom had practically no experience. We received, however, forty-nine applications from Sydney. With the meagre information available, the directors reduced the number to twelve. The board of directors then appointed a sub-committee of three, with power to make a choice – myself as Chairman, Messrs T.C. Hoskins and Tom Coulson. These two gentlemen decided to leave the whole matter in my hands to make a choice. I forwarded the twelve names to a gentleman in Sydney, who held an important post in the dairy and produce lines in that city, who was well known to me, and requested him to assist me in making a choice. His reply to me was courteous, but by no means complimentary to the twelve names submitted to him. However, our first appointment of manager was made on his recommendation, the late Mr Hugh Sinclair.

Reverting to the great struggle to establish farmers’ co-operation, I cannot help recalling the bitter opposition of my erstwhile supporters in favour of Mr Tynne’s proposals. A few years later when I retired from the directorate, the shareholders made me a presentation of a gold watch and chain on Nov. 13th, 1908. At this gathering many nice things, as is usual, were said. There were no remarks made on that occasion I appreciated more than a brief speech by the late Mr Alex Hunter. Referring to my struggle against Mr Tynne at the Queen’s Hotel, Hunter said, “I am very pleased to assist in doing honour to Mr O’Keeffe. He saved our company at least £12,000, and in spite of some of us.” Mr Hunter was a man of high principle and he was manly enough to acknowledge his mistake. I might say here that the proprietary movement to convert proprietary concerns to semi-farmers’ co-operative companies died out. Co-operation succeeded, and proprietary dairy companies today are comparatively negligible.

Friday, June 3rd, 1932.

A PERIOD OF DEEP ANXIETY.

The Great Drought of 1902.

PEOPLE WHO PIONEERED LAIDLEY.

17

Some idea of the serious obstacles encountered by the Directors of the Co-operative Company which established the butter factory at Booval is furnished by Mr M. O’Keeffe in this article. The drought of 1902 almost paralysed production, and there were grave fears that the enterprise would be ruined. A stern battle, however, resulted in operations being maintained. Mr O’Keeffe also outlines the careers of a number of notable pioneers of the Laidley district.

The Booval Butter Factory was opened and the manufacture of butter commenced in June, 1901. At the opening ceremony a great gathering of farmers assembled, together with considerable numbers of interested townspeople. The Late Hon T.B. Cribb, the then Treasurer of Queensland, performed the opening. As Chairman of Directors, I presided. It was a sad opening for me, inasmuch as a few days before my youngest son had been thrown from his horse, and after being twelve hours unconscious, he died. This was a great shock to the family, and I was very upset at the opening ceremony.

No sooner had the company commenced operations than the memorable drought of 1902 came upon us, and when our first annual report and balance sheet were due we were in a most dangerous position, and it appeared as if the company must fail in its first year of existence. Not only did the milk and cream supply fall off to almost nothing, but the dairy herds were dying in hundreds as a consequence of the drought. In order to make a start the Directors borrowed £5,000 from the Royal Bank, now the National Bank of Australia. The bank became alarmed and threatened to foreclose. Several times a week I was called from my home to Blenheim to confer with bank authorities. By insistent appeals I managed to stave off the evil day. The position was daily becoming more serious, and the deadly blow seemed inevitable. The overdraft was guaranteed by myself and four others of the Directors, one or two of the Directors refusing to shoulder the responsibility. The late Mr D. Armstrong was manager of the bank at Ipswich, and it was on his recommendation that it had advanced the money. Mr Armstrong was very worried and nervous. One day he showed me a letter from his head office, Brisbane, ordering him to foreclose. Mr Armstrong tendered me the unpleasant and alarming information that his authorities had decided to proceed against me, as I was regarded by the bank to be the most solvent; and informed me I had my remedy to proceed against the other guarantors. Complete ruin stared me in the face, and for some days I was very disturbed. I kept my troubles to myself as far as possible, but my unsettled manner gave me away. My wife shrewdly guessed what was wrong. She remarked, “There is something wrong with that old factory. You do not sleep, etc.” She demanded to know what was wrong. My answer softened the threatened catastrophe as best I could. The fate of the company and my own fate personally, seemed beyond hope. I continued to press for time, and from week to week it would not have taken much to blow the whole concern out of existence.

AN APPALLING DROUGHT.

To add to our troubles, the manager of our company made a contract with a South African firm to supply it with several hundreds of boxes of butter annually, the

18 contract being for three years. This was the outcome of inexperience on the part of the manager. He entered into the contract without consulting the Board of Directors. Of course we were not able to supply a single box of butter that year. The South African firm’s agent threatened to issue a writ on our company, and it was again my unpleasant duty to smooth matters over, which I succeeded in doing. It will be remembered by old hands that the 1902 drought was, and still is, regarded as the greatest drought that ever struck Australia. The drought commenced in the middle of 1901, and lasted, practically without a shower, well into 1903. In May, 1903, the first showers fell in the Lockyer, and there appeared every prospect of the drought breaking. I, like everyone else in the line, lost heavily in live stock. I saw an advertisement of the sale of cattle at Clifton, and I rode over the range to attend the sale. I purchased sixty or seventy heifers from Mr J. McGovern, who at that time, returned to live in Ireland. There was not any sign of the breaking of the drought on the Downs. In fact, the whole country looked like one vast ploughed field. There was no sign of vegetation. The dry roots of the grass were blown out of the ground and lodged up against the fences.

I got home with my purchase and the drought broke completely. Within a few days the country assumed its new green garb; once more proving the wonderful recuperative powers of Australia, particularly Queensland. The country smiled and everything looked prosperous. The man on the land forgot his troubles, and bent his energies towards making good his losses.

I always have a great admiration for the primary producer. Time and again he is beaten to the ground and suffers great losses from floods, droughts, and innumerable pests, etc. but he faces the odds with pluck and determination worthy of all praise. After the drought had broken and brighter prospects prevailed, I had another interview with the bank. This time there was no talk of foreclosure. The Queensland Farmers’ Co. was soon out of its difficulties. It continued during all those years to do business with the same bank with great satisfaction to both the shareholders and the institution.

It would be difficult to estimate the immense value the Queensland Farmers’ Co proved to the farmers of the West Moreton, just as the other co-operative companies throughout the State have given service to their respective districts.

RAPIDLY INCREASED TURNOVER.

At the inception of the Queensland Farmers’ Association I expressed the hope that I would live to see a turnover of a million sterling, which my hearers thought impossible at the time; but the turnover a couple of years since approached that figure. The fall in prices, however, now interferes, and the general depression exacts its toll without exempting the man on the land.

I repeat that co-operation has proved of immense value to the man on the land. There is still much room for further co-operation. The enormous expenses of the middleman leave very little to the producer, while the poor man’s breakfast table is almost beyond being capable of supplying the wants of his family. Surely something should be done to reduce the middleman’s charges.

19 LAIDLEY IN THE MAKING.

I mentioned elsewhere that the present town of Laidley did not exist when I arrived and selected land at Upper Sandy Creek in 1876. The late Mr William Hayes, who was a railway employee, lived in a bark hut near where Nelson’s brick building now stands, and two other employees on the railway, namely the late Mr Samuel Coats and Mr Rielly, lived in huts on the hill where Mr C Hooper and other prominent citizens have their comfortable homes now. Those three families were the only residents, except the station master. I called on Mrs Hayes, who hailed from my native spot in Ireland, and it was from that lady that I partook of the first cup of tea in the district where I afterwards lived for nearly half a century. My visit to Laidley on the occasion was to inspect land open to selection. The population was rather small in the Laidley district at that time, and it did not take a newcomer long to get to know practically all the inhabitants. The railway was constructed a few years before my arrival, and this utility encouraged a fine class of people to make their homes in this district.

I was greatly struck with the class of farmers who were the first pioneers of the fertile Laidley Valley, and the indomitable spirit and courage displayed that brooked no failure. The hardships and obstacles which had to be faced by those determined settlers can well be imagined, and the successes achieved stand out as an object lesson to the present generation. Amongst the early pioneers were the McGrath family, Messrs Scott, Hunter and Peter White, an MLA for Stanley. Later I shall have something to say of these worthy settlers. The Laidley Valley district was, until the end of the sixties in the last century, comprised in the Franklyn Vale cattle station; as was also the whole of the country across the spurs to Mount Whitestone, in the Blackfellows’ Creek eastern watershed. The lease of the Franklyn Vale station falling due, the land was thrown open to farmers for closer settlement. The land was quickly taken up under liberal land laws, and the Laidley Valley soon became one of the most prosperous agricultural areas in Australia. I watched with keen interest the brave struggles of those early settlers, to combat what appeared to be insuperable difficulties, and successfully carve out comfortable homes for themselves and their families, from what was hitherto a wilderness.

THE McGRATH FAMILY.

The late Mr Patrick McGrath, snr, and family arrived in Queensland from Ireland about eighty years ago. There were several sons in the family (of whom Mr Philip H. McGrath, now of Sandgate, was the youngest). The family resided at Warrill Creek, near Ipswich, for a few years. Young Philip, then only six years, attended a private school in the neighbourhood until he became old enough to attend St Mary’s, Ipswich, to which he walked daily for some years. Years were now passing by, and Philip McGrath in his early teens took to bullock driving, and carried loading over the range to western towns, including Mitchell, Surat, and Bick and Brown’s on the Mooney. Mr McGrath also carried goods to Warwick and Goondiwindi. In 1867 the family decided to settle on the land on Laidley Creek, and Philip, by this time quickly growing to manhood, drove the first farmer’s dray up Laidley Creek to his father’s selection. Philip was a hard worker, and soon proved he had brains, and managed his father’s farm with marked success for some years. In the early seventies he acquired land on his own account and got married; his wife being Miss Nora Moroney, whose

20 parents, the late Mr and Mrs Moroney, kept a hotel near the Lagoon, Laidley, in the old carrying days. Year by year Mr McGrath proved that the practical knowledge of agriculture, aided by intelligence and perseverance, was of greater value than the book lore of science of agriculture. During his long and busy career he achieved success, and not only secured a competence for himself, but also assisted his large family to walk in the way of success. Mr McGrath’s busy life did not prevent him from taking a keen interest in every movement for the betterment of the district in which he lived, and in this he had at all times the generous assistance of his late wife, whose hospitality was a household word in the whole of the district. It was mainly through the advocacy of Mr McGrath that the Mulgowie railway line was built in 1911, and it was this year he retired to live at Sandgate to enjoy in quiet and comfort the eve of his long and useful life. Mr McGrath is just over eighty-six years of age. He is hale and hearty, and still plays bowls and takes an enjoyable interest in other sports, and is quite alert in looking after his various private interests.

OTHER PROMINENT PIONEERS.

Messrs Scott and Hunter, who were brothers-in-law, were amongst the first settlers in the Laidley Valley. Mr Scott disposed of his interests after a few years and left the district. They called their home “Burnside” after their native place in Scotland, and this name continued for the district until the opening of the Laidley Creek railway in 1911, when the railway authorities gave the name of Mulgowie to the terminus railway station. The late Mr Hunter, like Mr McGrath, had expert knowledge of agriculture, and did much for the prosperity of the district. He was held in the highest esteem as a man of strict integrity, whose word was his bond. Mr Hunter’s eldest son, William, was an officer in the South African War, where his health suffered, sending to an early grave, a life of much promise. His other sons are upholding their father’s sense of honour. Bob is a successful business man in Brisbane, and Jim is following in his father’s footsteps in the Laidley Valley.

The late Mr White was another of the first settlers, and secured a comfortable home on Laidley Creek, known as “The Willows”. Mr White represented the district in the McIlwraith Parliament in conjunction with the late Mr William Kellet, as members for Stanley. It was then a double electorate, and was afterwards divided, the south- eastern half taking the name of Lockyer. Mr White was a supporter of the late Sir Samuel Griffith. Both McIlwraith and Griffith were powerful leaders of their respective parties – Nationlist and Liberal. There was not a Labour party in those days, unless we acknowledge Mr Thomas Glassey as a leader of a party of one. He was the only Labour representative for years.

The late Mr Colin Peacock acquired a valuable holding at Thornton, his junction paddock being regarded as first-class fattening country for cattle. Mr Peacock confined his energies to cattle raising. His sons, Henry and Walter, occupy the estate, and are successfully keeping up the prestige as men on the land, achieved by the pioneers. Mrs Peacock, sen., retired after the death of her husband, to spend the remainder of her life in the town of Laidley, and continues to take a keen interest in the welfare and progress of her family, many of whom are comfortably settled on the land in the Laidley Valley. Mrs Peacock is close up to being a nonagenarian.

21 Tuesday, June 7th, 1932

EARLY DAYS OF LAIDLEY.

Pastor Niemeyer’s Great Work.

SUCCESSFUL LAND SETTLEMENT SCHEMES.

Further references are made by Mr M. O’Keeffe in this article, to the pioneers of the Laidley district, and also to features of the early establishment of the town. The writer pays tribute to the great organising ability of the late pastor Niemeyer, who, in addition to assisting in the development of the Hatton Vale district, successfully initiated land settlement schemes in different parts of the State.

The late Mr Samuel Cooper was, I think, an older resident of Laidley than any of the old pioneers previously named. He was an employee of Messrs Mort and Laidley, of Franklyn Vale Station. He did not engage in farming until after the station relinquished the Laidley portion of the station. He continued to look after the station’s interest in the stock still running in the district until closer settlement finally forced the station to withdraw all stock. Mr Cooper married a Miss Fletcher, whose parents kept a hotel in the old Laidley township in the carrying days before the advent of the railway, where they continued to do business until new Laidley – the present town – captured all business, and the old Laidley town practically died out. This was caused by the fact that the railway was constructed some two or three miles north. This history would not be complete without honourable mention being made of the late Mrs Cooper. The Fletchers and the Coopers were in comfortable circumstances at the time, and owned practically most of the land on the western side of Patrick Street. In those early days when numbers of men carrying swags were travelling west, Mrs Cooper was always generous to them, and to the poor of the township she gave freely, and was looked upon as one of the most charitable ladies. Her name is remembered by all who knew her. She died a few years ago, well advanced in her eighties, mourned by numerous and affectionate friends.

There were many other early settlers who contributed their share towards helping the progress of the district, notably the Moroneys, Joseph and William Cook, Edward and James Heenan, John McGorrigal and John Campbell. Mr James Heenan came to Laidley before his brother, and it was on his advice that Edward Heenan came from the Hunter River, in New South Wales, and it was the latter who first introduced lucerne growing in the Lockyer, which afterwards proved such a valuable asset to the prosperity of the district, particularly Laidley Creek. Mr John Campbell secured valuable land on the western banks of Laidley Creek, near what has ever since been known as Campbell’s bridge, three and a half miles from the new township of Laidley. Mr Campbell went in chiefly for lucerne growing, and was fortunate in securing land that proved capable of growing the crop even in severe drought. He also went in, as a sideline, for grazing. It was not long before Mr Campbell had built one of the finest homes to be found in any rural district; a home in its setting, that reminded one forcibly of the best farm houses in England, the country whence he

22 came. Those old pioneers had no scientific training in agriculture, but they had what is of much greater value to the man on the land who has to win from the soil the means of a livelihood, namely – hard won practical experience, applied with sound common sense. All the old pioneers who have been mentioned have passed away, with the exception of Mr P.H. McGrath, and if appearances go for anything, the old gentleman will see many more Summers. He has a legion of friends who will say “Amen” to this.

LAIDLEY’S DEVELOPMENT.

The township of Laidley soon showed signs of progress. The late Mr George Wyman, in 1888, established a small grocery business in Railway Street, and after a time he moved into Patrick Street, where he established the prosperous business of a general store still carried out with great success by his family. Mr Wyman received his training at Cribb & Foote’s, Ipswich, which enabled him to handle his new venture with businesslike tact and ability. On the death of Mr Wyman, Mr William Blake became manager, for which position his early training with Mr Wyman proved valuable to him. As years went on other business men established themselves in the new town, notably H. Daniel (butcher and grazier), Robt. Dunn (bootmaker), Duncan (draper), Daly (draper), and the late Mr John Geen, who transferred his butchering business from the old township. The late Mr Fred Chambers built the first hotel in the present town of Laidley in 1877, on the site occupied by Mr Carmody’s Railway Hotel. Mr Chambers’ first hotel was burnt down. This was practically the first building to start the new town, except the railway station. The station building was constructed in England and was imported ready to erect by the McAlister Government. It was practically all iron, except flooring, etc., and is still doing duty. The ground floors were, and are still, used as offices. The upper rooms housed many station masters and their families for some time, until in recent years, more comfortable provision was made for station masters’ residence.

About this time the post office was kept at the railway station, and it was not until 1896, or thereabouts, that a Post Office building was erected in Patrick Street, Laidley, and Mr Macklin took charge of the new office. Mr Macklin, who gave very efficient service to the department, retired under the age limit provisions a year ago.

SPLENDID GERMAN SETTLERS.

The land north of Laidley railway, viz., Plainland, Hatton Vale, and Prenzlau, was of a different character from that of Laidley Creek east. It was mostly scrub, and the settlers who selected land there were mostly German or of German origin. The selectors who went in for scrub land in the early days did so chiefly because it suited their purses. The heavy forest lands required an equipment of horses and the usual farm implements, while the scrub land required only an axe, a hoe, and a crosscut, with a plentiful supply of bone, muscle, and energy. Amongst original pioneers were the Zillmann brothers, the Mutzelburgs, and the Schiechts. Further along in the open forest country the late Mr Thomas Bourke had a good home and fairly large area in the Woolshed district.

Mr Andreas Schiecht is still hale and hearty, and continues to take a keen interest in all public affairs having for their object the betterment of the district. He has been,

23 and is still, a member of the Laidley Shire Council, extending over many years, thus proving his popularity. He is a Justice of the Peace, and generally speaking, has been the spokesman for the district on public questions. In recording events of the pioneering days of the Lockyer, there was no more notable personality than the late Rev. Pastor Niemeyer, of the Hatton Vale Apostolic Church. Early in the history of Hatton Vale he came to the district, and after working in the neighbourhood for some time, his wonderful energies and powers of organization would not be denied. In a short time he gathered around him a comparatively large congregation, and established the Apostolic Religion in Hatton Vale off his own bat. He soon discovered, however, that he had no legal standing in exercising the different functions appertaining to the position of a minister of religion. Through the good offices of the then Member for Lockyer, Mr Armstrong, a short Act of Parliament was passed, which rectified the disabilities which had hitherto stultified his activities. After he had firmly established himself and his new religion in Hatton Vale he began to look further afield. He successfully established foundations at Mt Beppo, in the Esk district, and at Mackay and other centres. But the crowning work of his great organising activities was when he induced the Government of the day to throw open to selection a large area of agricultural land at Baffle Creek on the North Coast line. This area was reserved for the nominees of Pastor Niemeyer only. Nobody else could select in this area.

A SUCCESSFUL MISSION.

After the concession was granted by the government of the day, the next move of the Pastor was to proceed to Germany to recruit for families willing to throw in their lot with the Baffle Creek settlement. So successful was his mission that he chartered a ship to transport his people to Queensland, and he found that a second trip to Germany was necessary in order to secure further reinforcements for other foundations. Of course the conditions of farming and land settlement were strange to the newcomers, and it was here again that Pastor Niemayer’s great foresight and organising skill asserted itself. He selected from his followers in Hatton Vale and elsewhere, experienced men to superintend and direct the new settlement, which proved a great success. This, in my opinion, was a very good move to fill our empty spaces with a desirable class. There is no gainsaying that the German settlers are amongst the most successful men on the land that ever farmed in Australia. Having lived amongst Germans almost all my life I have no hesitation in saying they make good citizens and loyal Australians. Pastor Niemeyer was interned during the Great War, and on his release his health broke down, and he died soon after, deeply mourned by his people. It is opportune here to mention the fact that when I was in Ireland as immigration agent for the Queensland Government, in 1911, I discussed this matter with the Agent-General, Sir Thomas Robinson. I asked Sir Thomas if the privileges granted to Pastor Niemeyer regarding group land settlement, would be extended to me if I found not fewer than twenty-five families with an average of £150 each. Sir Thomas was sympathetic, but said the Queensland Government had ceased to grant such concessions. I was very disappointed, but I was still more saddened with the thought that no such privileges were ever offered to the sons of Queensland, and particularly to the young men born on the land, the sons of farmers and farm labourers. I shall have something to say later on land settlement and immigration, as well as the inalienable rights of the native born men and women of Queensland.

24 Tuesday, June 14th, 1932.

PEOPLING THE COUNTRY.

An Essential for Development.

HOW DEPRESSION CAN BE COUNTERED.

The question of greater land settlement in Queensland is dealt with in this article by Mr M. O’Keeffe, who makes a plea for immigration and also consideration of the claims of the native-born of the State. He strongly advocates the principle of freehold tenure and, in referring to the existing industrial depression, urges that more conciliatory methods between employers and employees be established. The “go- slow” movement initiated by tyrannical unionism must be abolished.

In recording reminiscences regarding the pioneer settlers of the Lockyer, I mentioned the late Pastor Niemeyer as having achieved unique success in land settlement by inducing the Government of the day to set apart large areas of first class agricultural land for his nominees only. This gave him the opportunity of proceeding to Germany and he secured some hundreds of the right class of people to occupy that country.

