FARMING ON STEROIDS

 An eye-catching   sign in   Ayr , North Queensland  , for   a  business which  provides   precision  agronomy  for  the man  and  woman on  the  land  and   in the  canefields .

(Agronomy, Ayr , Sign.)

ORCHIDS , RAIN GODS BUSY

Suddenly, rain  orchids began  to  flower , indicating  rain could follow,  accompanied  by  occasional   slight   sprinkles , but  on Friday night   there were welcome falls in Townsville ,  with  some   thunder and lightning , and  elsewhere.  The  ABC  reported  some places  had  received the  heaviest falls in  20 years.  

A   roadtrip  south in slight rain  early  in  the  morning  revealed  a  drenched   countryside  , low  cloud  .

(Rain,Orchids, Falls.)

SIGNS OF MOVING MODERN TIMES

 

Townsville  CBD , no sign of Charlie Chaplin.  Vallis  pix.

CLOUDING OVER

Distant  Magnetic  Island.  Aviatrix  Abra photograph.

 

CHEMICAL REACTIONS WITH A CAVALCADE OF EXTRAORDINARY CHARACTERS

 Ever since Little Darwin  ran the recent post about the  Melbourne   pharmacist  Lois  Savage  who  conducted    tours  to  the   Far  East in the l930s  we  have  speculated  if  she  ever  came  in  contact with  or  had   heard   about  the  antics  of  award  winning  Australian  novelist  Xavier  Herbert.  

 See  Xavier , pictured , painted  by Ray Crooke , qualified  as  a  pharmaceutical   chemist   in  Perth when  he  was   21  and  moved  to   Melbourne  in  l923  .

Apart from working  in  the Melbourne Hospital in the  VD  department ,  he  also opened  a  chemist shop in Caulfield  at  his mother's  insistence . This  upset another  nearby  chemist , "an old maid  ", who  spat  in   his  face  when   he  introduce  himself  ,  and   spied  on   him . 

Business picked up when he performed a "miracle" on a woman suffering deafness and pain in an ear.  He discovered  there was a plug of old cottonwool  in the ear which when removed  restored her hearing and   ended  the  pain.

Up on the window  of  the pharmacy went a sign -MEDICINE AND ADVICE   5/-. Herbert  admitted to this  writer  that  at times he  indulged in quackery in this early part  of his  life.  

Eventually he was  investigated   for contravention of the Medical Act. At an inquiry it was revealed the woman in the nearby pharmacy had reported Herbert  for charging  for  advice. 

Furthermore,  she claimed he performed abortions  at night . She based this serious allegation on the  considerable number of  women  she had  seen  going  into  his  premises.

According to Herbert's account of the episode, the woman  also said she had seen him doing something to  a naked womn  while she spied on him from  atop a ladder  placed against  the wall of a nearby draper's shop !!!! Herbert identified the  said naked  lady as a blonde girlfriend of "sweet and and ardent nature".

To broaden his medical  knowledge, he  signed on as a student at the Melbourne University  Faculty of  Medicine.  He also wrote short stories and a series of newspaper  articles  explaining  heredity, hormones and psycho-pathology ,  investigated  a  Melbourne  quack who  promoted  a  cure all -The Water of Life-said to  be an ancient   secret  of  Central  Australian tribes. 

One of his short stories, North of Capricorn, appeared in the Australian Journal  in  August 1,1925. Set in the North, it told of pearlers , huge iron ore deposits in Western Australia and mentioned Port  Darwin and Cairns ,  places which  would  later  play  a  large  part  in  his  life.

While he was occasionally able to get part time work with pharmacists , he found they were mainly antagonistic  when he told them he was studying to become a doctor . He went on to portray pharmacists as mean , money-grabbing shopkeepers. Herbert was attending medical school when the university was  visited by  the splitter of  the atom, Sir Thomas Rutherford. 

The  pharmacy  shop he  opened    was  sold  to  a  man  who  spoke of  various  ways  to  make money.  As it turned out, the building  was raided  by police  and it  was discovered that counterfeit money was being made  on  the  premises; the  man with the money making ideas subsequently  decamped  .

