HORROR HOUSE ON THE HILL SETTING FOR DEBATE

CANBERRA : In breaking news   , ace reporter Argus Tuft says a late night  quick survey of  political pundits  in the non members bar   has  revealed that most  predict the debate  over  same  sex marriage  in  the  Liberal tag  team  tabernacle will  end up looking like  the   shower  scene in Psycho , with Christopher   Pyne   pecked  to  death  by   Crows , a rare Tasmanian Tiger  set  loose on  PM Malcolm  Turnbull , the Mad  Monk crucified  upside down , Michaelia Cash speechless  and  Annabel  Crabb  of the ABC providing  yummy  finger  (pointing)  food  throughout .  

OLDIES ROCK AROUND THE ROCK AS CULTURAL EVENT BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE IN TOP END

Not  shipwrecked  mariners-thirsty Darwin rock  sitters  40  years ago

One of  the  Northern Territory Library's  planned   seniors' week  events  this month is re-enactment  of  sitting  on  a  large rock   at   East Point ,  watching the sun go down  while  drinking  and  shooting  the  breeze.   If anything  like the  original  rock hopping ,  Royal  Darwin Hospital emergency  staff  may  be  run of  their feet .

The  daring  event , set  down for  August  15, is the idea of  NTL  creative artist in residence , Sarah  Pirrie . She  envisages an  obviously much  tamer   , less dangerous  rock  sitting  episode   than  the  originals , even   providing  soft   mats  for  seniors  to  sit on  in  the  library grounds . 

The promo says : Hot from rocksitting at the Venice Biennale, with ever-increasing tidelines and artists at every turn, Sarah will guide the evening with help from special guests and fellow rocksitters. Bring your stories about the coast, take a seat on a specially made rocksitting place mat and watch  the sunset.There is no mention  of  BYO , so  one suspects it  will be mineral  water  only .

 

 

The  Darwin Rock Sitters' Club , which sat on a   particular  rock every Saturday  to drink beer,  kicked  off  in  the  l970s . In  1977 ,  eight members, including three females , set   the world's  first  rock sitting  record-five days .They included  a  computer programmer , two photographers , a journalist , a mother of  two children , an  unemployment  counsellor , a carpenter , a public servant  and  hairy dog   named  Kojac.  

 

Over in New Zealand , there  was a move to challenge the  Darwin  record .  Darwin responded by announcing it  would stage the  world's first Rock Sit-A-Thon , launched by the NT Legislative Assembly independent  , Dawn Lawrie . The former Majority Leader in the Assembly, Dr Goff Letts , also participated , wishing them all the best  and downing a can . A  glimpse of that historic event is seen below .   

 It shows  the Prime Minister of the Rock , photographer  Bazza  Ledwidge , front , left  , dodging an attempt by  a man  wanting to   daub  his nose  with Vegemite. Bowties were sported  by some .  Barefooted  Dawn Lawrie , dubbed the Witch of Nightcliff  by Chief Minister   Paul "Porky " Everingham , was seen talking to a man who looked like Barry  McKenzie  , he with  a tube in hand .  The fire brigade  even turned up  on  the mainland  to  carry out  training . 

Unfortunately , the  rock was  split  asunder by  lightning  which  struck the  metal  pole  driven  into  it  for  flying  flags  and  wild  pole dancing , the pounding  sea  washed  the  pulverised  parts  away.  The above current   photograph  shows  the  mighty  sunset  view   from  an observation  platform  overlooking   the   spot  where    the  famous  rock   was  the  scene of  so  much  philisophical  discussion. 

FRENCH BOOK MYSTERY INVOLVES AUSTRALIAN MOTHERS,RUNAWAY GIRL AND DIAMOND RING

Detective  work  by  art  correspondent  Ponsonby  Willis  unravels baffling  cold case  with   traces  of  white  out , not  blood .