This policy set one thinking deeply at the time. I wrote articles to the papers urging that such facilities be granted to groups of farmers to select land contiguous to each other at low prices under a co-operative system, enabling the selectors in their initial difficulties to be of mutual help to each other. If I remember rightly there was a co- operative clause in the Land Act of 1897, providing that the residence condition be relaxed to enable half of the number co-operating to be absent from their homesteads at a time, to enable them to earn funds to pay their way. The Labour policy at the time was utterly opposed to immigration under any system, on the grounds that immigrants were not wanted to compete in the labour market.

DAYS OF LOST OPPORTUNITIES.

This was a most erroneous and narrow-minded view of the matter. If comparatively large areas, as in the case of the Niemeyer settlements, were thrown open to group selectors the policy would create work. The land would have to be cleared and stumped, fences erected, houses and other improvements built. These settlements would create new townships where trade and business would give employment to many. Shops would be built and all this would be creating permanent residents who would add to our population, thus shouldering a share of our enormous debt and heavy burden of taxation. Those were the days of lost opportunities.

I am well aware that the time is not now opportune for any forward policy of immigration. The opportunity will come again if we are fortunate enough to possess statesmen capable of grappling with the situation as it will then appear. When land settlement and immigration are again taken up there should be no tinkering by Governments in building and preparing homesteads for would-be farmers, and selecting the wrong class of men who have had no experience, nor even the proper spirit to face the hardships of pioneering. Government attempts at preparing

25 farmsteads are always very costly and usually overwhelm the would-be farmer. All previous attempts proved a miserable fiasco.

CLAIMS OF NATIVE–BORN.

In all the talk of land settlement there has never been the slightest special concession given to native-born young men of this State, and during the last twenty-five years the land laws have become more and more restricted and difficult, forcing a perpetual drift to the cities from the farm. This has a double disadvantage. In the first place it forces farmers’ sons and farm hands to the city to compete successfully for jobs on railways, trams, and the police force and other business positions, thus pushing the city-bred worker out. This is all too well recognised. The country-bred workers are found to be more reliable and they get the jobs.

On the other hand if our land laws were made to encourage young men to settle on the land, and particularly young men born on the land, it would prove a great advantage to the nation and a relief to the city worker. I appeal then to the powers that be, to so amend our land laws so as to make it possible for our farm youths to settle on the land; to amend our land laws so as a group of two or more young men could select land contiguous to each other so as they could co-operate for mutual advantage. The land should be cheap and made available on easy terms.

FREEHOLD TENURE NECESSARY.

In this way the right class of people would be induced to settle on the land. The land should be on the freehold tenure. I claim that freehold farming is essential to success. I have spent nearly half a century farming and grazing in this country, and I say without hesitation, that the farmers in the far-famed Lockyer district or elsewhere would not have secured a competence for their old age, much less be able to make proper provision for their families, if they were deprived of the enhancement of their life-long labours and confined to the system of perpetual leasehold tenure. Very few farmers started life with much capital, but under the freehold system the farmer beginner was able to finance himself. In view of his holding ultimately becoming a freehold he was able to command credit. He struggled on and on to improve his holding, thus creating an increment which rightly belonged to him. In this way he was ever buoyed up with the prospect that some day the homestead would be his own.

We have got good land and the Crown should make it available to selectors at a nominal price and under easy conditions, and thus stem the drift from the farm to the city. This policy would secure the class of would-be farmer instead of the abortive costly attempt of the village settlement of 1894, and the more recent soldiers’ settlements, both of which proved miserable failures.

THE BURDEN OF DEBT.

The following is a quotation from an article written by me which appeared in “The Peoples’ Weekly”, Sydney, on January 31st, 1923, and which speaks for itself -

“We have immense areas of unoccupied land and we are also carrying a huge public debt. We want more people to occupy the empty spaces and shoulder some of the

26 debt. Opponents of immigration would condemn us to carry this crushing burden without any hope of our ever being able to put our beloved Australia on a sound footing. They would condemn us selfishly to try to stick to this huge unpeopled country until we had become the prey of the Asiatic hordes who have already envious eyes upon our shores. They would condemn us to a selfish, inactive existence until the great scourge of the prickly pear and the rabbit would have taken complete possession of this wonderful land which God surely intended for millions of the human race in need of homes. And all this because they want Australia for themselves! If these opponents of immigration would give a moment’s serious thought to land settlement pursued on sane lines, they would see that instead of creating unemployment, it would provide work for thousands, and generally make for prosperity. In order to encourage the right class of people to come to this country and settle on the land, we must insist on less harassing legislation. We must have instead, sympathetic and intelligent administration. We must have an administration with a clear business grasp of our export products; an administration that will watch our interests in the markets of the world, for it is here that the key to successful land settlement is to be found. The Attorney-General should be abolished and a commercial agent appointed, whose duty it would be to watch over our commercial interests. With the High Commissioner of Australia should rest the social side. Our State representative should be a business man with his coat off, so to speak, to watch and take advantage of, every opportunity to push our primary products not only in London, but particularly in the Eastern countries, where I doubt not, there is ample room for the efforts of a successful commercial agent.”

THE WORLD DEPRESSION.

I may be permitted to digress while I comment on the depression which now holds Australia in its grip. Many differ as to the cause, but most thinking people agree that the great world war was mainly responsible. The world war loosened the purse strings which hitherto kept finance within safe bounds, and individuals as well as nations, borrowed foolishly and spent lavishly on unreproductive works, much of the borrowed capital being used to inflate wages. The result has been to increase the cost of production with a costlier breakfast table for the wage earner. This policy made it almost impossible for our primary products to compete in the markets of the world. We need not stress the fact that the burden of debt is almost overwhelming. It is too well known; nor do we want to make light of the task of meeting our obligations. Greater still is the problem of unemployment. To successfully grapple with this problem, we must first set about undoing the mischief of more than a quarter of a century of mischievous legislation. Towards the end of last century employers had full control in all industrial concerns. Their treatment of the worker was not always just; sometimes even cruel. On the advent of universal suffrage the tables were turned.

UNION TYRANNY.

Cruel as some employers were there is no comparison as measured with the tyranny of labour unionism. Every right thinking person will support fair wages, and reasonable hours of work. On the other hand every honest person, having the best interest of this country, at least must condemn the go-slow policy of unionism – the policy to do as little as possible for good wages, fight for greater wages, and less

27 hours of labour. Many good workers condemn this policy, but they must obey the union bosses. The law or the rule which prevents employers from discharging an employee, however incompetent, is not fair or just. There should be freedom of contract between the employer and the employee. All public works either by the central government or the civic authorities, should be carried out on the contract system. Unless there is freedom of contract in the hiring of labour, men with capital and brains will be chary in investing. The fear of useless labour and strikes prevents men of means embarking in enterprises. It is impossible to estimate the grave injury which the community at large has to suffer through strikes, often of a trivial nature. This all goes to show the selfishness of the human race.

Friday, June 17th, 1932.

EARLY DAYS OF FOREST HILL.

Men Who Developed the District.

INDUSTRIOUS SETTLERS WHO WON THROUGH.

In referring to the development of the Forest Hill district, Mr M. O’Keeffe pays tribute to the pioneering qualities of many of the settlers who, with limited resources, entered upon their tasks with will and energy. The writer furnishes brief biographical sketches of their careers.

The late Mr M.J. McNamara, “Moss Vale”, Forest Hill, was born on the banks of the Shannon in 1847, and was the eldest son of the late Mr Patrick McNamara who arrived at Brisbane on July 12, 1832, with his wife and five children. Mr McNamara being then five years of age. Mr McNamara, after his school days and while yet in his teens, started on his own account in 1865 with bullock teams, working mainly in the McIntyre, Severn, and Pine Creek districts. Owing to the financial crisis which occurred in Queensland in 1866, Mr McNamara moved across the border to New South Wales where he continued his bullock team work until 1869. About this time he sold out his plant and tried his luck at the Boorook gold rush in that year. Mr McNamara had much experience in many other fields of adventure before he arrived in the Forest Hill district in 1887 where the writer first made his acquaintance. Owing to severe attacks of rheumatic fever he was left somewhat deformed. Notwithstanding this disability he was a bundle of energy. He was regarded as one of the keenest judges of livestock, and as a dealer he was most successful.

Mr McNamara settled down on his “Mossvale” property, part of the Rosewood estate near Forest Hill. His home was always a house of call to numerous friends where his wife and himself dispensed truly Irish hospitality. Mrs McNamara is still occupying the old home, where she has numerous friends of old and new times. Mrs McNamara was the daughter of the late Mr John Redmond, one of the most successful Irishmen who came to Queensland in the sixties, and soon after settled in Fernvale district, where he established himself as a successful grazier. In 1899, Mr Redmond purchased part of the Rosewood estate, where he spent many years towards the end of his life. Mr Redmond died in 1905. He is remembered as a man of sterling qualities, whose friendship was much appreciated.

28

BUSINESS HOUSES ESTABLISHED.

When the Rosewood and Tarampa estates were repurchased by the then government for closer settlement, there were practically no business places in Forest Hill, because up to then the whole of the land was held on both sides of the railway by the Jondaryan Estates Co of Australia – Kent & Wienholt. As soon, however, as the estates were cut up and farmers began to settle thereon business firms established branches. The late Mr George Wyman, of Laidley, with that keen business acumen for which he was noted, opened a branch of his prosperous Laidley general store at Forest Hill. Mr Robert Balantine, of Gatton, another astute businessman, did likewise. Those business men in their wisdom saw that Forest Hill, being practically the centre of three great estates, Rosewood, Tarampa and Lake Clarendon, was being quickly settled by a large population and they lost no time in “staking their claims”. Mr Alex McAlister soon afterwards, established a thriving general store, and he invested capital in other directions which did much for the prosperity of the town and district. He was one of the original purchasers of a farm on the Rosewood estate which he worked with great success. Besides giving keen attention to his private business Mr McAlister devoted much of his spare time to public affairs. He represented the district on the Laidley Shire Council and Agricultural Society for many years. There were many residents such as Wm. Whittle and others, whose names do not occur to me just at the moment, who contributed towards the prosperity of the town and the district.

Mr James McCartney, JP, went into business in Forest Hill in later years as produce agent. Before he started business in Forest Hill he was on the land on the Rosewood estate. His career since his boyhood stands out clearly, as a bright example to the young men of today. He was not the kind that was always crying for big wages, fewer hours, and “go-slow” policy. After working for a farmer at Indooroopilly at low wages he took sub-contracts on the Brisbane Valley railway construction, and by sheer hard work and thrift he acquired sufficient to purchase a holding on the Rosewood estate when that country was thrown open to closer settlement. He succeeded in securing a home for himself and a competence for his declining years. Mr McCartney is now engaged in the produce line of business in Brisbane, where the reputation for strict integrity, which he earned during his career, is recognised by his numerous clients.

THE LURE OF THE LAND.

Mr Albert G. Kluck, JP., was one of the early purchasers of property on the Rosewood estate. He was born at Lowood in 1878, and is a son of the late Mr Michael Kluck, one of the early pioneer settlers of Queensland. Mr Kluck received his education in the State School in his native district, which he greatly enhanced by reading and private study. While still in his teens he was employed by the late Mr Robert Ballantine as assistant in his store at Gatton, where he worked for five years. Mr Kluck was attracted to agriculture again and purchased land at Scott’s paddock, Helidon. (Scott’s paddock belonged to the well-known Scott family of Hornett Bank, and was then being cut up for closer settlement.) Mr Kluck worked on this farm with much success for about seven years and sold out at a satisfactory price. He was now attracted to the rich lands of the Lockyer and purchased 160 acres of the Rosewood

29 estate, which he worked with wonderful success, establishing a fine home. This farm and home he handed over a few years since to his son, and although he was now well into middle-aged life, he purchased land on the Speering estate, Grantham, where by energy and practical knowledge he again succeeded in establishing a comfortable home. Mr Kluck takes a keen interest in public affairs, and has served on the Tarampa Shire Council for years, and is a member of the Gatton Race Club. He once contested the Lockyer Parliamentary seat and was defeated.

There are a number of farmers, natives of the Lockyer, who with very little capital at their disposal, purchased farms on the Rosewood and Tarampa estates and made good; and this fact once more reminds me of the wisdom of making good land available under easy conditions to the sons of the soil, as well as to other native-born sons of Queensland, who possess the spirit and enterprise of facing the initial hardships inevitable to the beginner on virgin land. Amongst the native-born sons of the Lockyer farming on the Rosewood estates were Messrs Tom Moroney, Robert Gill, Len Lester, J.J.C. Nielson, the brothers, P. and J. Lyons, A. O’Brien, Pomerankes, Schultz, and numerous others whose names do not occur to me now. Amongst the first to purchase homes on the Rosewood estate was the late Whitmore Logan. Mr Logan was an ideal farmer and from the first proved his expert knowledge of agriculture, and “Grey Friars” is a landmark in Forest Hill. Mr Logan’s eldest son, Major T.J. Logan, was killed at Quinn’s Post, Gallipolli, on August 7, 1915. Of the other sons, four were in active service. One of the sons, Mr George Andrew Logan, represented the Lockyer in the Parliament of Queenland for a number of years. In later years the Nielson family sold out their property at Laidley Creek west, and settled on a farm fronting the highway near Forest Hill.

LOWER BLENHEIM SETTLES.

The valley running due south from the Lockyer Plains, Forest Hill is known as Sandy Creek, comprising the districts of Blenheim and Mount Berryman. In a previous article I gave some particulars of these districts. Amongst the first settlers on Lower Blenheim were Messrs Pitt, Blake, Fitzpatrick, Dowling, Carmody, James Madden, etc. These settlers selected on land mostly open forest. The late Mr James Madden, who was a carpenter by trade, after a few years farming at Blenheim, retired to Ipswich in 1876 where he worked at his trade until old age compelled him to retire. His family are respected residents of Ipswich, and the very Rev. Dr Madden, of Toowoomba, is his grandson. In those far-off days when few farmers possessed the means of transport from their farms to the railway, the late Mr James Pitt, with his bullock team, was kept busy in carting farm produce to Laidley railway station.

The late Mr R.J. Blake was one of the first settlers in Blenheim. He married a daughter of Mr James Pitt (who was his partner in his first efforts at farming). Mr Blake and Mrs Blake reared a large family who all proved excellent citizens of Queensland. Mr Blake gave much of his time as local preacher in the Methodist Church in the neighbourhood. He was held in the highest respect by all classes in the community. Mr John Fielding, whose death was recently recorded, took a keen interest in the affairs of the district where he resided for more than half a century. The late Mr Michael Carew was amongst the first to settle in the Blenheim district. I called on him in July, 1876, and found him then felling dense scrub on his selection. Mr and Mrs Carew were blessed with six stalwart sons, all of whom proved valuable

30 citizens, and the youngest, James D Carew, is the present occupant of the position of wool expert in the Department of Agriculture.

Tuesday, June 21st, 1932. POTENTIAL FRUIT-GROWING AREA.

Features of Mount Mistake.

VICE-REGAL VISIT RECALLED.

Features of Mount Mistake at the head of Laidley Creek, a plateau of hundreds of acres of rich scrub lands, suited for fruit culture, are described in this article by Mr M. O’Keeffe. The writer refers to the origin of the mountain’s name, and also recounts a tour of inspection in which Lord Chelmsford and the late Mr J. T. Bell were members of the party. At the head of Laidley Creek, a few miles above Peacock’s, is Mount Mistake, its lofty height on a spur of the Main Range being observable for miles. It is said that the Mount got its name from the fact that most of those climbing to its summit in the early days mistook the direction to return and got lost on the mountain. I remember an incident more than forty years ago when a party of six Laidley-ites, with a pair of horses and a buggy well laden with provisions for a picnic, proceeded up the Laidley Valley to the foot of the mountain. Here they unyoked the horses and tied them in the shade of a tree after feeding them. The party then set out to climb the mountain. (It was then, and I think it is yet, impossible to ride up that rugged and steep mountain.) The party succeeded in getting to the top where they spent a few hours “exploring”. When they decided to return to the camp they walked and walked but could not find their way back. Night coming on, further effort to find their way through the dense scrub was impossible. Next morning they set out early, and after several hours walking found themselves at Allora, hungry, tired, and penniless. Their object being a picnic, money was of no use, so they thought, and so on arrival at Allora they had not any money to pay their railway fares back to Laidley. A hotel- keeper named O’Callaghan generously came to their aid and advanced sufficient for their requirements. The horses for three days remained tied up without food or water.

I remember about that time I was one of a party to climb to the top and return in safety. Other members of the party were the late Mr T. J. Barker (“Old Sport”), an old and popular journalist of the staff of the “Queensland Times”, whose anecdotes and sporting news are still remembered by numerous admirers, the late Mr Alex Hunter, Mr Philip McGrath, now of Sandgate, and one or two others whose names I do not now recollect. Before we got to the last precipice Mr Barker rolled on the ground on the upper side of a log, and there lay panting and groaning for some minutes. We made a fresh start and arrived at the top.

PROLIFIC RED CEDAR.

Mount Mistake was originally covered with great quantities of red cedar which was removed by different sawmill owners, amongst whom were Messrs Filshie, Broadfoot and Co, Toowoomba, Mr Doorey, also erected a mill at another time, operating at different angles. Messrs Filshie, Broadfoot and Co erected a sawmilling plant, but

31 before they could get the logs down off the mountain they had to construct a shoot down which the large logs were shot, after being hauled by bullock teams (the bullocks were got on the mountain from the Blackfellow’s Creek side). This shoot cost many hundreds of pounds and was of considerable length. I remember standing on the mountain on the opposite side of Laidley Creek at a point overlooking the heifer paddock of the Fassifern Station. This point was more then two miles from the site of the shoot. Looking across at the huge logs coming down the shoot at a terrific rate striking the ground at the bottom, and toppling over and over had the appearance of a monster wild animal in the distance. During these operations there were two or three fatal accidents. After most of the valuable timber was removed the company took away the plant.

FRUIT-GROWING POSSIBILITIES.

Mount Mistake is a plateau and comprises many hundred of acres of rich scrubland admirably adapted for fruit-growing with a permanent stream of water running through its centre. At its high elevation it possesses a wonderful salubrious climate. In 1906 I applied to the Lands Department to throw the lands open to selection, preferably for fruit culture. The late Mr J. T. Bell, as Minister for Lands, arranged for an inspection and invited Lord Chelmsford, the then Governor of Queensland, to accompany the party. Mr Feez, a well-known Brisbane identity of the legal profession, was also of the party. Mr Feez owned the property known as “Point Pure” on the Blackfellow’s Creek Valley, and abutting on the tableland, where he bred some fine stock horses and mountain bred ponies.

The party drove from Gatton, Mr Feez driving the Vice-Regal party in a four-in-hand (there were no motor cars in the district at that time) and he handled the ribbons with the skill of a professional. Mr P. Dwyer, of Gatton, drove me with a sparkling pair of Shetland ponies and buggy. The drive from Gatton to “Point Pure” is somewhere near forty miles and Mr Feez’s four-in-hand took the lead and his whip cracked frequently.

We halted at Upper Tent Hill to inspect the proposed site of a bridge near the Tent Hill hotel, and I succeeded in getting Mr Bell to grant £400 from the Public Estate Improvement Fund towards the said bridge which was soon after built. We made a fresh start and it was amusing to note the pace of the small ponies, and were it not a breach of etiquette to pass the Vice-Regal party the ponies would have had no difficulty in doing so. When we arrived at “Point Pure” Lord Chelmsford complimented Mr Dwyer, and patted the ponies. At his Excellency’s touch they reared and pawed the air. Lord Chelmsford exclaimed, “It would take another forty miles to steady the brave little chaps.”

The party was entertained by Mr Feez at his country residence on the “Point Pure” property. I had sent my favourite stock horse, “Silver Leaf” from my home at Blenheim, and Mr Feez provided mounts for His Excellency and the other members of the party. Next morning we started for the mountain, and while still on the “Point Pure” property we sighted some dingoes, but they disappeared quickly around a hillock. His Excellency expressed a desire to see the dingoes at closer quarters. I had spent a good deal of my life on horseback in similar country and I quickly rode

32 around the mount in the opposite direction and succeeded in driving the pack of dingoes back sufficiently near the party for inspection.

“BOILING THE BILLY.”

After a few hundred yards more we commenced to climb the steep and rugged mountain track of several miles in length. We were not long on the tabletop when light rain began to fall, but this did not hinder us making a thorough inspection of the land. Having ridden across from west to east we arrived at the site of the old timber shoot overlooking Laidley Creek at Townson. It was still raining and we had to prepare for lunch. I offered to undertake the difficult task of making a fire from wet firewood if someone would fetch water from a stream about a mile away. Mr Feez and two young gentlemen of the Vice-Regal party volunteered and they started off each carrying a “Jack Shay.” We had the fire blazing when they came back with a quart pot of spring water each.

During the operation of starting the fire Lord Chelmsford insisted on doing his part, but Mr Bell took shelter with his back against the trunk of a huge pine tree. The tea was soon made and the cloth spread for the tempting lunch provided by Mr Feez. Lord Chelmsford jocularly remarked that “everyone did something towards preparing the tea, but Mr Bell, and we will not let him have any.” Bell sprang to action and was the first to fill his pannikin.