No doubt  the  goings on in the  pharmacy  during Herbert's  time and  the  next occupant's  would  have  been  the  subject of  much discussion   among  members  of  the  pharmacy fraternity in  Melbourne, Miss  Savage possibly ? 

During his less than glorious time at university , Herbert said he once  arranged a large  quantity  of  free  beer for the faculty by posing  as a lecturer  in chemistry   taking  his students  on  regular tours of  breweries  to study  the  process  of  fermentation .

Xavier inquired  about the possibility of becoming a ship's pharmacist with the  Commonwealth  Line. 

By a variety of means , by ship and overland , he  eventually  made his  way to  Darwin  via  Sydney  and  Queensland , meeting  all  kinds  of  colourful  characters and unusual situations along the  way, making observations  about  the  treatment  of  Aborigines , which  inspired  his  writing .

Certainly colourful  was  the  Chief Medical Officer of the Northern Territory, in Darwin,   Dr Henry  Leighton Jones.  

From a humble background in New South Wales, he became   a  pharmacist , went to America  to   study  dentistry , where  he   took up  medicine .  He also  went to  the United Kingdom  to  further  his  qualifications .

 Rejected as unfit for medical  service in World War One, he went to Darwin in 1915 . Between  1916 and  1927 he was the only pharmacist , dentist and  doctor for most of  the  time  , his  practice covering   the  entire  Territory and parts of  South  Australia .

He had a  a specially equipped  Clement-Talbot car  and was accompanied by  a chauffeur- mechanic  and a Chinese   cook on his outback trips.

Apart from shooting  crocodiles and  buffaloes , he also  had a ketch, the Maskee, which  Herbert  used in  both novels  Capricornia and  Poor Fellow My Country. 

He had sailed the Maskee to Singapore to attend the  Far Eastern Association  of Tropical Medicine  where  he  became friendly with  the Sultan of  Johor , who  later supplied him with   monkeys  for  research .

After leaving Darwin , the doctor taught himself to speak French  with the aid of Linguaphone records so he could read  the works of Russian Serge Voronoff ,Professor of  Surgery and Director of Experimental Surgery  at the College de France , Paris.

The doctor  went to Paris  and worked with Voronoff  to get first-hand  experience at  gland transplant surgery to help cretins , the prematurely senile  and  the impotent.

Dr Leighton Jones married Voronoff's secretary and they returned to  Australia  where he carried out  transplant surgery in  a private hospital  at Morriset, NSW

( Pharmacists, Herbert, Melbourne .)    

GINGER AND FLIRTY DESERT ROSE FACIALS

 

Vallis.

WEATHER FORECAST PUZZLE

 Although regarded as a  fable by some  , rain orchids  have  been  known to burst into flower indicating  it  will rain within coming  days, and it does  . There  has  been  recent   rain  in  Townsville  and  on  Magnetic Island   but  orchids  there   did   not   flower   beforehand  or  after .  

(Orchids, Rain, Queensland.)

ACROSS THE BAY IN PASTELS

Cleveland  Bay  from  Magnetic Island .

 

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT TROVE

The  hills and  granite boulders of Magnetic  Island  could soon be  alive with the sound of  music because  of  the downsizing  of  a  collection of  instruments.   First  moved  out  was  a  harpsichord  which  went on sale for  $70  at  the VInnies  Nelly  Bay shop ,  sold  soon  after .  It  is  one  of  nearly 20  instruments   gathered  over   years .   

(Island, Music, Hills.)

NEVER ENDING GARAGE SALE ADVENTURES

Decisions , decisions .  As  you do a  round  of  weekend garage sales  you have to  quickly  decide  what  you want  to  buy  from  the  array of  tempting items  on  offer  so that you can get to the next  one  before other  obsessed  hunters get all the goodies  .  As  an  example  of  the stress  on  such forays,  our twitching  Shipping  Reporter  was  taken  for  a   recent  run  by  family  members  .

At  one location  he could have bought a   Zebra  and  a partly disconnected    lighthouse  lamp .  Tempting , especially  the  lighthouse,  but  no. 

