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J. W. Edmonds

[Stamps: COLONIAL SECRETARYS OFFICE QUEENSLAND 3441 4 MAY 86
COMMISSIONER OF POLICE QUEENSLAND 3345 Col Secr 7 May 1886]

Hughenden
22 Apl 1886

The Honble
The Colonial Secretary
Brisbane

Alleged shooting of blacks at a station called
Vena Park

Sir,

I do myself the honour
of laying before you a statement I have
just heard which you might perhaps
consider warrants investigation.

My informant in this
matter is a well known respectable man
named Chisholm, Manager for Messrs
Wright, Heaton & Co and resident at Torren
Creek - Great Northern Railway.

Mr Chisholm says
I was travelling a short time since through
the Normanton and Cloncurry districts when
I heard this story. About 5 months ago, at
a station called "Vena Park" on Spear
Creek (towards Cloncurry) the station Em
ployees' rode down and forcibly took away
some gins and boys, belonging to a wild
tribe in the locality.

The blacks eventually
followed the abductors to the station, and
demanded restitution.

These demands led
to violence and three of the aborigines were
shot dead by the Station hands.

Mr Chisholm