Concerning our object in visiting Mount Mistake, we were not long on our way when my suspicions were roused that certain local influence would prove that my proposal to throw the land open to selection would fail. Mr Bell decided that Mount Mistake would be reserved for reafforestation. There the matter ended for the time and the land is still lying waste. I am still convinced that its use should be put to fruit culture.

I mentioned that Mr Feez, at the time I write of, was breeding some fine stock horses and ponies. He was riding one of these mountain-bred animals on the occasion of our visit to Mt Mistake and the fact proved beyond a doubt two things – that the pony was absolutely surefooted and Mr Feez was a superior horseman. On our return down the steep and precipitous track Mr Feez rode his pony at a breakneck pace showing great courage and horsemanship, and displaying the wonderful surefootedness of these mountain-bred animals.

Friday, June 24th, 1932.

BOONAH’S PART IN CO-OPERATION.

Status of Country Dwellers.

CHANGE IN AGENT-GENERAL SYSTEM.

The splendid assistance rendered the co-operative movement in the West Moreton by the Boonah district is referred to by Mr M. O’Keeffe in this article. Tribute is also paid to the valuable services to the dairying industry of the late Mr John Mahon, at one time Principal of the Gatton Agricultural College. The writer deals with the

33 subject of Australia’s representation in Britain, and welcomes the decision of the New South Wales Government to abolish the Agent-General system.

When I set out to write these reminiscences I had in mind the Lockyer only, where I had lived most of my life. When I attended an extra ordinary general meeting of shareholders of the Queensland Farmers’ Co-operative Association, Ltd., recently held at Ipswich, and witnessed the large and representative character of the meeting I remembered that other centres besides the Lockyer were entitled to honourable mention. Leading dairymen were present from every centre of West Moreton, and I at once recognised that, having written so much on the early co-operative movement, credit should be given to the Fassifern-Boonah district for the noble part played by it in the history of the company. The sound position of the Queensland Farmers’ Co. today is largely due to Boonah and the loyal support of the surrounding district. The Boonah branch of the company is one of the largest, best equipped, and most up-to- date butter factories in Australia. Mr S. Dover was the first manager of the branch, and a large share of the success achieved is due to his able management. With the present up-to-date plant the present management has improved beyond all praise. We must not forget that the “spade work” of organization is largely due to the men who loyally gave their support to the co-operative movement from its inception. So numerous were the supporters of the movement in this district and so difficult for me to remember all, I feel it would be invidious to mention names.

Boonah, from a butter factory point of view, has great advantages over other districts. It is situated in the centre of a large and prosperous population of dairymen, extending north, south, east, and west, for more than twenty miles. It draws its cream supplies from this area without competition. There is no other district east of the main range so advantageously situated. When people are getting old it is quite usual when looking back, to think the time short since the beautiful district of the Fassifern was first being settled by farmers. Visiting the Boonah district now and passing through the undulating dairy country that was once covered by dense scrub, the eye beholds delightful scenery dotted with comfortable homes carved out of the wilderness by a determined class of men who would scorn the idea of being suckled in a government job, with the ever-present fear of being thrown on the dole, or left homeless on reaching the age limit.

POSITION OF THE COUNTRYMAN.

The Boonah district, as well as the Lockyer and other districts of West Moreton, are well worth a visit by city dwellers. It would certainly give them a broader vision when speaking of the man on the land. The intelligent city man, must, following such a visit, come to the conclusion that after all a comfortable home on the land is among the noblest agencies for a contented and happy life. In writing this, my mind is full of the grave mischief done to land settlement by the Australian humorist and the Australian cartoonist. These “artists” appear to set themselves the task of forcing the inferiority complex upon the people who live on the land. “Steele Rudd” who was himself a man on the land, in “Dad on Our Selection” indeed saw the humorous side of the pioneering days of the “Old Hands,” but his humour was sympathetic, and there was no sneer in him, but our modern humorists and cartoonists have done to

34 death his “Dad” and “Dave”, and would have us all believe that the men and women of the land in Australia are a pack of ignoramuses.

We meet intelligence in our cities as a whole, but the stalwarts of olden days will be pardoned if they confess that they fail to be impressed with the intelligence of hosts of the younger generations of today. Conversation nowadays seems to be confined to amusements, sports, races, etc. etc. It is notable that the greatest statesman of the world today – Signor Mussolini of Italy – made it the first act of his administration to close half the theatres, picture shows, and racecourses of his country. He at least realised that it was his job to impress upon the nation that life was not one great jazz, but that it was a serious problem. Would that a Mussolini would arise in Australia to set our house in order!

A PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION.

Reverting to the early history of co-operation and the wonderful advance made in the last quarter of a century, we must not forget the great services rendered to the dairy industry by the late Mr John Mahon. He came to Queensland from Victoria by appointment through the Queensland government of the day. He visited, with the travelling dairy, practically all the rural districts of the State giving lectures and practical demonstrations on dairying – butter and cheese making, etc. It was greatly due to the education imparted by Mr Mahon that the eyes of the Queensland farmers were opened to the advantages to be had by embarking on the improved methods of scientific dairying. Mr Mahon was appointed Principal of the Queensland Agricultural College, Gatton, about 1899, a position he filled with credit until his death in 1911. During his occupancy of that position he twice visited England and Scotland to purchase pedigree stock – dairy cattle and draught stallions – and it was during his last visit there that his health broke down, and he died within a year of his return to Queensland.

INCUBUS ON THE TAXPAYER.

In my article under the heading “Peopling the Country”, which appeared in the “Queensland Times” of June 14th, I quoted from an article written by me which appeared in “The People’s Weekly,” Sydney, on January, 21st 1923. In that quotation the following message occurs – “The Agency General should be abolished and a commercial agent appointed in his place, whose duty it should be to watch over our commercial interests. With the High Commissioner should rest the social duties. Our State representative should be a business man with his coat off, so to speak, to watch and take advantage of every opportunity to push our primary products, not only in London and Great Britain, but particularly in the Eastern countries where I doubt not there is ample room for the efforts of a pushing and successful agent.”

This morning (June 22nd) the daily newspapers announce that the Stevens Government of New South Wales has recalled the Agent-General (Mr Willis) from London, and decided to abolish the New South Wales Agency-General, and to appoint instead a producer’s representative under the aegis of the government – exactly what I have been advocating for over twenty years.

35 I had an opportunity in 1911, as emigration agent to Ireland, of learning what was being done by the Queensland Office and I then came to the conclusion that the Agency-General in London was an incubus on the taxpayers of this country. With six Agency-General Offices in London, in addition to the office of the High Commissioner, there is no doubt in my mind that Australia is saddled with heavy costs of upkeep of these institutions without adequate results, and it is to be hoped that the other State governments will quickly follow the example just given by New South Wales. I will take this opportunity to state that within our own Australian shores there is ample room for readjustments. All governments, Federal and State, ran amuck, so to speak, in creating new offices. Primary producers, for instance, complain of the burden placed on their activities by the duplication of inspectors, graders, etc. Nobody denies the necessity of supervision, but the feeling prevails that expenses under this heading could be cut 50 per cent, and still give efficient service. Creating these positions and finding jobs for political supporters has been so rife for some years that everybody has wanted a soft job.

I remember many years ago the late Hon. B.D. Morehead, when opposing a Bill in the Queensland Parliament for the liberalising and extending of education in secondary and primary schools of Queensland, he declared that when everybody would be educated there would be no workers; everybody would want to be professional men or want “cushy” jobs. Mr Morehead was practically howled down and the Bill was passed. It looks as if Mr Morehead was right, for all the professions are overcrowded and lots of young men find it difficult to get a safe footing in the race of life. Be that as it may, it is certain that the present generations, whether highly educated or not, do not want to face hard work, and the outlook for many, even with improved conditions, is anything but bright.

LACK OF APPRECIATION.

I attended the Islington Exhibition (London) in 1911. This is regarded as one of the greatest exhibitions of dairy products of any country. At the Exhibition of that year there was keen competition from many countries, including Australia. Queensland won the first and two second prizes. I was delighted, particularly because the first prize was won by the Queensland Farmers’ Association, Booval. I waited anxiously for the Press report of our success next morning. To my chagrin there were just four lines saying Australia won first for unsalted, etc. There was no mention of Queensland and certainly no mention of our company. I was very wrath. I went straight to the Agent-General’s office in the Strand. The three Queensland prize- winning boxes of butter were placed in the Agent-General’s office window. I watched a long time to see if it would attract attention. There was practically none. Three ladies turned to have a look at the display of various things. I overheard one of them inquire,” I wonder what part of Sydney is Queensland.” The forwarding of these exhibits to London cost a lot of time and money and the result proved that very little was gained.

MR WILLIAM HUNTER.

At the dairymen’s meeting held recently at Ipswich, I was informed by a relative of Mr William Hunter that I had made a mistake in an article on the early pioneers of Laidley Valley by saying that that gentleman had passed away. It is with great

36 pleasure that I now correct that mistake. Mr Hunter, I am pleased to say, is still with us. I confused Mr Hunter’s name with that of his brother-in-law, the late Mr Alfred Adie, who was severely wounded in the South African War and succumbed to his injuries a few years after returning to Queensland. The Hunter family are held by me in the highest esteem and I regret the error, more especially as Mr Wm Hunter is a dear personal friend of mine.

Tuesday, June 28th, 1932.

BLACKFELLOW’S CREEK VALLEY.

Some of Its Early Settlers.

HELIDON AS A HEALTH RESORT.

Reference is made in this article by Mr M. O’Keeffe, to the pioneering days in Blackfellow’s Creek Valley, where many of the settlers, with limited financial resources, turned to good account their industry. The writer also describes some of the features of the Helidon district, and prophesies that it must eventually be chosen for the establishment of a sanatorium. The Blackfellow’s Creek Valley, from its junction with the Lockyer Creek near Gatton, extends over forty miles south to the Main Range. In the late “sixties” this whole area was in the hands of pastoralists. In 1869 the late Mr James Logan, sen., selected land at Upper Tent Hill. Mr Logan arrived in Queensland from Scotland about 1860, and after spending some time in the Redbank and Goodna districts, where he was engaged in various pursuits, such as coalmining and farming, he settled down on his selection, “Bonny Bank”, Upper Tent Hill, where he successfully carried on farming and dairying until he retired about the beginning of this century. He died a few years ago, well advanced towards being a nonagenerian. His youngest son, Peter, is now owner and occupier of the fine home carved out of the wilderness, by the hard work and good management of his pioneer parents.

A COURAGEOUS WOMAN.

Pioneers who selected land at Upper Tent Hill about the same time were the late Messrs James Currie, Chalmers, Peechy, Murrihy and others, all of whom did their share in opening up the district. Some years after, the first settlers came to the district. Mrs Nora O’Dea purchased a farm near Mount Sylvia. Although Mrs O’Dea cannot be classed as an early pioneer, she is deserving of special mention, as an encouraging example to the young people of the present day, as to what can be achieved by determination and good management. Mrs O’Dea, whose husband was a railway employee residing at Nundah, was left a widow with a family of six young children; but with very little of the world’s goods. The death of her husband was a heavy blow to her, but after the first shock she was not long in deciding her future course of action. She purchased a farm from her slender resources, paying a deposit on it, and entered, with her young family, into dairying. After years of strenuous work she achieved success, and retired, leaving all her family provided for.

Lower down the Blackfellow’s Creek Valley, near Gatton, there are descendants of many pioneer families; the Donaghues, Cooks, Ryans, and others. The late Mr

37 William Ryan, of Lower Tent Hill, was the father of the present Commissioner for Police, Mr W. H. Ryan. Mr Ryan, snr. was of the sturdy type of successful men on the land.

ROPELEY AND INGOLDSBY.

On the eastern side of Blackfellow’s Creek Valley are the districts of Ropeley and Ingoldsby. Both of these districts were originally covered with dense scrub and, with few exceptions, the land was selected by Germans, who, in almost every instance, were successful settlers, giving proof where needed, that the German immigrants and their descendants are amongst the most successful settlers in this country. Standing on a high hill above the Ropeley State School the panorama that meets the eye is a pleasant sight. The undulating scene, dotted with comfortable homes, recalls to my mind when I used to ride through the dense scrub in the locality with few habitations in sight.

HELIDON’S PIONEERS.

Helidon, like the other districts of the Lockyer and West Moreton, is peopled by a rural population whose early pioneers did much to make their district what it is today. Space will not permit giving full justice to many whose self-sacrificing efforts to help in the development of the district is worthy of all praise. Amongst the most deserving of notice, perhaps, is Mr Daniel Ryan, of Flagstone. For the last thirty years he has taken a keen interest in every movement pertaining to the progress of the district, and during most of that time he represented the shareholders on the Board of Directors of the Queensland Co-operative Company. Prominent men in the public life of the district were also James Scanlan, of Flagstone; Charles Gunne, Helidon; M.Dever, of Deverton Park. Rockmount, and numerous others whose names escape me just now. Queensland owes much to the intrepid men and women who faced almost insuperable difficulties of pioneering on the land, and who did more to make Australia a nation than even the captains of industry, and governments whose policy has ever been to encourage people to swarm into the cities to the detriment of the most vital interests of the country.

SANATORIUM PROPOSAL.

While writing on Helidon, I am reminded of many interviews I had with the late Dr Lightoller, a one-time leading medical practitioner of Ipswich, and later a specialist in his profession in Brisbane. My interviews with the doctor concerned a suggestion of mine that Helidon possessed features suited for the establishment of a sanatorium, where the medical profession could recommend their wealthy patients to recuperate. These interviews were in 1906, and a few years previously I paid a visit to Mount Massadon, in Victoria, where a very fine institution was successfully established.

Helidon is a town nestling on the slopes of the Main Range within about twelve miles of the city of Toowoomba. It has famous spa springs and delightful surroundings. Dr Lightoller conferred with several other medical men, and he reported to me that while they thought favourably of the proposal as regards local conditions, they were of opinion that Queensland had not a sufficient healthy population to warrant the undertaking which would mean having to provide a thoroughly competent medical

38 superintendent to take charge. The doctor, however, was inclined to favour the establishment of the sanatorium with a qualified matron in control. These conversations took place over twenty-six years ago. Since then our city populations have grown more than a hundred per cent, and in that time, excluding the present period of depression, I am sure our wealthy townsmen have increased likewise. However, in my opinion, Helidon is bound to come into its own in this regard in due course.

Friday, July 1st, 1932. DISASTROUS YEAR OF 1893.

Destructive Floods; Bank Failures.

CO-OPERATION IN BACON INDUSTRY.

The year 1893 is often referred to as one of the most calamitous in Queensland’s history, and in this article Mr O’Keeffe refers to some of the phases of the great flood and the bank crisis. In recounting his experience associated with the co-operative movement in the bacon industry, he details the preliminary efforts made to initiate the system which has been of such advantage to the farming community.

The depression prevailing all over Australia today recalls the disastrous year of 1893. Rain fell incessantly for over six weeks, a great downpour all the time, causing great floods all over the country, carrying away many bridges, including the first railway bridge at Indooroopilly and the first Victoria bridge. Houses were washed away, and in one of two instances buildings with people on the roof floated down the Brisbane River. In the vicinity of Lowood, Captain Vernor, a local resident, was rescued from a tree in mid-stream, and a family named Noonan were three days and nights on the top of their house at the junction of the Brisbane River and Lockyer Creek, before they were rescued. Numerous others were in like distress. South Brisbane was badly affected, only the tops of houses in many streets being seen above the water. It was a great set-back which left property owners, particularly on the south side, very nervous about making improvement for many years after. In the farming districts the incessant rains for so long a period destroyed all vegetations, crops were lost, and stock perished. Even the higher lands that were not inundated suffered almost as severely as the low-lying lands. There was practically not an acre of lucerne left in the famous lucerne growing district of Laidley, or for that matter, on any part of West Moreton.

EFFECTS OF BANK CRISIS.

To add to the losses and hardships the bank crisis of that disastrous year almost completely strangled business of every kind, and there was great suffering. The government of the day, however, came to the rescue and guaranteed the banks. We had stable government in those days and our politicians and statesman had not learned the art of borrowing freely and spending lavishly on unreproductive works, not for the purpose of creating work for the unemployed, but for the purpose of propaganda. Under sane government of those days Queensland soon recovered. If I remember rightly, up to the crisis of 1893 each bank had its own note issue. The Queensland government took over the control of note issues and issued treasury notes which

39 continued to be the legal tender until the Commonwealth Bank was established and issued Commonwealth notes. I was Chairman of the Shire Council (or Divisional Board as it was then called) in 1893 and owing to the floods and banking crisis there was much suffering in many towns and country districts. Flood relief councils were established, and in the country districts flood relief councils were appointed to deal with cases of distress and to act in conjunction with the councils. These committees were composed of chairmen of local authorities, local clergy, chairmen of Chambers of Commerce, etc. In the farming districts the relief was sought in the form of farm seeds for distressed farmers who had lost their all in the floods. In the Laidley district there were not many found to take advantage of this source of relief although Laidley, in common with other districts suffered severely. The floods tore up the roads – never too good in the best of times – and caused shire councils much anxiety and worry.

EARLY SETTLERS’ STRUGGLES.

The early pioneer settlers of West Moreton had very little capital to commence farming. Indeed in many instances beginners, like myself, had practically none. The prices of dairy and farm produce were very unsatisfactory. The struggle in almost all cases was a severe trial. Had it not been for the generous credit given by the shopkeepers of the day, it would have been practically impossible for the average settler to get a start at all. Storekeepers generally had great faith in the productivity of the district, and they had even greater faith in the honesty and determination of the fine class of people who went on to the land, and they helped the pioneer farmers through until better times came. They knew the district must make good when peopled by the right class. The liberal land laws of those days, with sane and sympathetic governments, made it possible for the poor man to make a home on the land. The present restricted land laws, high cost of living, taxation, etc., render it impossible for a man to go on the land without considerable capital. The attempts of successive governments to spoon-feed the wrong class of would-be farmers on the land must meet with failures, as did the “village settlement” policy of 1894, and the attempt to settle returned soldiers on the land in recent years.

STABILISING BACON INDUSTRY.

Reverting to the progress of co-operation, the bacon industry now occupies a prominent place in that system. In 1909 I was approached by the Board of Directors of the Queensland Farmers’ Co-operative Association with the urgent request that I should come to assist in organising a bacon-curing branch of that association. For a few years before this I had ceased to take an active part in the affairs of the company because my private interests claimed my attention. After much persuasion I consented to give them three months’ canvassing for shares. I was asked where I would commence. I replied, “The Downs-Allora and Clifton and such centres.” I was told that it was no use going there as three of the Booval directors had given three weeks canvassing in those centres and had failed to place any shares. Notwithstanding that I went to the Downs and within a couple of weeks I secured over 2,000 shares.

A year or two before this the Booval directors had established a small factory in the Valley, Brisbane, as a branch of the Queensland Farmers’ Co-operative Company,

40 and it was this venture that I was engaged to assist. After I had succeeded in securing a large number of shares in the Downs and the Burnett, it came to my knowledge that most of the bacon of this branch had to be destroyed – to be taken out to sea and dumped. The late Mr John Cook was Chairman of Directors at the time, and I wrote him declaring that I would return to the people all deposits unless a new company, distinct altogether from the Booval Company, was the objective. This was agreed to, and it was thus the first step towards establishing that very successful bacon factory, Murarrie.

TOOWOOMBA MOVEMENT.

When this movement was well on its way the Toowoomba people decided to organise for a factory for their centre. I was of opinion that it was premature to establish two bacon companies, and I had many interviews with Mr James Purcell and Mr Wilkin in an endeavour to get them to agree to work together for one company, leaving it to the shareholders to decide whether the site should be Brisbane or Toowoomba. I failed in my negotiations to that end. Toowoomba-ites have the reputation of great loyalty to their city, and Mr Purcell showed strong determination that it should be Toowoomba or nothing. However, the two movements went on simultaneously and both companies are successful institutions doing great work for the man on the land.

GREAT HELPERS.

While on this subject I would like to pay tribute to the untiring and unselfish valuable services rendered during a long term of years, to the man on the land by Mr Purcell, and others working with him. I think it right that men on the land should be alive to the necessity of having the best brains securable to watch their interests. Shareholders should take a keen interest in the annual general meetings of companies. In this connection I would again urge the man on the land to agitate and continue to agitate for better supervision of rural interests in markets overseas. I have over and over again urged the abolition of the Agency General Office in London, and the establishment, in its stead, of a commercial agent whose chief duty would be to watch and foster our export trade. I have no time for so many Agents-General for Australia, while in my opinion, the High Commissioner’s Office should be well able to control the business appertaining to all State Agencies-General departments.

START OF COMPANY.

While I was still engaged in the Burnett district I received notice of a meeting called at Clifton for the purpose of securing the sanction of the shareholders to register the company. We had then placed slightly over 3,000 shares at £1 each. I hurried from the Burnett to Clifton to oppose the registration at that stage. Mr Simon, who was Chairman of the provisional directorate, moved the registrations, declaring that in his opinion, once the company was registered, dairymen would quickly take up shares. On the other hand I opposed the registration because, in my opinion, prospective shareholders would be inclined to wait until they saw what success the registered company would make. I recommended that company has given entire gistered before we had succeeded in securing 10,000 shares at least. I stressed the opinion that

41 registration of any lesser amount would be disastrous to success of the movement. The meeting agreed with my recommendation.