At  another  garage sale  he  resisted  the urge  to buy a collection of  Istanbul   Moon  Lamps   and  corner  the  obvious  big  market  for  them . 

While  being driven to  another   exciting  venue, the  driver suddenly stopped on  the side of the road and announced there  was   an  echidna   on the  roadway. 

A  daughter  got out of  the  car  as  if   going  to  the  rescue.   

Because of his poor  eyesight , it took some time before  the  waterfront  roundsman eventually  saw  the sad , spikey  little critter, also called a Spiny Anteater .  He  declared  it   dead  .

Dead ? It  was  actually  a   tasty  soursop  from a  nearby  tree  groaning  with  fruit . It  and another soursop  were  placed  in  the  car and a  quick getaway   made  with  the  loot . The Shipping Reporter has been booked in for new glasses so that he can tell the difference between a  soursop and a  corpse  on  future  garage   sale   sortees. 

(Garage , Sales , Tension .)

ANGELS , CORAL BUCKLE UNDER THE HEAT

                                            

Dazzling  white statue  with  out of  this  world  dragonfly sheltering  nearby  in the shade in  a North Queensland  garden .Sun baked  Vallis  photo  taken  at  a time when there is a report of  extensive  coral  bleaching  on  northern parts of  the  Great  Barrier Reef . 

(Angel, Reef, Bleaching.)

   

TITANIC CRUISES TO ANTARCTICA

With the   People's Blockade  of  the  world's  largest  coal port -Newcastle ,  New South Wales -  underway and  a call to  end fossil fuel exports  by 2030, a  conference  of   460 research  scientists  in  Hobart  issued a  grim warning about   global warming,  especially  related   to   pack  ice melting  in  Antarctica , which could lead  to a  massive increase in  sea levels ,  causing  widespread  coastal   flooding   and   global   chaos.  

At  the  same  time , our  wet underfoot Shipping Reporter  discovered  a  strange  scenario  in  the Townsville  Flinders Street  CBD  directly connected to Antarctica with   a  different  angle  on  the  heat  down  there .

Hopping over a  pool  of rainwater , our waterfront roundsman was  taken aback by  the  sight of the  above  sandwich board outside  a travel agency  urging  him  to  escape   the   heat and  take  a  cruise  to   Antarctica .

The  scientists in  Hobart  called for urgent action  against  fossil fossil   caused   global warming  which   threatens  to   create  a   catastrophic situation  in  which  the   East  Antarctica   ice  sheet  melts . 

It could result  in  sea  levels  50 metres higher , which  would  devastate much of  the  east coast of  Australia  and  its  infrastructure .

The People's Blockade is a 10 day protest by the grassroots  climate defence  movement  Rising Tide.  It will be followed by a midweek Canberra Wave vigil.

 Though not  heavy rain  in Townsville , water  was   running  out  from  inside  long closed  empty  buildings in the CBD , even  some  operating  shops , indicating  a  real  wet season  will  cause  problems . On  the other hand  , it   could  prepare people for  the impact  of  a  drastic  ice  sheet   melt.   

(Climate ,  Protests ,  Antarctica .) 

A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE

Mercer  Lane , Ingham, North  Queensland, mosaics , paintings and photos that  present  the  cane cutting  and  sugar  industry  history  of  the  district.   

Is there a locksmith in the house ? 

Photographs  by  Aeronautical  Correspondent  Abra .

(Ingham, Lane,  Abra.)

EARLY FAR EAST TOURS

A  packet of  ephemera  about  an  adventurous  woman, Lois Savage,   who conducted  overseas  tours  in   the  l930s, has  been found hidden  away  in   this   blog's  catacombs . 

A  September  11,  l936  Melbourne  newspaper  report  said  Miss Savage  had arranged  a  tea  party  at  her  leafy  Boundary  Road , Surrey Hills , home for  members of a  group  she  would  escort , leaving  by  ship, the Orient Line  Changi, the  following  day.

It went on to say Miss Savage  wore a  brown ottoman  silk frock ,with collar  and cuffs  of ivory  georgette , and received   guests in a room decorated  with pink  blossoms and   daffodils .

