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IN-LETTER 6935/1898 Aboriginal Protector Cooktown

[stamp in the centre]
COMMISSIONER OF POLICE 06935 QUEENSLAND 6.JUN.1898

[txt right of stamp] Abol Prto

Cooktown
18 March '98

The Commissioner of Police Brisbane

Report giving particulars of his late visit to the Bloomfield reporting on the
condition of the blacks at the Cape Bedford Mission Station

Sir,

I have the honor to return you, under separate
Cover, the map showing the various localities visited,
and route taken during my late visit to the
Bloomfield. On this same map you will also find
marked in some of the physical peculiarities of
the Cape Bedford Mission Reserve: for the latter I
am indebted to Rev. Mr. Schwarz.

This gentleman walked in together with 25 of his
aboriginal permanent hands, over the mountains
and along the coast-line by a somewhat risky
and rarely-frequented route, as I subsequently
learnt, the pathway in one place being only about
6 or 7 inches wide passing along the top of a precipice
about 300 feet below. He was very anxious to know
what to do with the blacks who are at this season
of the year crowding into his station, and as the
result of our conversation I asked him to put
what he had to say into writing—I forward
you his letter. The notes of our conversation may
prove of interest to you:—

The Government Grant to the Cape Bedford Station
was taken away in 1893, apparently on the recommend-
-ation of a Report from Mr. Chester, the local P. M. here,
—whose report (in copy) Mr. Schwarz showed me—
wherein he at the same time advised the granting
of a subsidy to Mr. Earle's Station—the Boggy Creek
Reserve. One of the reasons stated by Mr. Chester
was that there was plenty of fish and game at
C. Bedford—a fact which Mr. Schwarz denies,
a statement which Inspector Marett who knows this
country well confirms. Furthermore, Mr. Schwarz
tells me that Mr. Chester never even visited his
Station to make enquiry. Since 1893 some 500£

[In margin]
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