In connection with bacon curing there are still proprietary companies in successful operation. This fact recalls to my mind the reiteration of my advice when advocating co-operation in its early history, that I did not desire to destroy private enterprise in this connection; that I regarded the two systems as a check upon each other, and would create and maintain a healthy rivalry to the advantage of all. This is still my opinion, but at the same time I would urge that shareholders of co-operative companies should not lose sight of the fact that their co-operative company is their own property, and they are bound to give it loyal support.

In concluding reminiscences of the co-operative movement so far as I was concerned, I desire to take the opportunity of expressing my appreciation of the marked success which attended almost from its inception, the Queensland Co-operative Bacon Association, Murarrie. After overcoming the initial difficulties inseparable from such an undertaking, that company had given entire satisfaction to it shareholders. In like manner the Queensland Farmers’ Co-operative Dairy Association, Booval, has always given wonderful satisfaction to the dairymen of West Moreton.

Tuesday, July 5th, 1932.

LAND SETTLEMENT POLICY.

Why Freehold Tenure is Preferred.

PHASES OF DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

Disagreement with the Government’s policy of abolishing the principle of freehold tenure is expressed by Mr. M. O’Keeffe in this article. He refers to the difficulties encountered by Australia some years ago in regard to emigration, and also describes some of the features of dairying methods in Ireland. Mr O’Keeffe emphasises the need for closer attention by farmers in Queensland to the question of fodder conservation for dry seasons.

I note that the newly-elected Labour government has announced its policy to make a great drive to settle as many people as possible on the land under the perpetual lease land settlement policy, without giving the intended selectors the choice between the perpetual lease system and freehold tenure. The perpetual lease system, it is admitted, has some merit, particularly for intending selectors without any capital; but the right to convert to freehold tenure should be continued. The perpetual lease system has, however, serious drawbacks. Under this system there is no incentive to make expensive improvements. The government retains the right to appraise the rents every ren years or so, and the natural increment brought about by the improvements and hard work of a lifetime of struggling selectors is retained under the Act by the State. Now this natural increment should be the exclusive right of the selector whose hard work and capital investments year after year are alone responsible for the increased values. We are reminded of the hateful landlord methods which prevailed in Ireland in past times, whereby the landlord increased the rents every time

42 the unfortunate tenant, at his own cost, made necessary improvements for the better management of his farming pursuits. Save us from the continual meddling of successive governments whose knowledge of the tremendous struggles of the beginner on the land is almost entirely negligible.

On the other hand, freehold tenure secures for the struggling beginner credit with storekeepers and merchants, which enables them to purchase farm implements, wire, iron, etc., indispensible to the preparation of the land for production of a living. The selector is encouraged to improve his holding when he looks forward to the time when his home will become his freehold; when he knows that the added increment to his holding will be a sure help to him in his declining years. By all means try the perpetual lease, but give selectors the right of acquiring the freehold. Believe me that a freehold for the man on the land will tend to a happy and contented rural population, and will draw from our crowded cities, young men having the spirit of enterprise to strike out for themselves. Let there be no pushing the people on to poor land, for poor land means poor farmers all the days of their lives. Open to selection the very best lands available on the very easiest terms, with no payments for the first three or five years provided the selector is prepared to enter and reside on his selection.

IMMIGRATION DIFFICULTIES.

Early in February, 1911, I received an urgent wire from the Chief Secretary at my home in Blenheim, requesting me to call on him at my earliest convenience. I called next day and in the interval I spent the time surmising what the business might be. Mr Kidston asked me if I would go to Ireland as Immigration Agent for Queensland. I accepted the position, and after certain preliminaries were arranged, I was asked if I could leave by steamer on the following Tuesday. The interview was on Thursday. I replied, “You must think a man has no ties or responsibilities to arrange.” Mr Kidston said, “If you can leave in a fortnight you can catch the boat at Melbourne.” I agreed to this. My instructions were to get busy, “as men were wanted for certain public works.” Mr Thomas Glassey was appointed on a similar mission to England, and a gentleman, whose name I forget, was already working in Scotland. Mr Glassey and I travelled together, and when we reached Naples we obtained a copy of the British-Australasian newspaper, containing the news that Queensland and Western Australia had cancelled assisted immigration. After we left Queensland Mr Kidston was appointed to the Land Board, and Mr Digby F. Denham assumed the Premiership, hence the change of policy. We felt very disappointed, and as soon as we reached London I took the first opportunity of reporting myself to the Agent-General, Sir Thomas Robinson. I complained that it was hateful to me to be sent on a mission and have the ground cut from under my feet without giving me an opportunity of proving what I could do. Sir Thomas was very sympathetic. He said he had instructions to obtain a few hundred men for private railway construction in North Queensland and for the Mossman sugar fields. He very kindly gave me the job of securing the number of men required. It did not take many weeks to complete the task; and the Queensland government then cancelled all forms of assisted immigration. I found everywhere I visited, a desirable class of men and women who were willing to emigrate to Queensland, but almost in every case, they were unable to finance the journey.

43 SHIPPING APATHY.

Sir Thomas Robinson then commissioned me to make a report on shipping agencies connected with the Queensland government, of which he provided me with a list. I sent ahead of me to each of the shipping offices on the list, parcels of literature depicting farm scenes and giving other useful information to intending emigrants. In travelling from town to town, I discovered that emigration to Australia was not favoured. Indeed, shipping agents were threatened, I was told, that they would be boycotted if they helped to distribute information about Australia. In no case did I find the literature sent by me displayed on the counters, as in the case of Canada and the United States. At almost every office I visited in Ireland I found, exhibited on the counters, as well as large placards before the office door giving glowing accounts of Canada and USA, but I saw nothing of Queensland or Australia. Looking over this literature I inquired of the officer behind the counter if he had any information about Queensland. “Oh, yes,” he replied, “Would you like to go to Queensland?” I said I intended going there shortly. He then stooped under the counter and produced a parcel of literature which I had sent him several weeks before. It was covered in dust. He spread out the pamphlets for my inspection. I handed him my official card, “Michael O’Keeffe, Travelling Representative, Queensland Government.” He appeared very embarrassed, I asked him why he did not display Queensland literature as he was doing in the case of Canada and other countries. He replied, “We daren’t. The Nationalist party would boycott us.” After further questioning he said, “Your Government is too mean. We get only a paltry £1 for every emigrant we would send to Queensland, while we get £3 for every emigrant we send to Canada.” I expressed my surprise and doubted such was the case. “Quite true.” he replied, “We get £1 from the White Star Line, and £1 from the employer to whom we send emigrants under contract.” In several instances like this I recommended that their names be struck off the list and other agents appointed, who promised me they would give prominence to our emigration policy in Ireland. My recommendations were accepted by the Agent-General.

MR. REDMOND’S OPPOSITION.

I had an interview with the late Mr John Redmond in the House of Commons, and I presented to that gentleman, a letter of introduction from an eminent Australian recommending my mission to him. Crumpling the letter in his hand he said, “I can do nothing to help you – and if I could I would not. I would rather assist America.” At that very time Mr Redmond’s son and two other gentlemen were touring Australia for funds for the Irish cause, and twenty-two years before that the Redmond brothers toured Australia in the same cause, and in both instances were handsomely treated, and particularly in the latter case, in spite of bitter opposition.

The opposition of the Nationalist party in Ireland to emigration to Australia, while no action was taken to oppose emigration to Canada, etc., is easily explained. The fare to Canada was comparatively small. The emigrant could finance his own passage. The trip across was short and, almost in every case, friends met him as he landed. The intending emigrants knew their way, so it was useless for any party to try to hinder the exodus. Thirty-two thousand emigrants left Ireland for America in 1911, and that was a fair yearly average of the preceding years. The opposition to emigration is justifiable from an Irish national point of view, but if people are

44 determined to leave the country to seek better prospects it is only reasonable to expect that no obstacles should be placed in their way, in making a choice as to where they are most likely to secure brighter prospects.

IRISH BUTTER MANUFACTURE.

Travelling around Ireland, (and I also paid visits to England), I found in every parish comparatively small co-operative companies, with small outputs of butter, each marketing and financing the products of their respective factories. This meant of course, a tremendous overhead expense. This fact compared with our large co- operative companies in Australia, with huge output of dairy products, gives Australia a greater prestige in the markets overseas. Without greatly improved system of manufacture and the satisfactory provision of shipping cold storage on transit, Australia is able to compete successfully with these countries adjacent to the British markets, and with the advantage of a cooler climate.

Early in the history of the Queensland Farmers’ Co-operative Association, and while I was Chairman of Directors, just when Queensland had overtaken local consumption of butter, and had begun to produce a surplus for export, we found that we were seriously handicapped in the system of transport existing at the time. There were no overseas boats calling at Brisbane, and exporters of butter and other perishable products were compelled to send their butter, etc., to Sydney by coastal steamers. Those coastal steamers had no refrigeration, and by the time the butter reached Sydney and was transhipped to an overseas steamer it suffered serious deterioration. A deputation was appointed by the directors of the Queensland Farmers’ Co- operative, consisting of myself as Chairman, the late Mr Sinclair (Manager), and I think, the late Mr John Pender, to wait upon the Minister for Agriculture, (Mr Lennon) and point out the disabilities which hampered the dairying industry. Mr Lennon promised to bring the matter before the Cabinet. The government quickly saw the seriousness of the position and lost no time in arranging with the Orient Line of steamers to make Brisbane a port of call. The government had to subsidise the shipping company. If I remember rightly the subsidy was said to be £120,000 a year for three years, and a lesser amount the subsequent three years. The surplus output for export began to increase by leaps and bounds, and the dairy export of produce was placed on a permanent and safe footing, and ships from overseas have since found it profitable to make Brisbane a port of call.

Of course we must admit that the superior quality of butter produced in Ireland, as in Denmark and other European countries, is largely due to their wonderful summer climate and soft and luscious pastures. Giving in these advantages I again assert that Queensland and Australia as a whole, with up-to-date machinery and satisfactory management are holding their own in the overseas markets.

PROTECTION AGAINST DROUGHT.

We have, however, serious drawbacks that urgently call for deep consideration and prompt action to counteract. We are subject to periodical droughts and frequent dry spells which have a paralysing effect on the industry. It is a notable fact that when these dry seasons come upon us the farmer and dairyman are invariably found unprepared, resulting in serious falling off in cream supplies, and in the case of severe

45 droughts, deplorable loss of dairy herds by starvation. In European dairy countries the dairyman is compelled to provide winter fodder for six months every year without exception, and in addition to that, he grows artificial fodders and hand feeds his dairy herd right through the season. But here in Queensland, with our prolific growth of foodstuffs, in good seasons, with few exceptions, our dairy farmers fail to provide fodder to tide them over dry spells with the usual loss of income and often loss of dairy stock.

Some years ago a successful retired dairyman from New South Wales (Mr James Guthan) visited me at my home in Blenheim. I drove him around the principal farming and dairying districts of the Lockyer. He was keenly interested, and said the Lockyer compared more than favourably with the best dairying districts of New South Wales. His opinion, however, was that almost every dairy farm he inspected had too much land, causing the dairy farmers to depend entirely on the seasons, with the result that even a short dry spell caused a serious falling off of milk, and even when rain fell the dairy herds could not be brought back to their best standard. He also criticised the useless numbers of horses, mostly unsaleable saddle horses, that accumulated and were allowed to run on the same pastures as the dairy herd.

Mr Guthan was very emphatic that smaller herds, well fed and of superior type, were the key to successful dairying, provided that they were hand fed with soft milk production fodders all the year round. Regarding Mr Guthan’s remarks about the numbers of useless horses, all cattlemen know that bullocks will not fatten if horses are allowed to graze on the same pastures with them. One horse will eat more than two bullocks. Horses do not chew the cud like ruminating animals, but are known to eat almost continuously when not at work, and with their special teeth can eat close to the ground, picking out the choicest grass, leaving nothing but the coarse grass for the cattle. It is a pity that with the prolific growth in normal seasons dairymen do not make greater efforts to grow and store fodder to tide them over the inevitable dry spells that play such havoc with the industry, which is of vital interest to their existence.

In the next article Mr O’Keeffe will describe a trip in 1925 through France, Italy, Switzerland, Great Britain and Ireland, which should prove of interest to readers.

Friday, July 8th, 1932.

INTERESTING TRIP OVERSEAS.

Life on Board Ship.

FEATURES OF AUSTRALIAN PORTS.

Experiences on a trip overseas are recounted in this article by Mr M. O’Keeffe, who refers to different features of the Australian capitals, and also describes the life aboard ship.

46

About the middle of April, 1925, a party of nearly four hundred Australians made a pilgrimage to Rome and Lourdes per s.s. Mongolia, under the able tourist firm of Thomas Cook and Son, Ludgate Circus, London. We boarded the “Mongolia” at Sydney, where a considerable number joined the party, and large crowds assembled to see us off and wish us bon voyage. During the time of waiting, members of the party were busy in seeing the sights of Sydney, and those who came from distant parts were astounded at the growth of the metropolis, both as to population and great buildings, while the hinterland of the State was almost empty and undeveloped. I have often visited Sydney both before and subsequent to the Australian pilgrimage in 1925, and each visit convinces me more and more that Sydney, like all our Australian cities (Sydney mostly so) has, so to speak, become too heavy – that it is bearing far too great a population for a young city in a new country with practically all unpeopled and undeveloped hinterland. And this reminds me that our public men of Australia have, to a large extent, been the spokesmen of too much super-optimism for years before depression set in. They prattle about our natural resources and potentialities ad nauseam, forgetting many of what we deem our natural resources, like oil and gold and other minerals, are but hypotheses until such time as such things are discovered and developed. We can hardly be complimented as a nation upon any initiative we have shown in the development of any known resources in the country, or in any efforts we have manifested in the floating of any home manufactures.

There has surely been something lacking in statesmanship in developmental enterprise that allows to continue the necessity of sending our wool etc., to England and other countries to be manufactured and repurchased by Australia in the form of clothing. The want of manufactories here has thus deprived our own people of employment that naturally belongs to them. Other countries remain far too long our middlemen in far too many branches of industry.

EXTRAVAGANT EXPENDITURE.

Sydney and Brisbane in recent years have both launched out in extravagant and unnecessary public buildings and bridges that could have been well avoided. The cry of the City Fathers has been, “We must have civic pride.” There cannot be any pride in public bodies or private individuals when they embark on huge but avoidable expenditure for which they are unable to pay.

Since the Great War there has grown up a healthy spirit of nationality which puts Australia first, and which tends to promote and foster Australian industry. We are pleased to see the native-born Australian taking much more interest in his own land, and we are glad to see so many of them taking part in the councils of State. The cry from the watch towers today should be, “Back to the land,” and the governments of Australia must bend all their energies to the one objective, namely the peopling of the vast virgin lands of this country. I cannot help reverting to my plea, already expressed in former articles, that special legislation should be enacted to encourage our native-born sons of this State to take to the land as a means of livelihood.

MELBOURNE FEATURES.

47 After our few days in Sydney we proceeded to Melbourne. Melbourne is one of the best laid-out cities of Australia. Its streets have been surveyed like a chessboard and the public buildings are, in many instances, gems of architecture. Victoria, from point of view of its area in relation to its population, is much more self-contained than either New South Wales or Queensland. Melbourne is a beautiful city, but lacks the beautiful harbour and seaside resorts that are the boast of every Sydney-ite.

Our next port of call was Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania, where we enjoyed four whole days during which we took motor drives to many centres of interest. We visited Mount Wellington with its glorious outlook on city and far in the country, with its magnificent harbour, perhaps only second to Sydney harbour, displaying to our view an entrancing panorama of sea and land. On our way down from the mount we visited the “old curiosity shop” in Hobart, where many relics of the dreadful convict days are kept. Leg-irons, handcuffs, and other manacles and instruments of torture were shown to us by an old man who is in charge and who ekes out a living in that way.

During the four days we were at Hobart the “Mongolia” was taking on board 40,000 cases of apples and other produce of the island for export to Great Britain and other countries. Tasmania is a land of orchards, and is noted for the fine quality of its apples which are eagerly bought up by Great Britain and Ireland and other countries. I doubt if the quality of the Tasmanian apples can be excelled in any part of the world.

Our motor trip to Mount Wellington is something to be remembered. Our party were all well protected with great coats, rugs and mufflers, but the intense cold air of the mountain penetrated all our clothing. The weather was calm and bright. In spite of this the piercing cold was most exhilarating and bracing.

As soon as the seamen had completed the loading, we steamed for Adelaide. Although at one time and another I have visited Adelaide, I have not had the opportunity of being able accurately to describe its features. I remember, however, that the city was laid out somewhat like Melbourne. IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

After a two days’ stay we steamed for Fremantle and experienced a very pleasant voyage thither. I might here remark that the Great Australian Bight was a terrifying experience to some travellers. I have passed through the Bight five or six times and it has been my luck on every occasion that I never experienced rough weather.

We had a wonderful welcome when we reached Fremantle. The city of Perth organised a great party to welcome us. Perth chartered a steamer to meet us at Fremantle and took our whole party to show us round their beautiful city, after which they entertained us at luncheon; and then the steamer took us back to our ship. The trip up the noble Swan River was most interesting. All along both banks magnificent houses were built on the terraced slopes, surrounded by beautiful gardens, presenting a blaze of blooms and brilliant colour. We all agreed that the gateway to Perth along such beautiful scenery excelled anything we had seen, not excepting the wonderful Sydney harbour.

BOUND FOR COLOMBO.

48

We now set out for Colombo, a ten days’ steaming from Fremantle. Sports committees were formed and sports of every kind were arranged – deck tennis, bull board, quoits, obstacle races, etc., in the day time; concerts and socials and dances twice a week. The “Mongolia” (like all large overseas vessels) had on the staff an orchestra which dispensed excellent music at all times when required, and amongst the passengers there were numbers who contributed to the enjoyment by frequent items, instrumental and vocal. Everything went merrily on and it would be hard to imagine a happier, brighter, or more cheerful party of both sexes; and the ship’s company did everything possible for the safety and comfort of the passengers.

On nearing Colombo the “Mongolia” experienced engine trouble and had to be tugged to port, which delayed our arrival. This caused much disappointment since we had wirelessed Thomas Cook and Son for a fleet of motor cars to take us to Kandy, which is seventy-four miles out. We gained, however, by the delay, by having two days in Colombo instead of one as first arranged in the sailing itinerary of the “Mongolia.”

Tuesday, July 12th, 1932.

LAND OF COOLIE LABOUR.

How Steamers are Coaled.

WHAT THE BUDDIST TEMPLE REVEALED.

Continuing his reminiscences, Mr O’Keeffe describes some interesting features of Colombo, including the methods employed in coaling vessels, the “Galle Face” hotel at Kandy, and the Buddist temple

The “Mongolia” is an oil vessel and does not use coal, but I remember on a former trip the very interesting operation of taking in coal. At almost all European, American and English coaling stations the coal is hoisted into the coal bunkers of ships by machinery. But at Colombo the work is done, without any machinery, by coolies. A flotilla of flat-bottom boats, loaded with coal, swarm around the steamer and in their turn unload into it. The operation is most interesting to the onlooker. Two planks are laid from the small boat against the ship’s side, and up one of these planks the coolies rush almost at running pace, each carrying a basket of coal on a bare shoulder and emptying it into the ship’s coal bunker; and as quick as lightning he rushes down the other plank. On his heels are coolie after coolie in quick succession. Should any of them make a mistake and cause the slightest delay a boss coolie ganger pelts a piece of coal at his bare body. It is said that this system (if we may call it a system) is far quicker and, of course, cheaper than where white men and machinery are employed. All the new steamers of the P and O and also the Orient Lines trading to Australia now use oil as a fuel instead of coal. This must be a great loss of trade to the coal mines.

A REMARKABLE HOTEL.

49

The trip to Kandy was arranged at £2/5/- per head. I was lucky, a Mr and Mrs Vaughen, wealthy people of Melbourne, invited me to accompany them in their special car. In the meantime the Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Mannix, invited both my son, Rev Father D.M. O’Keeffe, Aden, Valley, Brisbane, and myself to be his guests in Cook’s complimentary trip to him. We had luncheon at the “Galle Face” Hotel, Mount Lavina, before setting out. The “Galle Face” at Mount Lavina is seven miles from Colombo, overlooking a beautiful bay, a favourite seaside watering place. The hotel is a revelation. I have not seen anything to surpass it, even on my visits to all the principal cities taken in our itinerary on the occasion. Its beautiful setting is in the midst of extensive and well-kept gardens with the most artistic provision for the comfort of guests as well as the visiting public. The grounds are laid out with extensive beautiful lawns and paths made bright with gardens of roses and flowers of many hues. This hotel within and without baffles my powers of description. It has the reputation of being one of the most up-to-date hotels in the world.