Those  attending   included   Mrs  B.J.Ascott, Miss A. Colvin, Mr and Mrs C. Dench, Miss Emma Wells, Mrs D.Webster  and Mr  and  Mrs W.R. Huntsman .

There is a one page  TO  WHOM  IT MAY CONCERN  letter dated  April 27, l936, from  Mr Roberts ,  managing  director   of  Felton, Grimwade & Duerdins  Ltd., wholesale  and  manufacturing  chemists, Melbourne .

It states Miss Savage is well  known  and  for the past 12 years had been a qualified  pharmacist.

Recently she had spent time in  Japan  and  was  forming  a conducted  party to  tour  Japan .There was nobody   better  suited  for   the  mission , he  added.

Included  in  the  collection  are  three   printed  brochures from a Kobe bookshop, Thompson's, in English ,  for tourists , with  details of a  wide range of  books  on the Far  East ,  The  Western Barbarians  in Japan and Formosa  1600  to 1868 one .

Described as  the great cultural interpretation of Japan - the  Japanese  tea  making  ceremony ,  explained by A. L. Saddler,  Professor of Oriental Studies at Sydney University and  Professor of Japanese  in the Royal Military Academy, Australia  topped  one list ;  Some Aspects of  Japan and   Her Defence   Forces   was another,  along  with  poetry , art , short stories , an introduction  to  Netsuke   and    Ikebana  floral   arrangement.   

On  the back of  a  booklist , which may indicate Miss Savage had  an input in its production,  it  states  prescriptions can be  filled  by qualified   chemists  and  toilet articles  by  the  best  makers are  available  , American and   European  patent  medicines.   

A 1930s Hong Kong account from the  Union Embroidery Co., manufacturer and  exporter, with a  letterhead  that  features a  Chinese junk, there appears to  be  details  of   purchases  of  materials  in  various  colours ,  mats  and  other  items. 

The  National Library of Australia Trove  section  contains a well illustrated   article - Tours In  Lotus Land - about    Lois  Savage ,  with  a  map , showing  places visited  on  the  trips.

It quotes  her as saying  special excursions  are  arranged at  ports  called into on  the  Great  Barrier Reef -Townsville and Cairns- and Thursday Island .

(Savage ,Tours , Asia .) 

CLOUDY AND WET CARDWELL

 

Photos by Aeronautical Correspondent  Abra .

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

 

Aeronautical  Correspondent  Abra  snaps from  expedition to   Butterfly  Valley , near  Cardwell  , off  Hinchinbrook  Island ,  North   Queensland.

KIND KOOKABURRA

A  woman who has  spent decades  campaigning  to  save  Australian   birds , whom we  nicknamed Queen of the Jungle,   sat on  a back veranda  recently  after  falling over  and  hurting  a knee.  Nearby  were  a  pair of  Kookaburras  who  are  raising  young  ones - yet  again- who regularly call  at  her residence for  food .

One of the  Kookaburras  flew  down onto  her  leg  and  gazed up as if aware she was in  pain ,  feeling  dejected  ,  which  lifted  her  spirits.

(Queen, Kookaburras , Knee.)    

EXPLOSIVE WAR FILM

 An empty   made   in  Australia  dynamite  box   which   once belonged   to a   man deeply involved  in  the   making    of  the   film   Beneath  Hill  60  - about   Australian miners  who tunnelled  under German trenches in Word War l and set off what  was  said  to  have been the largest man-made  explosion  in  history  at  the time - sold  in  Townsville   recently .  

On  June 7 1917, at  the Belgian village of  Messines, in the Ypes salient , there were  two massive explosions along  nine kilometres of frontline ,  which killed as many as  10,000 Germans. The  blast  was heard in  England and  as far away as  Dublin.  

 Our   Shipping Reporter  spotted  the   box  at the Mundingburra   monthly market  and  did  some digging himself, resulting in an interesting  follow up   yarn .

 It seems North Queensland  mining engineer and mines inspector  Ross J. Thomas , a history buff, had  owned   the  reinforced   box .  