Sacre bleu! While flicking  through  the  pages of a  profusely   illustrated , French text  art book , in a set of three ,  out  pops  a  folded , faded   leaflet . On  examination  it  is  found to be  an  invitation to  attend  a    June  1929  branch  meeting of  the Mothers'  Union  at  Saint  Oswald's  Anglican  Church , Swanbourne , Perth , Western Australia , the  special  speaker, Mrs  Stileman.

 

There  is a penned , hard  to decipher inscription  on the front free endpaper  which could  be taken  to read : A  Gwen  en souvenir,  Henri Leonard  or  Given   as  a souvenir ...   It also bears a trade  sticker of  the   Brussels  library/bookshop of M. Lamerton .   The situation  is clarified somewhat in another volume, a general history of art in France , by Louis  Hourtico , 1919,  by another inscription :  To my dear friend  Gwen , H. Leonard .  The  third  book contains  an inscription which has been   whited  out  ,  a  modern  concoction used to hide names and erase errors .

 

 What would the French detective , Chief  Inspector  Maigret (not the Rowan Atkinson version )  do  in a baffling   case  like this? He would, of course, Google the name of  the guest speaker , Mrs Stileman . This  bright  piece of  detective work  resulted in an unexpected turn  in  the  investigation .
 

Directed to  Trove , the wonderful source of yesteryear  newspaper  information, up came  a   February  4  , 1927   Children's Court case  in the Perth Daily News  involving  a  15 year old  girl  who had stolen a  seven stone  diamond ring valued at  70 pound   from  Mrs   F. W.   Stileman . The  girl  had been in service  to  Mrs Stileman , and after receiving the  first week's pay had run away with the ring , wearing  it when  picked up  by  detectives  at  a  railway station . 

In a plea  for leniency , the  girl's mother   said  her   daughter was out of control; she  was  committed  to  an  institution for  a  year. While her  daughter may have run off  the rails , it seems Mrs Stileman's  husband was  the chief engineer of  WA Government  Railways  who drew up a grand  rail extension  plan   for  the state , part thwarted by the Depression  and other issues ,   a  member of  the  university  senate  from  which  in 1930 he  was  given  a  send off  before  departing  back  to  England . 

In  near mint  condition , printed in Paris  in 1928  , another  inclusion , above, was  later detected , advertising  the  three  volume  set  Encyclopedie  Des  Beaux  Arts .
 

( These books came  from the collection of  an  artistic lady in North Queensland who may well  have been  a keen French  apache dancer  in   her  younger  days.)

ADANI COVERAGE LEAVES MUCH TO BE DESIRED IN QUEENSLAND

With much publicity  and obvious glee, the Murdoch Townsville  Bulletin ran  these  two items informing readers  bumper stickers  , reducing the   highly contentious   proposed  Adani  Carmichael   coalmine  to a  simplistic struggle  between  latte  drinkers  and  would be miners , were  available  from  its  office , out of which it has  now moved .

 

The two smiling  guys in the pic brandishing  stickers like ticket scalpers  are none other than  Senators  Ian MacDonald and  Matt  Canavan, the latte(r)  forced to resign  as   Minister  for   Resources  and  Northern Australia   because   his  mother  made  him  an   Italian.     

 

The  wholehearted support  by the  Bulletin for  Adani  shone through  yet again  when  a major  story   about a respected Indian journalist  forced  to resign over allegations  that "crony capitalism "   involving  the Indian government   and  Adani   did  not   see  the light of  day  in  the paper .  

 

On  the other  hand ,  the   story   broke  during  the launch of   an  Adani  $l.4 million PR  advertising campaign . And  on  one  day , the  Bulletin  ran an  Adani  strap  advert  across  the  front page, a full  page  two  and   the  entire  back  page , the  bill for  which  would put  a lot of  money  in  the  Murdoch  coffers . 

However,   Fairfax Media  reported  that  two  Nobel economics laureates,  Amartya Sen and Sir  Angus Deaton , and 155 scholars from around the world  had expressed  their concern over  the  Adani  incident involving   journalist  Paranjoy  Guha  Thakurta.