“John Bull” has made great roads here and has built specially to suit the tourist and globe trotter. The unfortunate native is but a poor human brute in the scheme of civilisation and progress. Road-making is quite a different problem from road- making in Queensland. If we are to get good roads in Queensland in no other way than by “sweated” slave labour, then let us continue to bump along yet awhile over rough roads in our country districts. The wretched Tamils, practically naked, have built these roads for the favoured whites on the magnanimous wage of one shilling a day. Tea pickers, rice planters, etc., in Ceylon are on wages of eight pence a day. I was told by an educated Ceylonese that this is a living wage. Rice is the staple food; a measure of rice costing 3½d is ample for your meals. The average meals per day are two; 12/- per month is ample for food. The native wants very little for dress; just a narrow strip of cloth worn around the loins suffices. The whites do not work in Ceylon or India. If they did they would lose caste with the natives. Every white planter has a native body servant and this native servant sleeps on a mat before his master’s bedroom door and watches over him with the faithfulness of a favourite watch-dog. The same native servants are known to beg and steal whenever opportunity offers, but never from their master to whom they are loyal.

DIFFERENCE IN CONDITIONS.

I mentioned that the white planters do not work in India or Ceylon. On my return from the Old Country in 1912, I remember a case of a family from India on their way to Tasmania where they had purchased an apple orchard. Hitherto they had made their living from fruit growing, although they knew not a thing about work. They were able to get all the coolie labour they required for a few pence a day, even including management. They had three small children, one in arms. The mother did not know the least thing about looking after children. Someone told the lady that I was an immigration agent and advised her to see me and she did so. At her request I went down to the third-class, where a large number of girls were proceeding to various ports in Australia. I endeavoured to engage a nurse-girl for the Indian family, but did not succeed. Each girl I interviewed refused on the ground that they would have plenty of time to work when they reached Australia and they wanted to take advantage of a holiday on the voyage. The lady was in tears and she was dumbfounded when I told her the conditions in Australia. Both the lady and

50 gentleman were highly educated and cultured persons. I sympathised with them in their disappointment when they found that in Tasmania there was no labour to be found at a few pence a day.

THE BUDDIST TEMPLE.

We visited the gorgeous parks of Colombo, with their huge umbrageous cinnamon trees, and other interesting beauty spots, and amongst the most interesting in this land of many attractions was a visit to the Buddhist temple. I was one of a party of five who visited the temple. On that occasion we were conducted thence by a black guide provided by Thomas Cook and Son. We were met outside the temple by an aged Buddhist priest, who invited us to visit the shrine. He requested us to remove our boots and he explained it would be blasphemy to appear with boots on before the presence of the Buddha. We complied, and were then admitted to a large hall in the temple where we saw the statue of the Buddha, twenty-four feet long, lying in great state. He is the chief of the numerous Gods of the Buddhist religion. The statue is undoubtedly a great work of art said to be over two thousand years old. The room was darkened to give us the opportunity of witnessing the brilliancy of the eyes of the Buddha which sparkled in the darkness like brilliant diamonds of the first water. We were now allowed to resume our boots, and on being shown through the apartments of the temple we were initiated into forms of punishment after death believed in by the Buddhist people. Hung along the walls in one chamber are pictures describing the punishment meted out after death for all classes of sin. For instance, the sin of cruelty to animals is punished by a ferocious looking wild beast in hot pursuit of the deceased sinner, and so on and so on!

On the termination of our visit an amusing incident occurred. Each of us presented a silver coin to the Buddhist priest and he offered to our black guide a portion of the coins, doubtless to encourage him to bring along other tourists. The darky spurned the offer, declaring, “Me not touch it. You a Buddhist. You will go to Hell. I a Christian, I go to heaven.”

POLYGLOT POPULATION.

In Colombo one accosts a polyglot population, Ceylonese, Singhalese, Indians, Tamils, etc., all a jabbering lot. Pantheism is the dominant religious view of the people and they believe there are many millions of Gods. The only tenet of Buddhism that I could gather was that of reincarnation, that we may come back again after death in the shape of a cow or other brute beast. Several of our party decided to ride to Mount Lavina in rickshaws. The rickshaw is a diminutive sulky, perfectly constructed, to seat one person, and is drawn by one of the dusky tribe who gets between the shafts and can travel long distances as swiftly as a horse. When he returns to the city he immediately parks his rickshaw and goes straight to the town pump, and stooping under it, vigorously pumps water on his body (he has not much clothes to remove). Without seeking a rest after his strenuous exertions he at once canvasses for another fare. He seems to be never tired, but it is said that these rickshaw runners die at an early age.

51 Friday, July 15th, 1932.

“THE HILL CAPITAL OF CEYLON.”

Value of Suez Canal.

DISRAELI’S GREAT ACHIEVEMENT.

In this article, Mr O’Keeffe describes a trip to Kandy, known as “The Hill Capital of Ceylon”, and regarded as one of the most picturesque spots of the British Empire. He also refers to the marvellous engineering feat in the building of the Suez Canal, and pays tribute to Disraeli’s stroke of statesmanship in securing for Britain the country through which the canal is constructed. Features of Cairo are also recounted.

The trip to Kandy was most interesting from many points of view. Along the way we passed village after village, in quick succession. The dwellings are chiefly constructed of bamboos and palms, and between the villages there is a continuous chain of such huts along the roadside. Everywhere on both sides of the route there are plantations of rubber, tea, rice, coffee, coconut trees, palms, etc. We were treated to a demonstration on “bleeding” the tree for its rubber sap. A Singhalese gentleman on board interested me very much in the several processes in the production of rubber, but that is too complex a subject at this distance of time to attempt to describe.

The sides of the hills were covered with tea plantations, and the tea tree was just then in full bloom, ready for picking. All the flats along the roadside are under rice cultivation. It is interesting, this rice growing. The land has to be inundated to grow the rice. You can see the plant emerging through the water. On the sloping sides of hills the land is terraced into flats and so constructed as to hold water, forming a small lake eight or ten inches deep, and in these numerous little lakes are sown the rice seed. The natives call them “paddy flats.” There must have been an Irish engineer about here at one time!

The East has progressed very little and the customs here are very much behind the times. The natives know nothing of iron or clay conduits and use an antediluvian way of conducting water to these flats. The water is led from mountain torrents through bamboo canes joined together with mud and sisal hemp to give it cohesion and endurance. It is economic anyhow.

All along the natives greeted us quite friendly. They have a most lovable disposition, but like most black races have little or no ambition. “Sufficient for today is the evil thereof”; let tomorrow take care of itself. The houses of the natives, as well as the villages, are very dirty, and everywhere there is a pungent smell. The children are bright, merry, and gay, and like children the world over, rush to greet you. The older people squat on the floor, but usually the doorstep; smile and shake the hand in greeting. They suffer no self-consciousness in the sparsity of their attire. This is a cheap country to live in. Boots are never worn, except by a bride when she gets married, and then these boots are Church property to be lent on such occasions.

52

A BUDDHIST WEDDING.

As we passed through a village we were privileged to see a Buddhist wedding, with a Buddhist priest in the middle of it. The wedding was being celebrated by dancing in the street. The Buddhist priest is dressed in orange drapery, and conducts the dancing as the principal part of the ceremony.

The whole of the journey of seventy-four miles to Kandy was by first-class macadamised road, winding serpent-like up the mountain ravine with entrancing scenery on either side; the hills covered with palms and other beautiful trees and shrubs which grow only in tropical regions.

On the invitation of Dr Mannix, my son, Rev Father D. M. O’Keffe, and I travelled with him in the complimentary car provided by Thomas Cook and Son, and I remember the Archbishop exclaiming, “This is one of the grandest sceneries in the world.” We arrived late in the afternoon at Kandy. Kandy is known as the Hill Capital of Ceylon. Colombo is, of course, the real capital. Kandy is believed to be one of the most picturesque spots in the British Empire, and is 1700 feet above sea level. There are many places of interest around Kandy, amongst others being the famous Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradenlya, half an hour’s motor drive from the Queen’s Hotel, where can be seen the agricultural wealth of the tropical world. The venerable temple of Buddha’s Tooth, and three ancient rock temples of Lankatilleke, Gallangolla, and Gadaladenlya. How would the music of these places compare with our Queensland names, like Giligulgul, Boganthunda, etc.? Kandy has been described by one of our modern novelists as “a casket of gems, a jewel, a dream of what nature can do at its best.”

The tooth of Buddha, which as far as I could see, in no way resembles a human tooth, was seen by us. However, this is an age of credulity. To my own memory some white scientist claimed to have found the Missing Link in some old fossil or other in Africa. Legends grow up in every country. Up near Kandy there are volcanic stones upon which enthusiasts see, some of them, the footprints of Buddha; others the footprints of the apostle; other still, the footprints of Adam.

GENEROSITY APPRECIATED.

The Queen’s Hotel, Kandy, like many hotels in the Old World, is built and managed to cater specially for the rich tourist and globe-trotter, and is as up-to-date as one of the finest hotels in the world. Most of the tourists dined at the hotel, but the dinner provided our party, including Dr Mannix and his chaplain, was ordered beforehand by Mr and Mrs Vaughen, of Melbourne, and we were his guests. After the meal was finished Mr Vaughan paid the bill, and as is usual in all European and Eastern countries, he was tipping the waiters who attended our table, which he was doing in a princely fashion. The word got round somehow that there was a gold mine in our vicinity. Suddenly a score or more of dusky frill-shirted and swallow-tailed dress- suited waiters swarmed around Mr Vaughen, but that gentleman suddenly closed down the “gold mine” and in stentorian voice sent the dusky crown to Hades. The usual tip in these latitudes is a “brownie”.

53 The journey from Kandy to Colombo, seventy-four miles, had to be retraced. The “Mongolia”, after repairs, was ready to make a fresh start next day. We were too tried next morning to get about much, so we loitered about viewing the best shops. I remember one gentleman remarking, in a numerous vein, that the ladies of Australia (with their dresses at that time not reaching the knee and low in the neck) were not as modern as the Ceylonese or the Singhalese, who wore only a gorgeous piece of cotton or silk, according to rank, fastened around the waist and loins.

THE SUEZ CANAL.

We made a fresh start, calling at Aden, where we were met by another dusky race – Indians. The heat of Aden was so terrific that we were all pleased with the short stay of our steamer. We then went full steam ahead for the Suez Canal. Once an Australian touches Ceylon he has entered the gateway to the Orient and is in touch with antiquity. When one arrives at the Suez Canal he is reminded that the canal is dug right across the old caravan route from Asia and the East to Cairo and Africa, across which the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Joseph and the Infant Jesus crossed more than nineteen centuries ago, in answer to the angelic command to St Joseph. “Arise and take the Child and His mother, fly into Egypt and be there until I tell thee.” If one arrives at the Suez by day he will see the broad outline of Mount Sinai silhouetted against the eastern sky, and his eyes look back through the corridors of the ages to the day when in thunder and fire the Almighty delivered the Decalogue to Moses on two tablets of stone, and he reflects that away over towards Mount Sinai is the cradle of the human race, where the first man and woman were put by the Almighty in the Garden of Paradise. What a galaxy of other ancient items of history regarding the Holy Land come crowding into my mind, making one yearn for the ability and time to write about!

THE NEW AND THE OLD.

When an Australian touches Asia the new and the old meet. We live in a land where scores of the original pioneers still live, and where few enough of the native-born Australians have yet reached the allotted span of life; over there in Asia they think and talk in centuries. The Suez Canal also reminds us of that daring stroke of statesmanship of England’s one-time Prime Minister, Disraeli, when he secured to the Empire the country through which the canal is constructed. This stroke of statesmanship more than any other, made the British Empire what it is today. At the entrance to the canal there stands a great monument to that great engineer who constructed the canal – Delessops. The country through which the Suez Canal runs in a dead level; and the untrained eye of the layman will be pardoned if he fails to discover the great engineering difficulties of its construction. To the layman it appears to be a mighty piece of excavation.

A TRIP TO CAIRO.

Many of our party contemplated making a trip to Cairo, but dreaded the responsibility, owing to the shortness of time at our disposal and the rush and haste that would be involved. Many arguments were advanced for and against, and eventually it was decided “the ayes had” and we went. Everyone who undertook the trip declared they were glad they did so. The trip to Cairo along the valley of the

54 Nile was worth all the bustle, haste, and time. We went by arrangement with Thomas Cook and Son in a special terrain, and found the journey brimful of interest all the way. The country we passed through for the first few miles was glittering white desert sand with here and there an oasis under cultivation. After a while we began to see Oriental life on the land.

Soon we came in sight of the Nile Valley, under cultivation. The fields were hives of human industry, with people in hundreds out on the farms all busily engaged in the various jobs appertaining to farming, such as ploughing, planting, weeding, driving camels, donkeys, etc.

Here, as in many places we visited, there are no fences to divide each plot from its neighbour’s. The fence along the railway is made of a hedge of prickly pear. I understand it is a cactus that does not spread. Everywhere there are fields of lucerne, wheat, barley, oats, cotton, rice, etc., and in every field in the open the oxen are at work treading out the corn.

There is absolutely no knowledge of machinery here. Instead of the modern threshing and winnowing machinery the wheat is put in a heap and two oxen driven round like a pony in a circus, pull a weight over the wheat to separate the grain from the straw. There are no windmills, but over the wells there are huge wooden wheels bearing buckets worked by oxen to lift the water for irrigation and other purposes. The buckets are attached to an endless chain similar to the contrivance used in Queensland by our Chinese market gardeners, particularly in country towns.

PLENTITUDE OF LABOUR.

There seems to be no scarcity of labour. The farms are small, but it is a common thing to see twenty or thirty people, men, women, and children, all working on the farm. These are of the one family; sometimes a man with two or three wives and an average of ten children each, all at an early age doing their share towards the upkeep of the home.

Along the narrow roadways or headlands there will loom into view large loads of wheat or lucerne, seeming to move without any means of locomotion. As you draw nearer and closely examine you may discover the ears of a donkey or a camel protruding at the front. The vehicle on which the load is being carried is constructed like a large saddle and the animal is harnessed beneath, the load being built immediately above his body. I have seen the same contrivance in Italy.

In the Valley of the Nile too, huge loads of all kinds of produce are carried on the backs of camels without any vehicle. We saw many well-kept vineyards. All crops are under irrigation, and canals have been constructed almost everywhere to head the waters of the Nile to bring moisture to the crops. The water is then lifted by the aid of the camel or donkey, per medium of the endless chain bucket, and gravitates along the drain dug by the farmer in between the crops – cotton, grapes, etc. A canal about twenty feet wide brings fresh water right from the Nile to Suez.

NATIVES’ HOMES.

55 The waterway, it seems, was originally made to bring fresh water to the Suez Canal works, then under construction, but now serves to irrigate the land for agricultural purposes, as well as to supply the town of Suez itself. The natives seem to have little idea of making a house. Their dwellings are only a few feet high, flat-roofed with walls and roof made of mud from the Nile, fashioned into mud bricks, no windows, except small holes. How they live in such houses without proper ventilation is a problem. It is said they sleep in the open air, except in rainy weather. Almost on every farm is to be seen three-sided mud walls about six feet high and without a roof. I was told these are intended as a shelter when a monsoon is on, while the people are in the fields at work.

We passed along the way town after town. The largest of these towns is called Zagazig. The streets of most towns are mere tracks and one might touch the walls on either side by outstretched arms. There are in some towns good buildings, but the general impression to the traveller is dirt and filth.

The railway stations are named in English, French and Arabic, and all notices and cautions are in the three languages. The cemeteries are queer-looking; the tombstones are shaped like coffins.

The crowds on the railway platforms are dressed in all colours and every kind of attire. Pedlers pester you at the train windows, selling matches, fruit, curios and antiques with deafening screeching and jabbering roar. Flies were a terrible pest. I never saw such myriads except when I paid a visit to the Murrumbidgee in New South Wales in 1899, a drought time on that occasion, when every man, woman, child and horse I saw was wearing a fly veil..

Tuesday, July 19th, 1932.

ACROSS THE MEDITERRANEAN.

Features of Marseilles.

REMARKABLE SCENES AT LOURDES.

Describing the trip across the Mediterranean, Mr O’Keeffe specially mentions the glorious sunsets that were witnessed. He also interestingly recounts his impressions of Lourdes, where multitudes sought a restoration to health.

After sweltering in the heat of Cairo and the long journey by train we were all glad to be back again on the “Mongolia.” At all the Oriental ports overseas passengers are pestered with pedlars of every race. They swarm round the steamer in little boats, and during the time they are about the place is a perfect bedlam; but, fortunately, most of the passengers go ashore and escape the nuisance. They sell silks, Maltese lace, and articles of jewellery. They commence by asking guineas for articles, and by the shrewd traveller they are easily beaten down to shillings. I have seen brooches, etc., like 18 carat gold selling at £5/5/-, and as the ship commenced to weigh anchor and the whistle sounded to warn non-passengers ashore, these same brooches could be

56 purchased for a few shillings. The same methods are even more pronounced in the shops in the Oriental towns. If you object to the price and refuse to purchase, you are asked, “Well, Missie, what price you give?” and one may buy at one’s own price. I remember two Brisbane ladies who were fellow travellers with me. We were walking up the street at Port Said and they told me they had arranged for a dress each. They had previously purchased two “gold” bangles for 70/- each. I said in a bantering way, “They are brass.” In fact, I knew nothing as to the value of the articles, but the ladies got excited as I pretended to know something about the matter. I accompanied them into the draper’s shop and the coloured gentleman behind the counter, noting their excitement about their jewellery, offered to test the articles, saying, “I shall soon tell.” One of the ladies handed him the bangle. He dropped a little acid on it, and as it immediately turned black, he said, “Missie, it is not worth pennies.” Here, too, may be seen the men at work as dressmakers, making beautiful Maltese lace, etc. The dark women are only toilers and slaves. While on this subject, I noted that, all through Europe, including England and Ireland, shopkeepers did not adhere to one price, and the purchasers invariably had to cut them down. I did not find anywhere else where the one price, as in Australia, was in vogue.

GLORIOUS SUNSETS.

Off we sailed, after baking in the heat of Cairo, across the Mediterranean, the blue waters of which, situated in the middle of the earth as its name implies, for Marseilles. On a previous trip I had observed one of the glorious sunsets we so often hear about in the Mediterranean. But in my last trip I was called one evening by a fellow passenger from my deck chair to see one. The western sky broke into a glorious red, deepening and deepening into a more brilliant scarlet, and then breaking up into thousands of rays across that vast expanse of water, making what would seem like a fairy pathway to heaven above.

On landing at Marseilles we found ourselves listening to the “parlez-vous” of the French. As one who knew no foreign languages I found no difficulty in going through Europe, as English was spoken very nicely and fluently in all hotels and offices, etc., through every country we visited. It is a condition of employment that the employee must be able to speak English, so much may be said for the worldwide commercial value of English. I am reminded of a humorous incident told me by a Catholic priest, a friend of mine. He is a good French scholar, but found his pronunciation of French hard to be understood by the French. He went into a shop one in Paris day to purchase a few odds and ends. The lady behind the counter was much amused at the energy he was expending trying to make himself understood in French. When he had come to a dead halt, she remarked, “Father, spake Irish and be decent.” She was an Irish girl who had gone to France and got married there.

NOTRE DAME CHURCH.

During our few hours in Marseilles we visited, amongst other places of interest, Notre Dame Church, the Church of the Seamen. It is an association of ideas to think of Notre Dame when one thinks of Marseilles. Notre Dame is Marseilles. There she stands in all her majestic grandeur, like a queen upon the precipitous Mediterranean Sea coast, looking across and guarding the Mediterranean and its seamen. One asks is there any other church in the world enthroned in such a majestic setting? One may

57 stand at the entrance to Notre Dame and cast stones into the blue Mediterranean, and directly in front a mile or so out is Chateau d’If and its gaol, of which I remember having read many years ago in Alexandre Dumas’ incomparable novel, “The Count of Monte Cristo.”

JOURNEY TO LOURDES.

We left for Lourdes by train the evening of the same day we had arrived in Marseilles. We were yearning to see Lourdes, the Miracle Shrine of modern times. I had read so much about the marvellous cures instantaneously effected there which had baffled medical science, that Lourdes just then was the only place I wanted to see. Our journey to Lourdes was a memorable one, as it proved very, very uncomfortable. We were packed like sardines in a tin. However, we put up with it, and after travelling all night we arrived at Toulouse on Sunday morning and went to the Cathedral for Mass. After Mass, under Thomas Cook and Son’s arrangements, we went to breakfast. Thomas Cook and Son could hardly be held responsible for the fact that it was a French breakfast, and a French breakfast consists of black coffee and a small bread roll, and that was our breakfast after a long summer’s night on the train. We Australian meat-eaters gave it hot and hearty to the French. I understand that none of the European people would think of sitting down to a breakfast that required the use of a knife and fork.

Our journey from Toulouse to Lourdes was rather interesting, as we got a glimpse of French rural life, French farms and vineyards. This trip was educational as well as interesting to an Australian, especially to one who spent most of his life on the land. The farm plots are very small compared to the broad acres of the average Australian farmers. There was not a square yard of arable land in the area we passed through that was not under intense cultivation, and the same may be said of the whole of the South of France. The land is cultivated right up the sides of steep hills, and where it is not possible to cultivate ordinary crops, the high and rough tops of precipitous mountains are covered with plantations of firs and pine and other timbers. There are no fences between the farms; nor is there any fence along the railways, the land being cultivated right up to the rails, the divisions between farm plots being marked with pegs. In this part of France there are practically no cattle or horses, except two bullocks on each farm, used for ploughing, etc., and these bullocks when not at work are tethered in a small space for the purpose, and hand fed. There are no headlands, every inch being cultivated. On each farm is a small hut to contain the farm implements. Mile after mile, there are no farm residences in sight, the owners I presume living in village communities. The nature of the crops was fruit of every kind, vineyards predominating. Later on, I had more opportunity of seeing the lands of France and Italy, and noting the wonderful industry of the people.