While  working in North Queensland  at  Charters Towers in the  l980s as inspector of mines , he heard  about  the diaries of  Captain Oliver Woodward  , who had attended the Charters Towers  School of  Mines before the war  , and  had  led the  Australian Tunnellers   at   Hill  60.

Captain Woodward's daughter, Barbara, gave  Thomas  her father's five war diaries .

 Over  20 years  he researched and publicised  the epic story of the Australian Tunnelling  Companies  in  the  war.  

Due to his extensive  research and entrepreneurial  skills , he  helped  secure  the  film, the first  feature  film  ever  shot in  Townsville . He became its  executive director and even  helped  construct   tunnels  for   the   movie  shoots .

 As  part of the  promotion for the 2010 Paramount  film, based on the Will Davies  book, Ross   gave  a talk  in  the   Magnetic Island  RSL Club  on  the  technicalities  of  tunnelling  under  enemy  lines .

The strong local support  and involvement in the   film   production  included  a  workshop   by screen-writer  David Roach  ,  set  up by Barbara Thomas  in  the  School of Creative  Arts, James Cook University.

The Brothers Rugby  Union footbll club provided players for  a match  and  thigh -slapping  singing  scene.

Captain Woodward was played  by  actor  Brendan Cowell . Hugo Weaving had  been  offered the lead  role, but declined because  of claustrophobia, the tunnels  not  to  his   liking . 

(War, Film,Townsville.)

MIRROR , MIRROR ON THE WALLOW , WHO IS THE SCUFFIEST OF THEM ALL?

Vallis.

 

MUSICAL CHAIRS AND RABBITS

You  have  to wonder  what   inspired   this  syncopated postcard  which  features  two  white rabbits-one  sucking  on  a  straw   from  what  appears  to   be  a   glass  of   milk , perhaps  malted  -  and  a  two - volume  encyclopedia   of   great  classic  composers  and   their   music.

It may even have been an upmarket   version of  that song about sipping soda through a  straw  , performed  in  a  warren .

The  rabbits  are simply identifed as  CLEVER BUNNIES  ,  sent  58 years ago   by travellers  in  Saint Helens, Tasmania , said to be the game fishing  capital  of  Tassie, also  noted  for  its  oysters.

Going  on  the handwritten  message  by  a  woman  on  the back of  the  postcard, it  seems   family members   in  North  Queensland  may have  had  a  collection  of   animal cards ,  but  not  one about rabbits .

Saint  Helens  had  four shops in  those days , all inspected ,  and  the  capital,  Hobart,  in  l966  was found to  be  somewhat   like   Adelaide  ,  South   Australian. 

(Tasmania, Rabbits, Adelaide.)

BRAILLE SIGHTING

While  lurching about   Townsville's  beaut   Mundingburra monthly market ,  eagerly looking  for  items of  interest ,  our  Shipping Reporter  was  shown  views  on  a  smart  phone  of  a  recently acquired   large  book  containing  82  American   standard  hymns  in  braille. 

It  included   a  handwritten  1940  inscription   from   Gordon and  Florence , in  Wilkie , a  town  in  Saskatchewan , Canada.  Our waterfront   roundsman  was  also  told  that  two  l728  Bibles , in various languages , from  a  Copenhagen library,   had   been  found  in  Townsville. 

Feeling like a  Mormon after exposure to the religious  news , he came away from the market  with two bundles of  postcards and three books  , two  about  WW2, the other a bumper American  publication  containing the  complete original  illustrated   works  of   Sherlock  Holmes  by   Arthur  Conan  Doyle .  

(Braille, Canada , Bibles.) 

TOWNSVILLE TREASURES #3

Another gem from the Special Collections  section of the Eddie Koiki Mabo Library, James  Cook University ,Townsville.

The etcher and bookplate engraver , Gerrard Gayfield Shaw,founder of the Australian Painter Etchers' Society,who took an exhibition by caravan  through  country areas of New South Wales in 1924, is represented by several  examples , one  for  Eirene  Mort (1879-l977).