Thakurta  was  editor  of the Economic and Political Weekly, a publication that combines scholarly articles with political analysis.  He  wrote two articles that raised  concerns about the connection between the Narendra  Modi Indian Government   and   Adani .

One alleged the government had modified its regulations   for  special economic  zones  to suit the  Adani Group, resulting in a $98million   bonanza . The second  said the Indian Government had  failed  to take action  despite the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence claiming that some  Adani companies dodged taxes trading in  diamonds  and gold .

 As a result he received  a legal notice   from  Adani  demanding removal of the  articles  claiming they were defamatory and harmful to the  reputation  of their  client . Thakurta hired a lawyer to draft  a reply and sent it to the  Adani Group . He did  so without informing  or consulting   members  of the trust   that own and  run the Weekly . On discovering this , the trustees  confronted Thakurta, saying his action breached  rules; he acknowledged  the lapse  and apologised  .

However , the trustees  went further , ordered  him to  take down the articles and stop writing under  his  byline . Thakurta  told the online  newspaper The Citizen that on hearing this demand , he resigned  for two reasons .

 Since then , his resignation has snowballed into a controversy over why the trustees  took such draconian action  over what was essentially a not very serious procedural lapse by Thakurta,while ignoring the   actual merits   of  the allegations .

 "No factual inaccuracy has been pointed out in what was  written and published . The letter from the lawyer representing  Adani  is an attempt to  harass  and threaten. It is akin to a SLAPP-a strategic lawsuit against public participation - except that no case  has been lodged in any court or law,"Thakurta  told Fairfax Media . 

The Wire , a non-profit news website run by the Foundation   for Independent Journalism  also carried  the two articles  and  had  also received  letters  from Adani lawyers  ordering them to remove them .  

The report went on to say  the incident highlighted  the use of India's defamation laws   by rich businessmen   to silence  criticism by  the media . Thakurta , it continued ,  had  co-written a  book, Sue the Messenger : How  Legal  Harassment  by Corporates in India  is Shackling Reportage and  Undermining  Democracy .


While the Townsville Bulletin did not run   this  story ,   Townsville Magpie online  weekly    strongly  criticised  Adani  and  the paper over its coverage  of  Adani . It made the point that the  Bulletin would have made a lot of money  running  the prominent   Adani  advertisements.   Local  commercial  TV  coverage  of   Adani   was  also   lacking , the Magpie  added.  
 

The  Townsville Bulletin  did  manage to  run a  front page  report  the first day of the ALP state  conference in the city ,   headed  LABOUR'S GREEN ADANI REVOLT ,  revealing what is  already known, that  many people,  across all political parties , in all states  and  territories, are  against   Adani,  which  umpteen  banks, including the Bank of India,  will  not   touch  with  a  barge  pole .

 There was an anti Adani protest outside  the conference which included  some ALP members . A    STOP ADANI  banner , above, was hung on Castle  Hill . Wendy Tubman  of  Stop Adani Townsville   explained the banner  was also  part of  a  campaign against  climate  change . 

 

There  was no way the federal government could  justify  giving  Adani  a  billion dollar loan , she  said .The   money should instead be spent on projects delivering long term jobs in sustainable industries  like renewable energy , agriculture  and  tourism .  

 The Bulletin   ran the  "Twitter " supplied photograph   with a story headed  COPS CHECK ACTIVISTS' HIGH JINKS , claiming police were investigating  if  those  involved  in  flying  the  banner  ,  near the iconic "  Saint "  graffiti ,  had  broken  the  law  on  the heritage  listed  peak .  

NEW CAIRNS ATTRACTIONS CHALLENGE TOWNSVILLE

Expected to open any day soon , the $35million  Cairns  Aquarium and  Reef Research  Centre , above , will  be a  strong challenge to the 30 year old  Townsville  Great Barrier Reef Aquarium   ,  below , recently the subject  of criticism about the condition  of   some  of   its   public  facilities . 