A UNIQUE SCENE.

We arrived at Lourdes about midday. The railway station at Lourdes presents a scene unique in the world. The platform as we arrived was absolutely chock-a-block with wheeling chairs and invalid stretchers with innumerable brancardiers – the first-aid men in charge are thus named – with their distinctive caps and uniform, standing near. Here the sick of the world are brought with all the ills that flesh is heir to, seeking that

58 restoration to health which medical science has failed to give. Who has not heard of the wonders of Lourdes?

One of the first things that strikes the visitor to Lourdes is the great crowds that throng the esplanade in front of the Basilieu and the grotto where Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception appeared to Bernadette. Great pilgrimages were present from America, Holland, Belgium, and other nations. Thomas Cook and Son had engaged hotel accommodation for the Australian party for four nights only, and even if we had desired to remain longer, there would have been no possible chance of extending the time allotted to us, as the apartments were engaged for an English pilgrimage to arrive on the day our time expired.

Lourdes is situated on the River Gare, at the foot of the Pyrenees Mountains, which separate France from Spain, and the scenery surrounding the city is very beautiful. The crowds are so great that afternoons have to be assigned to each nation or two – for example given to the Dutch and Belgian pilgrims, another to the English or Americans, etc. Huge processions are conducted daily during the summer months in every year at Lourdes.

FRIDAY, July 22nd, 1932.

MECCA OF THE AILING.

The Wonders of Lourdes.

EXPERIENCES AT MONTE CARLO.

Recounting his observations abroad, Mr O’Keeffe in this article, refers to the miraculous cures that are effected at Lourdes, where remarkable scenes are witnessed. He also interestingly describes the tour to other cities, and furnishes an idea of the features of the great gambling resort – Monte Carlo.

There is to be seen at Lourdes a great pile of crutches cast away by invalids whio were miraculously cured; and on the side of the rock of Massabielle hundreds of crutches and sticks may be seen hanging, being left by patients fortunate enough to have received immediate cures. Every year these instantaneous cures are effected at Lourdes. Every one is sifted at the Medical Bureau, at which I called. Multitudes of cures there cannot be explained by medical science. Many of the most eminent doctors in Europe who were at first sceptical, later became convinced that to Bernadette, the village maiden, was vouchsafed apparitions of the Blessed Mother of God. Cures are effected by means entirely unknown to medical science. John Oxenham, the eminent English novelist and a Protestant, said of Lourdes, in answer to his own question, “What is Lourdes?” “God only knows. I doubt if any human intelligence can understand it, still less explain it.” Louis Veuillot, the eminent French publicist, in his book on Lourdes, said, “The attested cures are a genuine revelation of the goodness of God to a world which every day stands more in need of it.” Every afternoon during the summer months – April to November – there are processions in honour of the Blessed Sacrament, and afternoons have to be allotted to

59 the different nations for that purpose. The procession is marshalled at the Grotto on the side of the Rock of Massabielle, and wends its way along the banks of the River Gare nearby, round to the Church of the Rosary. In that procession daily one may see representatives of all the nations of the earth. We Australians, who numbered fewer than four hundred, took part in many processions. Every year the world’s sick are brought to Lourdes seeking health in the waters at the Grotto where Our Lady appeared to Bernadette. Certain noblemen of France and Belgium give their services gratuitously to the invalids to assist them.

A WIDE ITINERARY.

Our next place to visit was Avignon. The itinerary was the principal cities, namely Lourdes, Avignon, Nice, Genoa, Rome, Naples, Florence, Venice, Milan, Lucerne, Paris, London. At each of these cities we had from four to eight days, and we visited in the neighbourhood of each city, towns and places of note. Thomas Cook and Son, according to our contract with that tourist firm, provided motor cars and charabancs, and a linguist guide was also provided for each section of our party of about thirty members. We were a Catholic pilgrimage, and for that reason the ubiquitous Thomas Cook and Son, who know how to cater for their clients, put Avignon in our itinerary. Avignon stands in history as the place of refuge of many Popes, who through many of the political cataclysms of the centuries were banished from Rome. Among others was the Pope who was banished by Napoleon Bonaparte. As much as I remember we were informed that twelve Popes lived for periods of their Pontificate in Avignon, and the aggregate term of their sojourn there was about a hundred years. Several of them died in Avignon, and their tombs are to be seen in the Cathedral. Garibaldi’s cannon struck the Pope’s fortress, and to this day the marks of the impact are to be seen on its walls.

From Avignon we had a long excursion in charabancs on a circular trip to Aries and Nimes. On this trip I was greatly interested in rural scenes and methods of agriculture, and could not help admiring a nation of millions of people who were not afraid to make the most intense use of the land. Every inch of arable land is made the best use of, and reafforestation is the policy of the nation for waste lands. The industry of the nation is an object lesson to the Australian traveller who takes a keen interest in the progress of his own country.

Mentioning the subject of reafforestation, I cannot help wondering why the waste lands so plentiful in almost every district of Queensland are not being planted with a variety of trees of commercial value with relief gangs from the unemployed. This would prove to be work of a reproductive nature, better than wasting money on useless jobs in every suburban district of the city. As we passed along, the landscape was beautiful and interesting with its stretches of undulating country, interspersed with plains covered as far as the eye could reach with well-cultivated orchards, vineyards, and fields of wheat, oats, barley, etc., adding much to the natural beauty of the landscape. When we arrived at Aries we visited a huge amphitheatre reminiscent of the days of bull-fighting and gladiatorial contests. This huge amphitheatre was built to accommodate many thousands of spectators, who doubtless feasted their eyes and depraved taste on cruel struggles of maddened beasts,

60 A PICTURESQUE CITY.

The next city in our itinerary was Nice, and the most enduring memory of that city to me are its beautiful shops and buildings, and the gorgeous esplanade beside the sea flanked with beautiful gardens full of brilliant roses and other flowers. Looking over notes which I took when in Nice, I am reminded that the city is old in Christian history. One official guide pointed out to our party the building, hoary with the centuries, where the Bishops met in general council in the year 325, and it was here that the Doctrine of the Divinity of Christ was defined. From Nice we went on an excursion in charabancs over the road that is known as the Napolean-road, to Monte Carlo. Napoleon is remembered in France, not only as the little Corsican boy who, after fighting the nations of the earth, ascended the throne of France, but also as a great administrator and great statesman. I can now conjure up a mental picture of this glorious road, encircling serpent-like, the precipitous mountains overlooking the Mediterranean; and remember the glorious picture of sea and sky. The sides of the mountains are made into innumerable terraces to allow of farming. Here again, we have witness of the industry of the French, who will not allow one square yard of their country to remain unproductive; and who will make even the very mountain side contribute its quota to the nation’s wealth.

HOME OF GAMBLING.

We arrived in due course in Monte Carlo, world famous as the home of gambling. Here gambling is dignified, for Monte Carlo is a district principality, with its own Prince. Monte Carlo is international. It is, so to speak, the common property of the earth. We have all heard of the “man that broke the bank at Monte Carlo.” Fortunes are made and lost in quick time. We were shown what is called the Suicide’s Leap, where it is said many a one who staked his whole fortune and lost, leaps to eternity to the rock-strewn water below. We visited the immense chamber called the Casino, where we beheld multitudes staking fortunes no doubt. Before being admitted, we were all required to leave in the cloakroom, hats, sticks, umbrellas, overcoats, cameras, etc., everything that might conceal anything regarded as dangerous. All the players at the gaming tables were oblivious to our presence, and with flushed faces were intent on winning. No gambler is going to lose, so he tells himself. Numbers of our large party put their bit on for the sake of being able to say they had tried their fortunes at Monte Carlo, and I remember one lady in particular, having risked a “bob” or so a few times, and came away with quite a pile of silver. The surroundings of Monte Carlo are extremely beautiful, its gardens, arbours, terraces, and picturesque view of land and sea, being a “dream of beauty and a joy forever.” Even for one who has absolutely no gambling instinct, Monte Carlo is well worth a visit.

Tuesday, July 26th, 1932.

CATERING FOR TOURIST TRADE.

European Cities’ Enterprise.

LASTING IMPRESSIONS OF ROME.

61 Recounting his observations in Europe, Mr O’Keeffe says that, while there were many wonderful places, he is of the opinion that Australia’s natural scenery, especially that of Northern Queensland, is unexcelled. He describes the city of Rome, and especially its religious features, which created a profound impression.

Genoa was the next city that we visited, and my section of our party stayed at the Hote Savoy. As an Irishman I was attracted by a huge placard hanging on an hotel balcony conveying the information that in a room with Daniel O’Connell, the Liberator, died. Daniel O’Connell, who played such a big part in Irish political and national life just over a century ago, and who occupies such an honoured niche among the sons of Ireland in Ireland’s temple of fame, was on the way to Rome when he fell ill at Genoa, and died with the words in his spoken last will and testament; “My heart to Rome, my body to Ireland, and my soul to God.” No doubt the enterprising hotel proprietor hopes to bring “grist to the mill” by advertising that a great man had died there, just as Keen’s mustard advertises that it caters for His Majesty.

This reminds me that all through Europe as far as I have gone, no opportunity is lost by Governments or private enterprising people to boost their country and make it attractive to the tourist and globe-trotter. Many flourishing cities depend to a great extent on the money spent by the wealthy American and English tourists during the tourist season. Great sums of money have been spent on all beauty spots, and hotel accommodation is up-to-date for the same purpose. In all the principal tourist cities the hotels contain from six hundred to eight hundred rooms each.

COMPARISONS IN SCENERY.

There are no doubt wonderful places right through Europe, but I venture to say that we have in Australia natural scenery that is equal to anything on the Continent of Europe. This is especially so with our tropical North Queensland sceneries. All that is lacking with us is lack of capital. I have visited some caves in Europe, and I am convinced there is nothing to excel the natural grandeur of the Jenolan Caves of New South Wales, and the surpassing beauty of the surroundings, which some day will be brightened by improvements. I would here pay a special tribute to Thomas Cook and Son for their very satisfactory handling of tourist parties. Each of the pilgrims was supplied with a label giving a list of all the cities the party would visit, and the name of the hotel that was to be our home during our stay in that city. On the eve of leaving each city we were told to have our luggage ready at 6.30am next morning. After breakfast we were motored to the train at 9.00am, and without a hitch, found our luggage on the rack above the seat allotted to each passenger. Again on leaving the train at the next city we left our luggage behind and proceeded to our hotel and immediately commenced changing, etc. Before many minutes our luggage had arrived. This excellent service continued uninterruptedly throughout the whole tour.

DOUBTFUL DELICACIES.

In passing out of France into Italy by special train for the party we alighted at Vintimilli for lunch, and stayed there a few hours. After lunch (Vintimilli is the border town between France and Italy, somewhat like our own Wallangarra) many of us strolled about the town, when we came upon what we call a Paddy’s market. We saw an old lady with a large box like a beer case, full of live snails, which she was

62 weighing out to customers, who eagerly purchased them as a breakfast delicacy. I hurried back to the hotel and invited some Brisbane lady friends to come and see something strange, without telling them the nature of the curiosity. One of the ladies exhibited disgust at the idea of snails as human food. Here there are small snail farms as well as frog farms, and some of us were on the alert to guard against being served these doubtful table delicacies at meals. Much of what I am writing now may be of more interest to Catholics than others. We are travelling through Catholic countries under the aegis of a Catholic pilgrimage, and it is natural that the things that came under our notice were Catholic in nature. I feel nevertheless, that my Protestant friends, and their name is legion, will be interested in the Architectural gems of Europe, cathedrals, and churches – the glories of the centuries.

WONDERS OF ROME.

Our next city taken in our itinerary was Rome, and we had eight days in which to see the wonders of that ancient and great city. Eight days are all too few to see even a tithe of what is worth seeing. It was a rush all the time, and we were told that it would take the whole of the time at our disposal to properly see St Peter’s and the Vatican, with vast galleries of arts and sculpture, and when our time ended we agreed that this estimate was quite correct. Thomas Cook and Son’s guide was with us throughout and he rushed along loudly describing the wonders of the different galleries, but most of the party were too far behind to hear what was being said. I was the oldest man of the party, but I was always well up with the guide and several times demanded that we go slow in order to give everyone the chance of hearing. It is quite beyond me to describe the wonders of these great chambers, because what we saw and heard in the first gallery was soon forgotten in the rush through the next and succeeding galleries. Suffice it to say, that although I am unable to adequately describe the wonders we saw, the impression will always remain with me of their magnitude and greatness.

We arrived in Rome just too late to witness the solemn canonisation of St Therese of the Child Jesus, better known to the Catholic world as “The Little Flower.” We arrived on the very afternoon of the day on which in the forenoon Pope Pius XI solemnly canonised St Therese. However, we were privileged to witness a like ceremony during that week when Pope Pius XI solemnly canonised the Cure of Ars (St John Vianney).

To be present at a canonisation ceremony in St Peter’s Basilica, Rome, is unforgettable. Italians in hotels and everywhere in Rome warned us the day before that if we wanted to get a place in St Peter’s it would be necessary for us to be there at 7.00am or before it. The ceremony began at 10 o’clock. We were also told of an old custom in Rome on such days, that there was little or no time for breakfast, and that it was usual to take chocolate to eat in order to sustain oneself during the long time of waiting and a very late lunch. Although many of the Australians were suspicious that “their legs were being pulled”, nevertheless, they took the chocolate and found right enough that everyone else had done the same. In due course a long line of mitred Bishops, from every part of the world, and the Cardinals of Rome and Cardinals from other parts of the world, began to appear in a long drawn-out procession. I recognised at once, from a photograph, the world-famous Cardinal Mercier of Belgium, who has since died. About ten Australian Bishops were numbered amongst

63 them; as well as many Bishops of the dark races. Representative Bishops from every nation on earth walked in procession up the long aisle of St Peter’s, followed in the rear by the Pope, carried shoulder-high by the Noble Guards of Rome, in the Sedia gestatoria, a kind of sedan chair, and guarded by the ever-present Swiss Guards in their brilliant costumes. The Pope wore the tiara or triple crown, and blessed the people as he passed along the aisle. The French and Italians cheered and cried out, “Viva il Papa!” (Long live the Pope.) This cheering in a church was at first somewhat unedifying to Australians; but we had to remember that the French and Italians are not as phlegmatic as we are.

At the conclusion of Solemn High Mass, His Holiness, the Pope, made the solemn proclamation of Canonisation of the two servants of God, the words of the proclamation being distinctly heard through the vast edifice, as electric amplifiers were installed in the building for the occasion.

AUDIENCE WITH THE POPE.

The Australian pilgrimage was accorded an audience with the Pope. One of the keenest desires of any visitor to Rome, especially the Catholic pilgrim, is to have an audience with the Holy Father, and memories of this audience are among most delightful he carries away. Audiences are granted almost every day. We entered the bronze doors of the Vatican, showing our tickets to the Swiss Guard on duty. We were conducted to the Hall of Consistories, there to wait for the Pope. At one end of the large room is a red throne on a dais, covered with a canopy. As we waited for some time attendants clad in scarlet, moved about making arrangements.

The Australian pilgrims were arranged around the two sides and end of the great room, as is the custom for large parties. The Swiss Guards in the multicoloured uniforms, fine stalwart men, were always present, seeing that everything was in order.

At last there was a stir. The master of the Papal Palace entered, to see that all was well, the Swiss Guards sprang to attention, and the Pope, accompanied by two Noble Guards and members of his court, entered. We knelt as His Holiness in his white soutane, moved along giving each his hand to kiss, and imposing hands on each of us with his blessing. Four hundred Australian children of the Catholic Church knelt before the Vicar of Christ.

As His Holiness passed along, his attendant handed each of us a silver medal, on the face of which is the bust of Pius XI, and on the reverse is the Dome of St. Peter’s. His Holiness requested us to wear the medal always as a memento of our visit in Holy Year, 1925. The Pope now returned and sat on his throne. He addressed us in Italian about forty-five minutes, calling upon His Lordship, Dr Dwyer, Bishop of Wagga Wagga, to translate his address. When the Bishop was duly doing so, His Holiness broke in in English, saying, “Bishop Dwyer, say more emphatically that the Holy Father welcomes his Australian children to Rome, more than all the world beside, as they have come further, and it has cost them most.” His Holiness complimented Bishop Dwyer on the translation of the address, saying, “Your Lordship left out nothing and added nothing.” Bishop Dwyer is a native of New South Wales.

64 Friday, July 29th, 1932.

CATACOMBS OF ROME.

Neronian Cruelties Recalled.

REMARKABLE CHURCH ARCHITECTURE.

In this article, Mr O’Keeffe graphically describes a visit to the Catacombs of Rome, tragic reminders of the fiendish cruelties perpetrated by Nero on the Christians of his time. A review is also given of features of the Churches, especially St Peter’s, the largest ecclesiastical building of the world.

One cannot say that he has seen Rome if he should fail to see the Catacombs, those subterranean passages in which the early Christians dug themselves in to escape the wrath of that imperial monster, Nero, Emperor of the Roman Empire. It is a well- known fact of history that Nero frequently declared a holiday; and that amongst the amusements staged on such a day was the throwing of Christians to lions and tigers, and jackals and panthers, and other wild beasts, in the amphitheatres in Rome. We visited these same amphitheatres and there are yet to be seen the regal box in which Nero sat, and the huge terraces of circular stone seats where the pagan audience sat and enjoyed the witnessing of Christians becoming the food of wild animals. We also viewed the pens in which the wild animals were kept, and the passages underneath through which the beasts passed into the amphitheatre within. The Catacombs are entirely of Christian origin, and Christian construction. Our Australian party went out to visit the Catacombs of St Calista. We could not, of course, go through all of them.

The Catacombs are a network of underground passages, and it is held on competent authority, that were they pout on a straight line, they would stretch as far as the length of Italy itself. When we arrived at the Catacombs, we were barred by a gate with a sign on it, “Catacombs of St Calista.” The gate was opened to us by a Cistercian monk. The monastery of the order is close by, and the Cistercian monks are in charge. As a rule in all the Catacombs, a stairway leads below the surface of the earth to a depth of thirty-three to fifty feet or more. From this point diverge the galleries which are from ten to fifteen feet high, and one walking through could almost tip fingers from wall to wall. Side galleries or passages branch off from the main passages, intersecting other passages. The labyrinth of galleries in incalculable.

A DISTURBING POSSIBILITY.

I remember as we walked after out Cistercian guide, a New South Wales priest remarked, “Should our guide happen to drop dead, we would never get out.” Without a guide, one could easily get “bushed”. We all followed our guide, each with a lighted candle. The authorities will not allow the Catacombs to be modernised in any way with the installation of electric light, etc. The reason is obvious. In the side walls of the passages, horizontal tiers of graves rise from floor to ceiling. The number of graves in the Roman Catacombs is estimated at two million, from which

65 we conclude that the period must have been a long one, in which the early Christians were forced underground in the practice of their religion. On top of each grave is a marble slab or tiles set in mortar. On many of these tombstones there are epitaphs, mostly roughly chiselled. In order to obtain light and air, shafts somewhat like chimneys were cut through to the surface of the ground. Consulting the Catholic Encyclopaedia, which I have before me, I find that many of the epitaphs on the tombstones convey the idea by pictures, that they are symbolical. The anchor, the palm, and the dove with the olive branch, are allegorical symbols of hope, victory and everlasting peace.

VATICAN EXHIBITION.

When we were in Rome in 1925, the Vatican Exhibition had been organised by His Holiness the Pope, in conjunction with the Papal celebrations in Rome to commemorate Anno Santo, or Holy Year, which occurs once in every twenty-five years. The exhibition took place in the Vatican gardens. The Pope was anxious to give material expressions to the Church’s world-wide activities, and for this reason had got in touch long before with missionary priests and others in every part of the world. Huge wax figures of Zulus and Kaffirs of Africa, aboriginals of Australia and Tasmania, Maoris of New Zealand, Red Indians of America, Chinese, Japanese, etc., were to be found in huts, gunyahs, etc., all representative of the daily lives of the pagan and the savage peoples among whom the missionaries were labouring in the cause of Christ. Here and there in mud cabins and huts in waxen figures were represented the spearing of missionaries by savages. There were also exhibits of primitive weapons of warfare from savage nations. Everywhere through the exhibition were to be seen preserved animals, snakes, birds, and whatnot, all mutely telling of the world-wide activities of the Church, and the disabilities her missionaries had to endure. Here, too, we were privileged to inspect and view a great display of human bones and skeletons, depicting all the ills that flesh is heir to. It was indeed a gruesome exhibition. Those exhibits were lent to the Pope for Holy Year exhibition by the medical and surgical professions of the world.

While in Rome we stayed at the Hotel Flora, where a few of us were introduced to the great Mussolini, who was there as a guest at a fashionable wedding.

ACME OF CHURCH ARCHITECTURE.