A descendant of the pioneer merchant, Thomas Sutcliffe Mort, (Goldsborough , Mort) ,  a major player in the wool  and  cattle industry, auctioneering , she became the first  pupil of Italian painter  and teacher , Anthony  Dattulo  Rubbo , who arrived in Sydney in 1897  and set up an art school which  ran  for  43  years. 

 In l899 Mort went to  London to begin  five years of intensive  art training specialising  in  design , black and white illustration and  craftwork.  

On returning to Sydney in l905 with Nora Kate Weston, a woodcarver  and fellow Australian , they established  an  applied art  studio  and teaching centre  which  flourished for more than 30 years.

(Mort, Rubbo , Bookplates.)

TROPICAL DELIGHTS

 

Townsville, Magnetic Island . Pix  by  Aeronautical  Correspondent  Abra .

AMERICAN PICKERS STRIKE BOVINE GOLD

 The  fabulous  collections stored  away in America  on  farms, in houses, vast warehouses and   junk yards   revealed  in   recent   American Pickers   television  shows  are  truly amazing.  Vintage  cars , motorbikes , garagenalia,  a  wide range of slot machines ,  war  trophies , even   old  denim  trousers  worth  a  buck  or  more  ,  early  surfboards . 

A large part  of  it  should  be  in  existing  national  museums   and  could  be used   to  start a  string  of  new ones. 

As  Frank and  Mike  drove into  one  place  their  attention was soon grabbed  by  a  cow  and  a   horse  mounted  on  motorbikes !!!  In  the case of  the  cow  , it  became  a "Cowasaki ", a  play on Kawasaki , see   following .

NEXT : American  and  Aussie Pickers face  similar dangers.  

BIG AUSSIE MYSTERY DISAPPEARANCE IN LITTLE MERMAID DANISH PASTRY TERRAIN

Our Shipping Reporter  was given  the opportunity to  invest  in  what seemed to  be a   sure   big  money  making   food  venture   in the Danish capital , a city which  has  a  famous  mermaid  seated  uncomfortably   on   a  hard  rock..

As   part  of  a new  eatery  run  by  an  experienced , enterprising    Australian   celebrity  chef  in  Copenhagen ,  it  was  proposed  to   offer   Aussie  style   sausages  in   rolls  as   an  added  attraction  to   nearby   hungry   university   students  and  tourists .

To  advertise  the  tempting   snags  ,  a  sign for    Big Willys - representing  a  sausage in  a   roll- was  made  and   put on  display.

There  was an instant response , Big  Willys attracted  attention.  However , a   large restaurant   chain  asked   the   Australian  to  run  a  major  business in Denmark , which  he  did.

What do you do with a  Big Willys  sign  when it is not wanted anymore ?  In Denmark  , it  is said , if you leave  anything  out on the  footpath  it disappears  overnight .

Such  was  the case  with  Big  Willys .  

It is just possible that  Big W  was  souvenired by   Danish  year 12  students   who  rampage  about   like  Queensland   Gold Coast  Schoolies .  Danish  kids, at  the end of  their  so- called  gymnasium education , drive about  in old cars and trucks , playing  loud  music , drinking , expecting to be fed  by their  parents and others , wearing  special  white  caps  , called  studenterhuen , as   in  the  following   action   shot . 

( Denmark, Willys, Mermaid .)

DO NOT DISTURB , THEN JOGGING ABOUT WITH IBIS AND ASSORTED DUCKS

Relaxing  Magpie  Geese.

  

TOWNSVILLE TREASURES #2

 Bookplate  gems  from   the  Special Collections  section of the  Eddie Koiki Mabo Library , James Cook University, Townsville .

The first Australian bookplate is said to have been commissioned in l892 by flamboyant Sydney solicitor, politician, Catholic activist and avid book  collector , John  Lane  Mullins.  It portrayed  a view of the lawyer's study with a coat of  arms .

He was the first president of  the Australian Ex Libris Society. An ex libris society was formed in London about this time and the Studio magazine ran  bookplate design competitions  .

Interest in bookplates  suffered  as  a  result of World War 1, but resurfaced in the inter-war period  through   linocuts ,  wood engraving  and  etching .

