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E. T. Green
[Stamp: COLONIAL SECRETARYS OFFICE QUEENSLAND 9.285 23 NOV 87]
In re condition of Blacks at Georgetown
Acting Manager " The Morpis[?] Claim" - an Inquirer
Georgetown Nov. 6th 1887
To the Honorable Sir Samuell [sic] Griffiths [sic] Brisbane
Dear Sir
I write this to you because I do not know the proper authority to send it to, but I have every confidence in trusting you to forward the following information to them. For some time past the aboriginals have been allowed to camp in the vicinity of Georgetown with the result that the most disgusting scenes occur almost daily within the sight of women & children & only yesterday an act of sexual intercourse took place, right alongside my place, between an old grey headed man & a female aboriginal, while my three little girls aged 4, 5, & 6 years stood looking on & wondering what they were doing. I did not know of it until several hours afterwards or I should certainly have tried to make an example of him. This is only one case of many occurring daily. One cannot go near the river or anywhere near the aboriginals without gins & even children of 8 & 10 years of age
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running & soliciting favors. There are several cases of leprosy amongst them, one poor fellow with his feet rotting off. One Chinese leper has been here several years & I am informed that there are several others in the district. I examined one leper (chinese) the other day, whose fingers were rotted off & from the stumps left corruption exuded, his toes were also rotted off. I have spoken to several Justices of the peace about it but none of them seem to know who is the proper party to take it in hand. The venereal disease is very severe among the aboriginals some cases presenting shocking spectacles. The aboriginals themselves would be better off & far happier if they were kept away from the towns. It is very annoying to me, having settled here, & wishing to keep my family with me, to see the low state of morality at present existing here. Hoping this will be the means of remedying this lamentable state of affairs I am sir Yours Faithfully
Edward T. Green
Georgetown.