Longreach Letter, August 3, 1895.

*THE WORKER*

BRISBANE, AUGUST 3, 1895.

Our Longreach Letter.

ED. WORKER – You will have heard before now of the poisoning of fifty men at Bowen Downs. The sad affair has cast a gloom over the whole district. So far, very scanty particulars to hand, and as yet it is not known whether the poisoning was the result of accident or the work of some scoundrel.

It is to be hoped the Government will do all in their power to find out how the poison got into the men's food, and that a more searching inquiry will take place than was the case at Terrick some two years' ago when the shearers at that station were poisoned.

This is the third poisoning affair that has taken place at Bowen Downs to my knowledge. Some years ago a child was poisoned, and in 1890 several shearers. These cases were proved to have been the result of accident.

It seems strange to me that while the Government place such restrictions on the sale of poisons by chemists and storekeepers you can go into almost any boundary-rider's hut and find a bottle of poison. This, I think, should also be looked into by the Government.

At Westlands, Wellshot, East Darr, and Saltern Creek work is going on. There has been no dispute at any of the stations named.

From what I can hear all sheds in this district are full handed. Yet still we have a very large number out of work with very little prospect of their getting any employment this year.

A poll of ratepayers for or against the granting of more public houses in Longreach was held here on Wednesday last, when it was decided by a majority of ten that we should have more public houses. Some of the people of Longreach seem to think that eleven public houses are not enough for this place.

Very few men at Fermoy, but what are there are getting good stone. A good few have left Fermoy for Wild Horse Creek, on Rosebrook run, where I hear they get good opal, but it is very patchy.

Great surprise expressed here that the new Gambling Act does not include churches, land, bank, and mine swindles. These last have caused more ruin than all the betting on horse racing or sweep consultations ever held in Queensland. At a church bazaar held here some time ago I myself saw cows and calves, and even a £1 note, raffled.

See in some divisions in the House several pastoralists have voted with the Government. What about their cry of “Freedom of Contract?”

Longreach, July 25.                                                                                                                         W. K.