No one goes to Rome, no matter what his or her religion, without going to see its churches. They are architectural gems, and all have a history entwined around them, many of them dating back to the earliest ages of Christianity. I am told Rome has about four hundred churches. Our first visit, of course, was to St Peter’s Basilica. St Peter’s is the first object of interest to every visitor to Rome. As he enters the huge square in front of St Peter’s he sees before him the sweeping colonnades of Bernini, and enfolded within them, the obelisk, and the splashing fountain. As I entered the porch the thought came to me that this porch alone would make a very fine church. My notes record that it is two hundred and thirty feet in length. When one enters St Peter’s first its immensity does not strike him, but its great size begins to grow, and he realises that it is in truth the biggest church in the world. He looks to the highest points of the great dome and is told that it is four hundred and five feet above the pavement. The Brisbane City Hall tower is three hundred feet high, and the dome of

66 St Peter’s is one third that height again. The colossal figures of the evangelists seem only life size, and yet the pen in St Luke’s hand is seven feet in length. The great Basilica has thirty altars. The visitor will behold many monuments to Popes who lived and died since St Peter’s was built. He will also see in St Peter’s the monument to the Catholic Stuart Kings of Scotland. He will visit and pray at the shrines of the Apostles not realising that he has covered over half a mile since he has entered the church. We went from St Peter’s to the Basilica of St John Lateran. It was built by the aid of the Emperor Constantine in 324. It has been restored and added to more than once since then. We then went hurry-scurry to the Basilica of St Mary Major and St Paul’s Outside the Walls. One cannot acquire very much knowledge and information in so short a time of Rome, which has such a long history both Christian and Pagan. Among the many churches we visited in Rome was a very small one – I think it would be called a Crypt – called the Quo Vadis Church on the old historical road, called the Appian Way, leading from Rome. A tradition has come down the centuries that St Peter was leaving Rome by the Appian Way fleeing from the wrath of Nero when, just at the point where the church is built, he was met by an apparition of Christ, of whom St Peter asked, “Quo Vadis, Domine?” (Where are you going, Master?) Christ answered, “I am going back to Rome to be re-crucified because you are deserting my people.” St Peter, according to tradition, went back to Rome and was apprehended and crucified next day. This tradition I remember reading of in the book called “Quo Vadis.”

CONTRASTS IN CLIMATES.

While in Rome I noticed that almost all our party complained of being off colour, and many were really ill. The climate of Rome is very trying. While the Fahrenheit thermometer may not register any more than in Queensland, the atmosphere in Rome charged with excessive moisture, makes the heat more unbearable than the bright and cheerful heat of Queensland. While on the subject of climatic conditions, I have no hesitation in claiming for Queensland, the best climate, taken all round, of any country in the world; and our winter climate, bright and bracing, has no successful rival. Queensland suffers much, sometimes from the ignorant, sometimes spiteful prejudices of our southern sister States who delight in persuading themselves and others that Queensland is a place to be avoided. On a trip to the Old Country I had as fellow travellers, two English doctors who were returning to England from a tour of Australia and New Zealand, seeking sheep country for their sons, and they informed me they had decided on New Zealand and had purchased sheep runs there. I asked them if they had been to Queensland and I was answered in a shocked voice, “Oh dear, no. We were advised everywhere not to invest in Queensland as the heat was terrific and the blacks were dangerous.” Of course I advised them to the contrary and told them they missed something as Queensland offers better facilities in cattle and sheep raising than any other of the States of Australia.

Tuesday, August 2nd, 1932.

ON THE SIDE OF VESUVIUS.

What Pompeii’s Ruins revealed.

FEATURES OF FLORENCE; VENICE’S CHARMS.

67

Naples, Florence, and Venice are describes by Mr O’Keeffe in this article, and reference is also made to a visit to the volcano of Vesuvius, on the side of which Italian people courageously carry on olive growing. The ruins of Pompeii, the art treasures of Florence, and the uniqueness of Venice made a profound impression upon the touring party.

We were entertained at the Irish College in Rome, and were introduced to many world celebrities, amongst them Cardinal Mercier and an Archbishop from Russia, whose name I cannot recall, although his name was published some years ago in the newspapers of the world when, under Bolshevic rule in Russia, he was with a brother Bishop, incarcerated for three or four years. His brother Bishop was one morning at daylight riddled with the bullets of a firing squad, while he, at the last moment, was liberated.

The next city in our itinerary was Naples. I previously visited Naples, and I remembered an old saying, “See Naples and die,” but after a good tour round both what are known as the rich quarter and the poor quarter, I was not long in deciding, as regards the poor quarter, which comprised three-fourths of the city, that my summing up was “Smell Naples and die.” I never before witnessed such filth and poverty and rather than attempt to describe the wretchedness I would leave it to be imagined. Quite the other extreme is to be found in the rich quarter. A visit to the Grand Arcade satisfied me of the gulf that separated the wealthy aristocrats from the poor wretches who seem to be born into poverty, and apparently would not be happy otherwise. The sanitary conditions of the poor quarters were appalling.

In the Grand Arcade, Naples grand society ladies and gentlemen meet displaying in their attire every indication of wealth. Brilliant scenes are revealed of well-dressed society people wearing gold and dazzling diamond ornaments. Here again are to be seen the pedlars or hawkers plying their calling in much the same way as is to be seen in the Oriental ports, and they are ever a nuisance to the tourist who is bent on devoting his time to the things that are worth seeing. We visited the ancient volcano of Vesuvius. It is astounding to behold old Vesuvius in her spurting rage coughing up fire and brimstone. Olives are growing in the very lava that in past ages has been belched down her sides. Our party of nearly four hundred Australian pilgrims ascended in the funicular railway up the side of Vesuvius and we of a new country were edified to witness the energy and industry of the Italian people, who eked out an existence and a competence from the olive trees growing on the very side of a volcano.

What wonderful hardihood and courage they must possess to undertake to grow crops on the side of Vesuvius, for was not Pompeii only after centuries being dug from the earth where it and former cities, buried deeper in the same spot, were completely destroyed by the savage volcanic monster in ages past? The city called Herculaneum is there, long centuries buried, long before Pompeii, which was covered by an eruption while St Peter was still in Rome. The Vesuvius is still active, and as late as towards the end of the last century there was an eruption which belched forth thousands of tons of molten lava from the crater, landing it in a compact heap seven miles from the volcano. This huge pile of lava may be seen near the railway line leading to Pompeii.

68

A visit to Pompeii proved most interesting. There are to be seen many objects excavated from the ruins after centuries, of both human bodies in perfect shape, petrified, and horses and ornaments. The human bodies are petrified without a blemish as to shape. The petrified bodies of horses are also to be seen. I remember that the walls of some great houses excavated displayed paintings which eminent artists declare are superior to works of art of a similar kind today. At Pompeii, too, may be seen an amphitheatre excavated, with circular stone seats calculated to hold an average of at least a thousand people.

HOME OF ART TREASURES.

Florence too, came within our itinerary. I remember Florence chiefly because of its art gallery. Italy seems to be especially the home and the custodian of the art treasures of the centuries, which, of course, is recognised to be due to the special interest of the Popes. She seems not only to have been the world’s greatest custodian of art, but she is the mother also of some of the world’s greatest artists, like Michael Angelo, Leonardo De Vinci, and others. Our section of the party stayed at the Hotel de la Ville in Florence, and it was very interesting to view the city, and particularly to watch our lady fellow travellers doing their shopping. At every city we visited the ladies made a rush for the shops, but I am inclined to think they were not always ready to make purchases. They were quite clever in getting the shop hands to “demonstrate” the pretties, and I am quite satisfied our fair pilgrims succeeded in getting an amount of fun out of the unsuccessful efforts to understand the foreign tongue, and the fun was shared by the foreign trader in his efforts to understand English.

We visited many ancient temples and castles in Florence and other towns some miles distant. The village of Impruneta is about twelve miles from Florence and a considerable height above sea level. This village has good rural surroundings and every year in October a great fair (chiefly cattle) is held there and is well frequented. Nearby are the hills of Chianti and the surrounding country has many pleasant walks over sunny valleys and heights, planted with vineyards, which give of the best wine exported from Tuscany. The excursionists were especially requested to visit San Casciano la Castellina, etc. More to the east side of Florence, on our return, I was interested in the fine vineyards which also produce wine of the very finest quality. Besides these places the whole localities within the environs of Florence offer the traveller varied and interesting attractions surrounded by wonderful nature, under clear skies, and on a fertile and healthy soil. It seems to me that the Divine hand has especially favoured Florence and its environs, and has given it fertility in abundance, with every sign of a contented and happy population.

Saltino, on the east side of Florence, is placed on top of a kind of promontory, jutting out over the plain and the valley. From this elevation an enchanting panorama is presented; on looking towards the sunset and standing there one enjoys the pure and bracing air of a temperate climate. The locality is rich in running water, and was called Acquabella; it belonged to the Counts Guidi, who contributed, with Countess Matelda of Tuscany, to found the monastery. It became little by little very magnificent, one of the richest abbeys of the country, containing, until the great revolution of 1809, innumerable works of art which were afterwards transferred to the

69 Florentine galleries. Ascending a little higher one finds the little hermitage of Paradisimo, where it is said San Giovanni Gualberto lived. From this spot one sees the Valley of the Arno as far as the Tyrrhenian Sea, and from the summit of the Appenines one discerns also on clear mornings, the Adriatic Sea.

FASCINATING VENICE.

Venice came within the itinerary mapped out for us by Thomas Cook and Son. Lord Byron, the English poet, speaks of “Venice throned upon her hundred isles.” I was informed there that as a matter of fact, Venice is throned upon one hundred and ten isles. It is unique to hear and see the water splashing at the doorsteps of your hotel when you get up in the morning, and rather strange to have water streets instead of those of bitumen. Instead of hailing a tram to go shopping, you hail instead a boat called a gondola. A gondola is a boat shaped somewhat like a swan with its long neck looking very quaint. It is propelled by a single oar or paddle and meanders round very slowly. In the early morning the water appears fairly clear, but as the traffic of the day disturbs the water it becomes quite muddy and looks anything but prepossessing. We were put up at the Hotel Danieli and found the accommodation, attention, and courtesy everything to be desired. I forgot to mention at the commencement of the European trip we found the food supplied very unsuitable, and we sent a deputation to Thomas Cook and Son’s agent and demanded Australian food – a meat diet – and to some extent matters were improved, but still were not of the best. Everyone should know that Australians are meat eaters.

Every globe-trotter who has ever been to Venice forever associates that city with its thousands of pet pigeons, which are fed by visitors in the great quadrangle of the town. As soon as the town clock strikes one, the pigeons fly down. Visitors assemble at this hour and purchase small parcels of bird feed from persons who eke out a living in that way. It is common to see visitors with pigeons perched on their hats and shoulders eating out of the hand. The pigeons are rigorously protected by the local authority, and it is regarded as an offence to injure them. Camera fiends make a special point of getting snaps of friends besieged by pigeons in Venice. A friend of mine took a snap of me with Venice pigeons perched on my shoulders and feeding out of my hand, and presented me with a copy.

Venice is a romantic old city. Its very uniqueness – its gondolas, its isles interlaced by bridges, and its water streets – throws about it an atmosphere of romance. The local authorities of Venice are quite alive to the fact that the romance of Venice is the attraction to the tourist, and for that reason will not have Venice modernised. No wheeled vehicles appear in the city.

I travelled across the Bridge of Sighs which Lord Byron has made famous in “Childe Harold” and also inspected the old dungeon which made such a dark and dismal page in the history of Venice. The massive town clock in the quadrangle attracts immediate attention with the large bronze figure of a man knocking a huge bell at the striking of the hours. You cannot miss St Mark’s Cathedral when you go to Venice. There it stands at one end of the quadrangle, an architectural gem, embellished with ecclesiastical art of many centuries. There is a tradition that St Mark the Evangelist was martyred in Turkey, and that his body was brought back, camouflaged under the label of pork, to Venice. The Cathedral has a huge painting commemorating this

70 tradition. The Cathedral at any rate is dedicated to St Mark the Evangelist. It will be remembered that Pope Pius X, who is so lovingly remembered by the Catholic world, was Cardinal Archbishop of Venice when he was elected Pope. The two great industries in Venice are the making of glass and mosaic. This was the first time I saw mosaic in the making.

Friday, August 5th, 1932.

CHARMS OF SWITZERLAND.

A Feast of Gorgeous Scenery.

INTERESTING FEATURES OF PARIS.

The ancient city of Milan, the glorious scenery of Switzerland, and historical features of Paris are described by Mr O’Keeffe in this article. The writer pays eloquent testimony to the natural beauty of Swiss country, especially in the Lucerne canton, and expresses the view that it is not excelled in any part of the world.

From Venice we went by train to Milan and as usual motor cars and charabancs met us and conveyed the different sections of our party to their respective hotels. Our party of about thirty members was quartered at the Hotel Continental, where we found everything possible done to ensure our comfort. I was anxious to see Milan. It was associated in my mind as the city with the all-marble church. Milan was one of the chief cities on our itinerary.

Milan is in Lombardy, Northern Italy. The city is situated on the Orona River, which, with three canals, is the highway of the commerce of this great industrial centre called the moral capital of Italy. The soil in Lombardy is very fertile and there are extensive cattle-raising and manufacturing enterprises throughout the province. The name Milan, from a Celtic derivation means, “in the middle of the plain.”

The most distinctive feature of Milan by which a casual visitor remembers that ancient city is its majestic marble Cathedral which was begun in 1386 and completed under Napoleon in 1803. This wonderful Gothic Cathedral is built entirely of white marble and looks from the outside at a distance like a huge fabric of lace. It has five naves and is four hundred and eighty-six feet in length. It is surmounted by ninety- eight splendid turrets on the principal one of which is a bronze statue of the Madonna. In Italy, marble is as cheap as freestone in Queensland. It is worthy to note that the present Pope, His Holiness Pius XI, was Cardinal Archbishop of Milan when he was elected to the papal chair.

I feel I could never forget the enticing beauty of Switzerland, especially Lucerne, where we stayed a few days at the Hotel Tivoli, and the wonderful scenery is indelibly stamped on my memory. Passing from Italy to Switzerland the train runs along the edge of precipitous and lofty mountains of volcanic rock and boulders. These mountains of rock are so near the train window that one could not possibly look to their lofty summits without the serious risk of putting his head through the train windows.

71

Before we began to enter the long line of tunnels, we changed from the Italian coal steam driven train to an electric train. This change was much appreciated by all because it was much cleaner and free from smoke and dust in passing through tunnel after tunnel, many of them of great length. These tunnels are burrowed through solid rock. In the intervals between tunnels looking down beneath are to be seen fierce cataracts and gushing waterfalls. On the way we alighted at Lugano and went to see the Lake Lugano and I remember being asked how it compared with Killarney in Kerry, Ireland. I thought that in point of beauty Killarney would hold its own world- wide reputation, but the Lugano with its immense area and undoubted beauty would perhaps be regarded by others as a successful rival with the beautiful Killarney of song and story. At Lucerne we went for many trips to the different lakes, to Lake Lucerne we went on a trip to the other end and saw the rock called Pilotes Rock. Far up the rocky sides of the mountains are pointed out the summer residences of many of the world’s nobles and wealthy families. Amongst them was the summer residence of the late Queen Victoria who we understand, used to make periodic holiday trips to Switzerland. I am informed that the late King Edward VII spent many a holiday in Switzerland. I am not surprised that the wealthy and leisured class should make Switzerland their rendezvous for holidays, for it would be difficult to imagine a more heavenly spot on earth than Lucerne. To go to Europe and miss Switzerland is to leave the best apples in the basket.

The hotels of Lucerne are amongst the world’s best with their electric escalators taking you from the street up to where the hotels are perched eerie-like on the sides of the precipitous rocky mountain. From our hotel window we were able to look over the tops of other great buildings and hotels below and command a perfect view of lake and magnificent mountain scenery. At this hotel as elsewhere in Europe, I was surprised to hear perfect English spoken by the hotel employees. One young fellow not yet out of his ‘teens told me he was a German native. I asked him where he received his English education. He answered, “Right here. I picked it up from the tourists!”

Perhaps the grandest scenery we had yet seen was the Rigi, a few miles outside Lucerne. The Rigi is a lofty mountain, the summit of which is vastly improved and laid out with extensive gardens and lawns. It has several most up-to-date hotels and restaurants which cater almost entirely for tourists, who frequent the place in great numbers during the tourist season. We went there by steamer provided by Thomas Cook and Son, and were landed at the foot of the mountain. A train awaited us to take us to the summit. I shall never forget the excitement when our party saw the steep, almost perpendicular railway grade, and many passengers exhibited much nervousness. The train was composed of an engine and two carriages, each carriage to accommodate sixty passengers. The two carriages were in front of the engine. The powerful engine propelled the carriages to the top. The nervousness of the passengers was somewhat allayed when we were informed that there was absolutely no danger, as the funicular railway or rack railway had grappling hooks which prevented the train slipping back in case of engine trouble, etc. However, all soon forgot their nervousness when their attention became riveted on the entrancing scenery on either side of the railway as we proceeded up the steep incline.

72 I had often read and heard of the magnificent scenery of Switzerland, but I confess I only faintly realised ita grandeur. When we arrived at the top we were held spellbound by the glorious scene, the wonderful panorama that spread out before our view for miles and miles, taking in vast expanses of sea and lakes and landscapes of surpassing beauty; away in the background in the distance, snow-capped mountain peaks – I think spurs of the alps – the whole making a glorious picture that defies favourable comparison. When I stated that I thought Killarney would hold its own reputation I was thinking only of its great beauty, of its chains of lakes, set in its wonderful surroundings. But Killarney sinks into insignificance when compared with the majestic grandeur of Swiss scenery. We spent the whole day from early forenoon enjoying the salubrious air of the June mountain climate until about 6.00pm. We had a tempting lunch served to us by one of the hotels on the lawn, where many hundreds of tourists, strangers to us, were also enjoying themselves. At 6.00pm we went aboard our train after spending a most enjoyable time. This time the engine was in front of the train, and its work consisted of holding back the train. When we arrived back at the foot of the mountain the Australian party boarded the steamer. We sailed around the beautiful lakes and bays until near midnight, enjoying the wonderful natural scenery, and when we met next morning we were all agreed that Switzerland was by far the most enjoyable and intensely interesting part of a generally educational and ever to be remembered holiday.

As we came away from Switzerland we felt highly delighted with our good luck in having the opportunity to see and witness the majestic mountain scenery of that favoured country which, for grandeur and natural beauty, enhanced by the lavish expenditure of money by the nation, cannot be excelled in any part of the world; and indeed without personal observation can but be faintly imagined from what we are able to glean from the written accounts available. Suffice it to say then that in bidding adieu to Switzerland we felt that its glorious and wondrous scenery would leave a lasting memory with us.

A VISIT TO PARIS.

Paris was the next city in our itinerary, and we had several days allotted to us in that metropolis of France. We were put up in the Hotel Moderne, which proved to be, like all the tourist hotels in Europe, most up-to-date, being upholstered in the very best – lounges, bedrooms, and right throughout. As it was coming towards the end of our European trip when we arrived in Paris, there was a general rush to the shops. Most all our party, particularly the ladies, all wanted to secure some memento, or a gift for a friend or relative awaiting their return to Australia.

I myself wanted to secure something for members of my family. I entered a very fine jeweller’s shop to purchase a wristlet watch. I previously mentioned that in all hotels, restaurants, and many business places, some of the employees are required to know and speak the English language, which is found convenient and useful for business purposes. I was attended by a particularly nice young lady who, after I had made strenuous efforts to make myself understood and failed, told me that she understood English but that I “spoke too quick, too quick.” There was nothing for it but to take the young lady by the hand and lead her to the shop window in the street and point to the watch. She laughed heartily, and we both enjoyed the fun,

73 particularly as she had shown me almost every article in the shop, including a gold- mounted tooth-pick.

A trip of great personal interest to me was a visit to Chantilly, a town about twenty- five miles from Paris. Accompanied by my son, Rev Father D.M. O’Keeffe, I visited the grave of my eldest sister, who died and was buried there in 1901. She was a sister of St Joseph of Cluny, and resided in the Convent of that Order for over thirty years. Shortly after her death the Sisters were expelled and the Convent was turned into a police station or Clerk of Petty Sessions Office. When we arrived we were directed to the office of the French advocate or solicitor – something akin to our CPS. We explained we were looking for the grave of a nun and we were directed to the police office. The French gendarme looked up records of deaths, and gave us directions to the cemetery near to the one-time Convent. Here, in a tomb amongst names of other nuns, we discovered the grave of my sister, bearing her epitaph.

Successive French Governments have reversed the policy of this anti-clerical government. French governmental authorities were put to shame when the Great War broke out and when exiled priests flocked back to their native land to take their places in the trenches to fight shoulder to shoulder with the sons of their common country – for La Belle France. I remember when in Lourdes seeing many a sad witness of the patriotism of the priests of France in the Great War.

The road to Chantilly was a first-class bitumen, and it was flanked with rows of trees on either side, making the drive a very pleasant one.

REMINDERS OF NAPOLEONIC DAYS.