 The Cairns venture  hopes to attract  500,000  visitors a  year , many of them  from China , a  Chinese  airline  having recently started   direct  flights  to  the city .  Recently reopened  in  the  CBD  is  the renovated  over  two years  at a  cost of  $10million    Cairns Museum, in the School of Arts building , which  this blog  was   unfortunately  unable to  invade  because it was  not yet open to  the  public  during a  trip  north  .   However, visible  from the street , was  a  display of  cane cutters' knives  used  by toilers over  the  years .   

 

 

Harold  Jung  , keen on  body building  and martial arts , also  researched   the life  of Michael "Tarzan " Fomenko , called the  wild white man, which was eventually  made  into a book by  Cairns Historical Society member  Peter  Ryle. Fomenko gave up  Sydney  life to roam about the wild  north , at one stage  building a  canoe   on the  Jung  farm   at Deeral ; he  made  an  800km   trip   from  Cooktown  to   Dutch New Guinea  in another  canoe he built . See Little Darwin post MY LONG CHASE AFTER  TARZAN , July 17, 2016. 

 

 Another  exterior   wall of the museum   displayed large  early  photographs of  the  North , including  a  huge crocodile  skin .  

 

An interesting development  is the purchase by the   Cairns Regional  Council  of the old  Courthouse  Hotel  which   closed . It is right next to the   Cairns  Regional Art Gallery  and  it  is  not clear if  it  will be turned into an extension of  the  gallery,   which  has   limited  space.   

A TOUCH OF GAY PAREE IN QUEENSLAND

French  kisses all round  

As part of Queensland's 1959  Centenary Year celebrations it would not have been out of place  for the   Queensland  Art  Gallery  to have  run  an exhibition of British paintings . After all , the state had been named after Queen   Victoria .

 Surprisingly enough , it  organised  an  exhibition of   French  art  , the  worn   catalogue  for  which , seen here , from  the  collection of our  bowerbird  art  correspondent ,  Ponsonby  Willis .

The show contained  paintings  from   diverse  sources - overseas  and  within  Australia , galleries  and  individuals . Nine , including an important Monet and   two   Picassos (described as being of  the  School of  Paris, despite he  being  Spanish  ) ,  were  provided  by  an  Australian  living  in Paris , Mrs  Louise  B. M. Hanson-Dyer .   She   arranged   for   friends ,  Monsieur  and Madame   Rene  Varin  , of  the  French  Embassy , London ,   to  lend a  Monet ,  London  Bridge .

 

The  ALP   federal  leader  of  Australia  at the time , Dr  H. V. Evatt  , and  his wife, of Canberra,    contributed  a  mixed  bag - two heads of a girl by  Marie Laurencin  ( 1885-1956 ), her  work described as  unashamedly feminine , proud  of being born  in Paris, a lover of luxury,who  disliked  long speeches  and  compliments. Asked to describe herself , she responded : "  Eats quickly, walks quickly , lives  quickly . Paints  very  slowly ."

    

 A     Modigliani  portrait of   American artist    Morgan  Russell  (1886-1953), a founder of synchronism  , a style  of  abstract  painting  that  contributed to the  rise of  Modernism,  also  came  from  the  Evatts  .  Russell,  a cross dresser  , twice married , who studied at  Matisse's art school , frequented  Gertrude Stein's salon  and mixed with  Picasso  and  Rodin , held  exhibitions in Paris and   New York .

 

 

Lady  Elisabeth Murdoch , of Melbourne , Rupert Murdoch's mother , provided  an oil on panel , Holiday, by  Pierre  Bonnard  (1867-1947) , influenced by Degas, Lautrec  and Japanese painters .  Her husband , Sir  Keith  Murdoch (1886-1952)  , as a trustee and  then chairman  of  trustees of the   National Gallery of Victoria   and  editor of the   Melbourne Herald ,   did much to promote visual   arts in  Australian.   

 

Lady  Lloyd Jones and her  son , Charles , of  the  David Jones   department  store fame  , Sydney,  lent   a  Utrillo    painting and a   canvas  by Moise Kisling, who served in the French Foreign Legion in WWl and went to America  and established a studio in Hollywood  where he painted  portraits of famous actresses  and   fashionable women .