In New Zealand , the highly regarded  bookplate  artist , maker and collector , Hilda Wiseman, lived in a house designed by her architect father  who had designed  many  Auckland   buildings, including  the ferry terminal at the bottom of  Queen  Street.

In 1937 the Sydney Morning Herald  described her  "quaint" studio-once a  working man's hut on an old  mission station-which she had bought and had transported to her home .

Fourteen diamond  glass panels  from a  school built in  1851  were installed to improve the lighting. Two  old chairs of the same vintage  were added as well as an 18th century French jewel case. Entering the studio,with its  hand press, was like stepping  into another world .

There were landscapes  and watercolours,drawings in every medium ,bookplates  finished  and in the making . An ardent collector of bookplates from all over the world , she arranged  the first Kiwi Ex Libris  Exhibition, in Auckland in l936 which included bookplates  for Mussolini, Lenin, Captain Cook and Australian  pioneer aviator  Kingsford  Smith who made the first Australia - NZ flight . 

A member of the  active Ex Libris Society ,John Gibson, of Sydney, commissioned  Miss Wiseman to do a plate for his collection of New Zealand books  Wiseman was in contact with Australian graphic artist,collector and connoisseur  and authority on Australian bookplates , Percy Neville Barnett (1881-l953).

He  wrote, designed  and privately published  more than 20 limited edition books (some in the Edna Shaw Collection at  JCU) and dedicated his life  to advancing the tradition of bookplates.  Barnett donated part  of  his collection  to the Auckland Museum and  Miss Wiseman endowed  the Auckland  Public  Library  with  her  work . 

Of particular interest is the  above  l932  bookplate designed for a former  North Queensland  Anglican  Bishop, John Oliver Feetham (1873-l947), described as an eccentric who liked to sleep on the floor rather than in a bed , drove an early Ford  car called  Ermintrude . His ashes were interred  underneath  the high altar at St. James' Cathedral, Townsville . Artist N.T. Hope  included  palms  trees, a kangaroo , a cathedral , a saling boat ,  a  bishop's mitre and  an armorial  shield in the  design. 

CHINA OUTSMARTS TRUMP , SLAPS BIG TARIFF ON SMELLY YANK EXPORTS

TAIPING  (Cafe, Sydney )  : China  has  today  opened  up  a  trade war  with   Donald  Trump .

As  from  the  next  Chinese  New  Year , after  the busy   Boxing  Day  sales, all   American  made  incense  shipped  to  China  in   fleets   of    nuclear-powered   aircraft   carriers  , built  at   the  Adelaide  shipyards , will   attract  a   50  percent  tariff  increase .

This  includes  the  top  American  Wild Berry  brand  of  incense ,  above, on  sale  in  Australia , photographed  below  in  Townsville,  on a  large  revolving  stand  offering  a  staggering   variety  of   aromatic   forms, including   Arabian  Night , which  sounds  exotic , not  part of  the American Dream , despite there  being  a much  bigger  stand  in  the  foyers  of Trump Towers  in  Istanbul  and   New  York. 

A Chinese government spokesman, Mr Wong, of Hong Kong, who also moonlights as an Aussie bank teller  , aggressively said President elect and Hell-bent  Trump  can stick  the inferior western made  incense up his nostril-and anywhere  else  that  causes  a cry  to  the  gods  for  instant relief.

Mr  Wong  pointed out  China   once  owned  the world patent  for   smelly  incense  sticks   but  it  had  been stolen  by  the  Pommies during the  Opium Wars  and  then  the  cotton picking  Yanks . He  warned  that  Australia would  become  a  major  dumping  ground  for  Uncle  Sam's  unwanted   incense. 

This  ruthless   Chinese move   will  devastate  rustbelt  parts of the  USA  which  have  only  been able to  hang on  due to  large  incense    exports   to  China   , while  praying  to  the  many  Gods , whether Celestial  or  Christian  , for  a   miracle   change  of   fortune .  And  along  came  Donald  Trump  promising   a   Pentecostal  cash  splash   from   Heaven .   

(China , Trade , Spoof.)