As at the other cities, charabancs were put at our service in Paris, and we were taken out to Versailles to visit the stately regal palaces of France’s Bourbon Kings and Queens, the last of whom was dethroned under Napoleon Bonaparte. I understand the Bourbons were again brought to the throne of France and finally went down under the advent of the Republic. Here was the regal palace where Louis Quatorze, King of France, had lived, and here where his Consort, Queen Marie Antoinette, had been apprehended and dragged to the guillotine before the bloody march of the revolution.

Huge well-kept parks surround the regal palace. A mile away is the rustic retreat of Queen Marie Antoinette; and not far away is Napoleon’s retreat. In this building we were shown the bed on which Napoleon slept, and in room after room we were shown relics of Napoleon in the form of sabres, rifles, his crown, his military uniform, his jack boots, his saddle, etc., and memoirs of Austerlitz, and all the mighty battles waged by this conqueror of Europe who ended his life like a caged eagle on the island rock of St Helens.

It is a sad commentary on human ambition that he who played with thrones and coronets as a child plays with toys should end a prisoner on a sea-girt island. But, nevertheless, Napoleon is remembered affectionately in France, which at his death demanded that the remains of Le Grand Emperor should be brought to France and receive the tributes of a nation which loved him in life and would respect him in death.

74 It will be remembered that here in one of the gorgeous rooms in this regal palace of the Bourbon Kings and representatives of the victorious allied nations of the great War met the representatives of Germany and her allies and signed the Peace Treaty. Among those who sat at the Peace Treaty table in Versailles on that auspicious occasion was the then Prime Minister of Australia, Mr W. M. Hughes. It was recorded in the newspapers at the time that Mr Hughes put his signature to the momentous Peace Treaty with a gold pen, which, no doubt, he now treasures as a memento. The President of the French republic lives in less sumptuous quarters.

Tuesday, August 9th, 1932.

A VISIT TO THE WAR AREAS.

Impressions of France’s Capital.

EXPERIENCES ON CHANNEL BOATS.

Impressions of a portion of the battlefields of France, and of life in Paris are recounted by Mr O’Keeffe in this narrative. He comments upon the sobriety of the people of the different European countries visited, and furnishes some humorous incidents of small steamer travel between Channel ports. Many of the Australian pilgrims while in Paris made a flying visit to the war plains of France. The party went first by train to Amiens. Amiens itself escaped the brunt of the war, but the Cathedral which had been sandbagged as a precaution against the bombs was, when we were there, in imminent danger of subsidence. A few feet from the steps which led to the approach to the church the earth had subsided very dangerously, and workmen were then at the job of filling it up and counteracting the danger. News of this subsidence, I remember, appeared in the newspapers of the world at the time. The party hired motor cars at Amiens, and made an itinerary of about one hundred miles through the war plains on the excellent macadamised roads of France. I may here digress in order to compliment the road authorities here in Queensland on the great progress in road-making in Queensland in recent years. I am, however, of the opinion that too much attention is being given to road-making for pleasure seekers to the detriment of country rural interests. While we appreciate good roads for pleasure seekers, I think, with our limited financial resources, more attention should be given to road-making in farming districts, and thus encourage land settlement, which would tend to draw off some of our crowded city population and relieve the labour congestion. Mr Godfrey Morgan, Minister for Roads and Railways in the last government, stressed the necessity of good country roads in view of the advent of petrol controlled transport. There will be little need for new railways in the future. The cry must be for better roads in country districts to help open up the country.

ACROSS THE WAR PLAINS.

Our itinerary through the war plains took us through Albert, famous as the town of the church of the leaning Virgin, of which we had read so much during the war. We left our cars here and inspected the ruins of this once beautiful church. We also inspected some of the trenches and shell holes which were then bearing a luxuriant growth of

75 grass. All around there was still much evidence of tangled wire and other war material. There was still remaining only too much evidence of that bloody human holocaust which has passed into history as the Great War. Along the road were many monuments raised by the different nations of the Allies to the memory of their glorious dead. The monument to the memory of the Australian soldiers is a particularly imposing one.

We came across a cemetery, in which the Australians, Irish, English, and Scotch fallen were sleeping the sleep of the brave together – each in a section of its own. All had neat plain marble tombs over them; on the Australian tombs the figure of the rising sun, on the Irish a shamrock, on the English a rose, and on the Scotch, a thistle. The French roads, though good, were almost entirely devoid of trees. The butts of what were most likely once beautiful trees only remained. The Australian party also went on a long train journey from Paris to Lisieux to see the town and convent where lived and died the greatest of modern saints, St Therese of the Child Jesus, who is better known to the Catholic world as “The Little Flower.” Two of her sisters, Carmelite nuns also, are still living in the same Carmelite monastery where St Therese lived and died.

During our stay in Paris we were directed to the world famous Longchamps Racecourse. Many, like myself, had no interest in the turf, but we went with the crowd to see all that was to be seen. The ladies of our party especially were eloquent about Paris shops and Paris boulevards and Paris theatres. We have all heard of “Gay Paris.” We went one night to hear “Faust.” I am not a judge of theatres; to a pioneer in the Lockyer district theatres were not on my programme of life. To my generation, life was much a sterner problem and the people of my day did not waste so much time and their hard earnings in rushing after pleasure, but this theatre was certainly a sumptuous palace. With regards to the boulevards, I have no doubt they are the best in the world. In my European itinerary, at all events, I saw nothing to compare with them. With regard to shops and shop windows, without pretending to any expert knowledge on window dressing myself, I am prepared to take the verdict of some Australian ladies, who were on the pilgrimage with us, that they are the best in the world. I remember how hard it was to cross the streets by reason of motor traffic. I did not know when I arrived in Paris that French law put the onus to avoid accidents equally on the pedestrian and motor driver. According to French law the pedestrian is fined for being in the way, and in the case of fatal accidents damages are assessed against the deceased’s estate, provided, of course, that the pedestrian is held culpable.

NOTICEABLE SOBRIETY.

A remarkable thing about Paris, and indeed all the towns of Europe we visited, is the absolute sobriety of the people. In the whole course of our itinerary through France, Italy and Switzerland we did not see one case of drunkenness. Staying in first class hotels there is no such thing as a drinking bar or tap room. A wine card is supplied with the menu at dinner, and guests order what they require. If drinks are required at other times they must be ordered in the smoke-room or lounge. These hotels do not stress the sale of drink. They rely on making a profit from high tariffs during the tourist season. The restaurants on the other hand do a big business in the sale of refreshments.

76

The streets of Paris and other large cities of Europe are very wide, and the footpaths in front of restaurants especially so. On the footpaths before restaurants are scores of small tables and chairs in the open air, and parties requiring refreshments sit there without molestation as long as they please, ordering the refreshments they require. The wines and ales are very light, and every man, woman and even small children, partake of these beverages at meals, etc, and they are practically non-intoxicating. Spirits such as Cognac, whiskey, etc., are rarely drunk by the Europeans, and are kept in stock for the travelling public of other nations. I particularly noticed family parties ordering tea and coffee, as well as other drinks, and the expensive tea and coffee service is left on the tables hour after hour in the open street without any attempt being made to “pinch” them, and the courtesy with which the business people treat their clients is remarkable.

There is no talk of prohibition in any of the countries we visited. There is absolutely no drunkenness, because the trade caters for light wines and beers. I remember at one of these restaurants myself and four companions were invited in to see the magnificent garden lounge. This was indeed a glorious apartment, which was there specially to cater for persons of much greater pretensions than myself, who had spent most of my life on the land. However, I thought it was up to us to pay our footing, and I called for drinks. Behold my surprise when the bill was presented on a silver salver, 10/- for five drinks, to which must be added the usual tip which the waiter politely requests, saying, “Service, please!” The five drinks served in the ordinary way would cost 1/3.

It will be interesting to hotel and restaurant keepers to learn that wages are not paid to employees in either hotels or restaurants in any part of Europe, including Great Britain and Ireland. The employees depend entirely on tips, which often prove lucrative. I remember an incident in London in 1911. At that time Lyons and Co., a leading restaurant firm doing business all over London and most of the great cities of England, made an attempt to break down this system and introduced the wages system. The company made it a condition that instant dismissal of any employee found accepting a tip would follow. At this time Sir Thomas Robinson, the then Agent-General, invited myself and his Secretary, Mr P.J. Dillon, to lunch with him at Lyons, in the Strand. As we left the table Sir Thomas, Mr Dillon, with myself in the rear, proceeded to the cloak room. The waiter who attended our table came after us and fingered my vest, and, muttering something, he went back to his duties. When we arrived at the cloak room I inquired what he meant. I thought he was trying to pinch my watch. Mr Dillon explained that Sir Thomas left a tip, and the waiter pretended to give it back. When I was last in London I found that Lyons were back to the tipping system; the firm got no support either from the principals or employees of similar institutions. I remember when I visited London the Savoy Hotel, in the Strand, invited applications for the position of chief boots. Applicants were required to enclose with their applications, the premium they were prepared to pay on securing the position. The successful applicant paid £300, and it was understood the position was worth from tips £1200 to £1500.

ROUGH SEA TRAVEL.

77 Our passage across the English Channel proved very disturbing to many of the passengers. I have had many a sea trip and only on one occasion do I remember a rougher trip which caused so much seasickness. Passing from France to England on the last occasion more than half the passengers were stricken with seasickness, amongst them being a lady who had lately become rich and was inclined to put on a lot of “side”. So much so that many passengers were not inclined to sympathise with her in her distress. I heard someone cry out, “Come quick. Mrs So-and-So has lost her dignity.” Right enough, there she was, so overcome that she was calling on God to let her die. The other occasion was some few years before. I was going from Dublin to Holyhead by a very ancient creaky old boat. Shortly before the boat started a seaman came along ordering men to the one side, and ladies to the other. I chummed up with a young English parson while we were waiting. Before starting two seamen came along placing a small basin at each passenger’s feet. I asked my reverend friend what it all meant, as I had never seen such a procedure before in my travels. He answered, “You will soon see. My duties take me across this channel every quarter, and on every occasion I suffer severely from seasickness.” Sure enough, all hands were making full use of the basins, and although I had never had the slightest sensation of seasickness, I found it advisable to find a quiet corner out of sight. After a while I returned and found my reverend friend very ill indeed, and as pale as death. The trip across to Holyhead took about three and a half hours, and I attended to the reverend gentleman and assisted him to the train, which awaited us at Holyhead. We were both on our way to London, about five hours express train trip. It was only when we were nearing London that he began to revive. I have since been on a trip on the same route, but on a new boat, and everything went on pleasantly.

In the course of our trip through Ceylon, Egypt, and Europe, the thought struck me often what an education such a trip should prove to young people, who should be old enough to have had some experience of business life, its struggles and trials, and young enough to acquire and assimilate knowledge which must come to the alert and observant traveller, and turn it to use in his business life as well as giving the benefit of his experiences to the public. I was well past the allotted span of life when I had the unique privilege of an educational trip of this kind. I had, of course, another trip overseas, but under the superior organisation of Thomas Cook and Son, the facility to see things and acquire knowledge is something impossible to the individual traveller.

Tuesday, August 16th 1932.

NOTABLE FEATURES OF LONDON.

Favourable Changes in Ireland.

QUEENSLAND PIONEERS: A CLOSING TRIBUTE.

In this, the concluding article of Mr O’Keeffe’s reminiscences, he furnishes interesting observations of London life, especially in regard to the extraordinarily efficient manner in which the vast street traffic is handled. Historical features of the great city are also described. An extended tour through Ireland gave the writer an excellent opportunity of noting the progress of his native country. In closing, Mr

78 O’Keeffe pays added tribute to the pioneers of Queensland, and especially those who were responsible for the remarkable development of West Moreton.

When we arrived in London we were put up at the Hotel Russel, one of the finest hotels in England. This hotel contains eight hundred rooms, and is fitted up with every modern convenience. Thomas Cook and Son provided us with motor cars and we were driven to view many scenes and places of interest in the great metropolis of England. Amongst the places of interest visited were the Houses of Commons and House of Lords, the great Law Courts, where I had the privilege of sitting in the chair of the Lord Chief Justice from which many sentences of death had been pronounced for generations past. We also visited St Paul’s Cathedral, which at the time, was pronounced by architects to be in a dangerous state. We were taken on a visit to the most famous of all English Abbeys, the well-known Westminster Abbey, which is situated within the precincts of the Royal Palace of Westminster, like Hollyrood in Scotland. The site is on the northern side of the River Thames, a mile or two above the ancient city of London. The date of the foundation of the Abbey is quite uncertain. The Venerable Bede, who died in 736, does not mention it. Competent authority ascribes its foundation to the year 616. Adjoining the Abbey is a monastery where about fifty monks were in habitation at the time of the Reformation. In 1539 the monastery was suppressed under Henry VIII, and monks were disbanded, being replaced by a dean and twelve prebendaries, who acknowledged the Royal supremacy. Under Queen Elizabeth in 1559 the Abbey passed out of the hands of the Roman Catholics to that of Protestantism. As we walked through the cloisters of the old monastery we came across a tomb, the epitaph of which read, “Sacred to the memory of Edward O’Keeffe and his wife, Isabella, lineal descendants of the Kings of Munster.” I forget the date, but the entombment was in pre-Reformation days.

Besides being the scene of their coronations, Westminster Abbey is also the burial place of many English Sovereigns and their Consorts, including Henry III, Edward I, Edward III, Richard II, Henry V, and six Queens, whose tombs are in St Edward’s Chapel, and Henry VII, Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth and Mary Tudor, and Margaret, the widow of Henry V, and many others. We also saw the tombs of numerous other celebrities – poets, statesman, warriors, etc., illustrious in the history of England, who likewise have been buried within the Abbey, so that it has become a national honour to be given a resting place there, though it seems to me that these tombs mar the beauty of the ancient edifice.

We also had a trip to Kent under the auspices of Thomas Cook and Son, and also visited Devon, which is, I understand, the best agricultural centre in England. Some very fine farmers’ homes are to be seen, set in ancient-looking groves surrounding the farmsteads.

LONDON’S TRAFFIC CONTROL.

I have had many visits to London and have always been struck with the extraordinary efficiency of the traffic police. I have watched with great interest, the great volume of traffic on the Strand from Trafalgar Square to London Bridge without a hitch occurring; but it was at the Elephant and Castle that I was mostly interested. At this junction of, I think, six ways, the traffic is very great. I tried to count the vehicles of

79 every description going from all ways, but failed entirely. At this junction a single policeman directs the enormous traffic. He is, of course, relieved of pedestrian traffic crossing the streets. Pedestrians must cross by subways, and when the stranger pedestrian finds him or herself on the other side after passing over by the subway he is quite bewildered. It is here especially that I have a word of praise and admiration for the traffic police. In the midst of his strenuous and exacting duties, he is ever ready with correct information to the stranger who enquires his way, and this information is given invariably with studied courtesy. Before a constable goes on duty, particularly on traffic duty, in London, he must go through a course of instruction; he must learn to know London from A to Z. He is provided with a guide book and he is required to master the information contained within its pages so that he is able to give information about any part of London that inquirers ask. Altogether the London police are regarded as the best trained men in the world. In physique too, they are a fine body of men.

We had booked our passage on the pilgrimage to expire in London on June 29th. During the voyage the majority of pilgrims got in touch with Thomas Cook and Son and arranged an extension of the pilgrimage to include Ireland. My son, Rev. Father D.M. O’Keeffe and I decided before this that we would purchase a car in Dublin and make a more interesting tour of my native land by motoring in our own car. We, of course, accompanied the whole party across the Irish Channel to Dublin, where we were met by practically the whole population of Dublin with certain political exceptions, which in these reminiscences must remain a blank. We found later that many of the Australians followed our example and purchased motor cars and it proved very pleasant to meet our comrades at many centres and exchange views. For three months we motored in this way. For me it was very interesting and pleasant because it gave the opportunity of visiting numerous relatives whom I had not seen for many years.

A CHANGE IN IRELAND.

In motoring around Ireland I could not help noting the marked improvement in the appearance of the country and the people. When I visited Ireland fourteen years previously I was greatly disappointed. I felt that my native land did not progress much in the thirty-six years since I had first left it. On the occasion of my last visit, however, I was agreeably surprised to note the great improvement in education, dress, and business prospects of the people, and the happy contentment that seemed to prevail everywhere. Of course, there was the usual grumbler who criticised the Free State Government because it had not cured all the ills which beset the country for many generations.

I was present at the city of Limerick when the German contractors for the Shannon electricity scheme were putting down their plant and machinery, and I was there when the contractors were prepared to make a start with the work, but the German company were met at the outset with a strike. The company offered eight shillings a day wages, and the workmen struck for thirteen shillings a day. In the meantime the German company was getting over German workers. I left before the matter was settled, but I understand the Shannon scheme has proved a great success and electrical power is now available to the whole of Ireland, including cities, towns, and villages, and farming centres where required.

80

I have referred at different times in these reminiscences to rich land which I had seen in the different countries of Europe visited by me, but I am prepared to say that I saw none that would excel the rich lands of the Golden Vale of Tipperary. This Vale, or Golden Vein, as some people call it, runs right through Tipperary well into the County of Limerick. And again, the plains of Meath in Ireland have the reputation of possessing in their grasslands the greatest fattening properties for cattle and sheep. It is notable in Ireland that the rich plains are reserved for grazing stock, while the poorer lands are put to agricultural use and must be heavily manured every year. And this reminds me that the time must come sooner or later when our agricultural lands in Queensland will become exhausted and will require manuring.

DARLING DOWNS SOILS.

This statement, however, does not apply to some of our wheat lands which possess great depths of soil and only require subsoiling to keep up their fertility perhaps for many generations to come. Over twenty-five years ago a number of gentleman, called the Scotch Commissioners, visited all the outposts of the British Empire on behalf of the Board of Agriculture, or some such body, of England. They visited Canada, South Africa, India, New Zealand and Australia. When they arrived in Queensland and visited the Darling Downs, they were told that the lands of the Darling Downs had been growing wheat for over forty years without manure of any kind. They were incredulous and refused, at first, to accept such a statement. They, however, made very keen enquiry into the matter, with the result that they gave a very glowing account of Queensland wheat lands in their report. This same land is still growing wheat without manure, and apparently with greater success each year. In the early days of wheat growing on the Darling Downs there was a good deal of trouble because the land was so rich that it induced a great crop of straw of a luxurious growth that caused rust. As the years go on the land is better adapted to the successful growth of wheat crops. The Scotch Commissioners furnished a report of their investigations to their authorities, and they were convinced that the Darling Downs was unique in its possession of climate and land unequalled in any other country they had visited. The Scotch Commissioner’s Report was submitted in a huge volume embracing all the countries they had visited, and the Imperial authorities presented a copy to every national school in Great Britain and Ireland. In 1911 I tried to get a copy to aid me in my work on emigration, but without success, because the managers under the Board of Education banned it as calculated to cause an exodus of people to leave the country. I borrowed a copy, however, from the office of the Agent General, London.

FINAL WORD FOR THE PIONEERS.

In bringing my reminiscences to a conclusion, I desire to take the opportunity of expressing the great pleasure it has given me to have expressed a word of praise to many of my contemporary pioneers on the land. I repeat that I have always had the greatest admiration for the early pioneers who faced the huge task of opening up the country when there were very fair facilities and certainly none of the comforts of modern times. I am afraid, however, that in mentioning many pioneers whose names I remembered as I wrote, I forgot many who equally deserved to be remembered, but I am sure it will be forgiven when it is known that I wrote entirely from memory.

81 Attending the Laidley Show, and the Royal National Exhibition, Brisbane, just brought to a successful conclusion, I saw some who deserved a mention in my memoirs, notably Mr C. Beckmann, Mulgowie. Mr Beckmann was a pioneer of the bacon industry, and carried on for some years a successful private bacon factory, which was of valuable assistance to local pig raisers before the advent of the very successful Farmers’ Co-operative Company. Beginning almost from nothing Mr Beckmann achieved success, and is amongst the most successful men on the land.

At the Brisbane Exhibition I met representatives of many of the early pioneers who did much towards making Queensland worth living in, in their day. Chatting with Mr Harry Hooper last Tuesday brought back to my memory the name of his parents. I well remember when I came to the district hearing a lot of talk of the late Mr Harry Hooper’s great success at potato growing at Tent Hill, Gatton, where he made about £750 at £5/10/- per ton from six or eight acres. Shortly after this I made £400 from four acres of potatoes at £5 per ton. Following Mr Hooper’s success with the crop mentioned he joined Mr Ginn in the firm of Ginn and Hooper as grocers and produce merchants, Ipswich, where they were well known and respected. The late Mr Harry Hooper, sen., left a family of several sons and daughters who all proved valuable citizens of Queensland, of whom Mr C.W. Hooper, of Laidley, and Mr Loftus Hooper are the only Lockyer representatives. Other early pioneers of Ipswich and West Moreton who helped were the late Mr Samuel Watson and Mr Dan Shine (lately deceased). In the settlement of the rural lands of West Moreton the firm of Cribb and Foote and other merchants gave great financial assistance to the brave selectors in their early struggles.

And now, Dear Editor, in writing “finis” to my memoirs, at least for the present, I desire to thank my numerous friends throughout West Moreton for their kind criticism and approval of my endeavours to throw some light on the early struggles of the brave pioneers who made the wonderful West Moreton district what it is today.

82