Discovered tucked away in Brisbane decades ago was the l912 12pp booklet , A Few Impressions of Portuguese Timor , compiled by the Timor Development Syndicate, Somerset House , Moore Street, Sydney . It contained a short summary of the products and investment possibilities .
The cost of labour , it pointed out , was so low, if paid to a seven year old boy in white Australia, he would immediately go on strike . Photos included one of a Timorese planter with his " boys."
There was mention of Port Darwin and Australia's lack of knowledge about the island , some Portuguese Timor stamps from Little Darwin collection . It seems there was a government run vessel named "Dilly", the capital Dili.
There was talk of exporting buffaloes to the Philippines , said to be better than Australian bullocks. Tests had been carried out in Sydney on a native fibre plant regarded equal in quality and strength to the best Manilla hemp. Malaria was rare .
Tied with chord, the booklet stated there was evidence of ethnic tension and that coffee, timber and cotton were produced . People were shown on Timor ponies , with cattle , and at a military station. Women wore dresses with interesting patterns
(Timor. Portuguese . Slaves. )
