Correspondence with the Colonial Secretary's Office

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will eventually afford employment for for [repeated] a large population.

The late Township of "Burke" is I understand, entirely abandoned, with the exception of the [Culth?] Station (the property of Messrs. Morehead Young) and the other residents with their places of business having removed to the present Township of Norman, which is now the Port of the District. It is my intention to visit Burketown as soon as possible but have as yet been unable to do so.

I visited the "Cloncurry" Diggings last month and found matters there in a very unsatisfactory state. Numerous and loud complaints were made against the Police of this Station, and I must add I also found great cause to find fault, - but since the removal of the late Sergeant (Patrick Feely N^o 147) - to whose evil example, and baneful influence with the men under him I impute the whole blame - I hope to find in my next visit, a better state of feeling existing between the Residents and the Police, - though it will be some time before the impression already made against the Police by the misconduct and great want of tact and discretion displayed by the Sergeant in the execution of his duty - will be irradicated [eradicated]: and inexperienced men such as those at / present

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present in that Station will be working under great disadvantages.

This Station (Cloncurry) is temporally [temporarily] in charge of Const^ble [Constable] Johnston N^o 57 lately arrived from "Brisbane", but I do not consider him, or any other Constable now in this District qualified by experience, or efficiency in other respects for promotion, - and as I further consider it absolutely necessary that this Station should be under the charge of a good and experienced Sergeant, - I must urgently request you will be good enough to appoint some such person as soon as possible to acceed [sic] [succeed] Feely.

Then about 150 souls only, Iron on the Diggings and Copper Mines, but directly the wet season sets in there is every probability that a large number will collect to further prosper the Country about the present Diggings, and it is the opinion of experienced men, as well as myself that this Country will prove rich in Alluvial Diggings Quartz Reefs and Copper.

As far as I could learn during my short visit there, the majority of the men working on the Diggings are of an industrious and respectable class: most of the bad characters having left thin on the arrival of the increase to the Police Force and

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not possibly continue his patrols, - and now the h whole of the Horses are so poor from over work and bad feed that I do not know how the men are to be mounted on their next patrol, and they are required in several places in the District.

Upon the subject of a site for Barracks and the cost of their erection I have thought it best to submit a separate Report.

I have the honor to be Sir Your most obedient servant

Aulaire S. Morisset PM:- Insp. [Police Magistrate:- Inspector]

[Marginalia] [Vertical line in left margin, highlighting last 3 lines in body of letter.]

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2153 ------- 29 Sep 71. 7Oct 71 [circled]

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Police Office Norman 6^th of September 1871

Sir,

I have the honor to report for your information that the prisoner named in the margin, charged on suspicion of murder, was brought before the Bench for examination of the charge on 1^st ins^t [instant] and was dismissed from Custody, as in the opinion of the Bench (M. [Hetzer?] Esq. J.P. and myself) there was not sufficient evidence received to justify a committal.

The evidence was purely circumstantial and no corroborative was procurable: consequently the only witnesses against the prisoner were the two Constables who could only give evidence leading to suspicion.

The case was badly got up by the Constable from the beginning but I do not think it would have been possible in any case to obtain a conviction.

I have the honor to be Sir Your most obed^t [obedient] servant Aulaire S. Morisset P.M. [Police Magistrate] Insp. [Inspector]

The Commissioner of Police Brisbane}

[Marginalia] W. D. Uhr [written diagonally in left Margin] D[?]

Lieutenant 5^th Division Native Police to the Commandant, enclosing deposition relative to the late murders near Bogundilla [Bogandilla]. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[right of page] Dawson River April 11^th 1855. ----------------------------------------

Sir,

I do myself the Honor to state that, on the evening of the 14^th Ultimo, Gillie's [Gillies] the overseer at Bogundilla [Bogandilla] arrived at Wandai Gumbal Police Station with the intelligence that a man and woman had been murdered by the Black [Blacks] at an out station about seven miles from Bogundilla [Bogandilla]. I had only returned from Patrol on the previous evening, but mustered some police horses, and started for Bogundilla [Bogandilla], where I arrived about 4 o'clock the next morning. After resting my party for three hours I proceeded

[Marginalia]

The Commandant Native Police Traylan} ---------------------------