 

Art dealer and  speed demon Kym Bonython of Adelaide threw in  a tapestry by  naturalised  French citizen Mathieu Mategot.

 

Of  note was an early Still Life With Fish  by  Vincent  van Gogh .           

GOVERNOR-GENERAL ROUGHED UP IN NORTH QUEENSLAND TOUR

 Now that there is  a legal move to  try and  gain access to  secret   correspondence between Sir John Kerr and the  Queen over the  1975 sacking  of  Prime Minister  Gough  Whitlam , our S(h)ipping   Reporter, just  back from Woy Woy ,   recalls   an   amazing   nautical   event  in  the  Queen City of the  North.

Another  major  political   milestone , the  recent   41st  anniversary of  the    extraordinary demonstration in Townsville  against   Governor-General  Sir John Kerr ,  which  culminated in   his  effigy being  cast  adrift   at  sea ,  went  unnoticed  by the  local  media .

On a tour of  North Queensland  , Sir John and Lady Kerr arrived in Townsville  in  July 1976  so  that  the GG  could open the  Show, travelling  in a funereal  black Rolls-Royce , accompanied   by a large posse of police-uniformed , plainclothes, Special Branch , three  motorcycle  outriders.

 

The  ALP  Mayor  of  Townsville, Perc  Tucker , had  been  strongly urged to  snub Kerr , but replied  he would represent  all  the  people  of the city in   welcoming the  GG , in so doing  defying  the "unwritten code of the ALP", according to the local paper, then  known as The Townsville  Daily  Bulletin .

 

After the show opening , they adjourned  to  the Matthew Flinders Room at Lowth's Hotel ,the premises swarming with police,  where a  red  carpet had been rolled out, and   got  stuck into the  menu  which  included seafood cocktail ,   avocados (unsmashed, one presumes, Sir John , on the other hand , may have already  been  smashed ) , barramundi , white wine, strawberries  and cream . Five policemen  including Kerr's bodyguard  were  fed  "ordinary hotel " tucker...pie and peas , bangers and mash , paper thin Vienna  Schnitzel  and chips ?   

     

 A Trades and  Labour Council  organised   protest  march  held before the arrival of the  GG   ,  said  to  be 70 strong, included  men in overalls and  Jackie Howe  singlets , women  with shopping bags , young  women in Indonesian skirts , some office workers  and a postman on his bike . 

Kerr  hanging around 

At its head were  two union officials  posing as  Sir John and  PM  Malcolm Fraser, the latter known as the  Crazy Grazier.  The  rally proceeded  to   Hanran Park  where it  was proposed to  burn  Sir  John's  effigy , a  rope about his neck .  However, the   police  doused this   proposal  before  ignition . 

  

A Special Branch officer was  quoted as  saying  the  march had been "a flop" , which says a lot about  the impartiality of  the SB.
 

Burial  at  Sea 

 

A newspaper  account , under the  above cross  heading ,  ran  some fascinating paragraphs  which   I can reveal  were  penned  by  a very literate Townsville  union activist,  without  acknowledging  it was  his golden   prose .   It  read :

 

Meanwhile, out in Cleveland Bay, the effigy of Sir John  that  led Tuesday's march through the streets  was   with  curses   dumped into the sea   by disaffected   unionists  eating  meat pies  and  drinking  beer .

 

The unionists had planned   to  bury the effigy on the beach outside  the motel where  the vice-regal party  was  staying but the police told them they would be "littering " the beach  by doing so , and  stopped them .

 

After a short  argument in which police said  permission to bury the   effigy,  granted on Tuesday,  had been withdrawn , the burial party retired to Trades Hall . A TLC  spokesman  said that it  had decided that the presence  of even a  dummy Governor-General   could no longer  be tolerated  and the  dummy  was   put  to  sea  in  a  small  boat.  (ends).

 

Then what ?  In the immortal saying   from the Spike Milligan   Goon Show, he fell  in  the water,  disappeared.