PENSION PROBLEM , MORE TREASURE TROVE

Old  age pensions were   introduced  in  Ireland  in  1909, but applicants had  to prove they were 70 years old. This wasn’t easy, as  civil registration of  births in  Ireland only began in 1864. Instead, officials used the 1841 and 1851 census returns as evidence. This resulted in the creation of several important sources.
 

First,  the extraordinary Dublin archivist D. A. Chart compiled a comprehensive index to heads of households in the 1851 census for Dublin city and parts of Belfast.The pension applications themselves also survived, as did corresponding results when the census records were examined. In some cases there are certified copies of census returns for specific households from all over the country.  

The  excellent   National  Library of Australia  on line  Trove  site   now provides access  to The Port Adelaide  Post  Shipping Gazette, Farmers and  Commercial  Register, supported  by  the City of  Port Adelaide Enfield and Port  Adelaide  Enfield  Public  Library Service;  the Riverina Times, Hay  Standard  and  Journal  of  Water Conservation, supported  by  Hay Historical Society; and  the Temora Herald  and  Mining  Journal, supported  by   the Temora Shire  Heritage  Committee. Above items  from  Genealogical Society of the Northern  Territory newsletter by  June  Tomlinson .

QUEENSLAND-BEAUTIFUL ONE DAY, COVERED IN SPANISH FOR SALE AND LEASE POSTERS THE NEXT





This  once grand hacienda , right ,  in a prime Townsville location , was left a ruin  during  the bloody  wars between the Nationals and  the Liberals  for  control of  the Sunshine State . It  is said  General Joh  Franco once  slept  there .  Now   part  of  the  Sale  of  the  Century in a  state said  by  Senor Campbell  Newman  to  have an  economy like  that  of   Spain. His amigo,Tony Abbott, and  his  discordant  choir  boys  sang  the  same  cantata  in respect of  Australia  during  and  after the  Federal  election .  



ON THE TRAIL OF THE WEE PEOPLE

Friends who  have  recently  moved  to  Ireland  from  Malaysia have come  across  mysterious  doors ,  hidden  cavities  and  even  part  of  a  nun’s habit   while carrying  out  extensive renovations  on  their   1840s residence  in   Enniscorthy , which   has  celebrated  its  1500^th anniversary .

In an email from Alan and  Pat Jones  they sent  a colourful account, with photographs, of their  discoveries  in  the  first three weeks' of occupation .   In the living room  there was  an odd  L-shaped section which  sounded hollow .  Pat , an imaginative    Irish  colleen , suggested    there  could  be  skeletons,  bags  of  gold  and  chalices inside .  Pulled  apart , it  revealed a  narrow staircase   with  no  rails  and  a dark shadow on the wall, where bodies could have  hung ;  instead , there  was   part of  a nun’s habit...nuns  having once  lived  in  the   building .

 

A real  surprise  was  the   tiny  door , pictured  left, being closely examined by  Pat ,   which  raised the   possibility   that  there had  been  an order  of  midget nuns . Fragments of a 1924 newspaper were found behind  the  door.  Alan , a  longtime  antique dealer in  Melbourne  and  Adelaide ,  had  vowed and  declared  that   a  lot  of the  old  wares , paintings  and  photos   they  had  carted about  for  years  would be auctioned ,  cleared away, and no more "old stuff " purchased . Indeed, a modern Ikea kitchen is  being  installed- revealing  four layers  of  floor coverings  and at least six  lots of wallpaper .

However , a  trip   to   the  nearby market at Wexford  resulted  in  Alan buying   a  spectacular  old  art nouveau  cabinet  with a  touch of  Chinese in  its design  and  a  Victorian standard  brass  lamp  with  large  lion’s  feet. Their  china   will  be displayed  in  the  cabinet .  In the  event  their  renovations  reveal  a  serial  killer-Paddy the Ripper -  has  been in action , especially in  that  bricked in area  behind  another door , rest  assured  we  will  notify  our  readers  and  CSI.    

 A second email from Pat and Alan contained  this shot of the nun's clobber in situ  at the foot of the  very steep  stairs , not  far from that mysterious tiny door .  Alan  put forward the theory that  the nun fled down the stairs  and escaped  -crawled- out  the  door .

Alan  has many amusing stories from his days in the antique business  in  Australia , which will get a run in  this  blog from  time  to time . One beaut  such yarn  involves  him  buying  a pre-loved coffin  from a man in Adelaide and  strapping it to roof  of  his car to take home  , causing  motorists  to  stare . He sold it to a  collector  who had a skeleton with a  deformed  foot  kept in a cupboard in  his  daughter's  collection cluttered   bedroom ,with  a  machine gun from WW1  under her  bed .  

NORTHERN TERRITORY MARCHES , DEMOS HAVE COLOURFUL HISTORY

Flashback – Nelly Flynn , who inspired  a character in Xavier Herbert’s   1938 award  winning Territory  novel , Capricornia , a  tiny figure  strides along with a  relative  from the Darwin Hospital  in  a  Smith Street   parade  near the  Vic Hotel public bar , demolished and   turned  into  the present arcade . The truck behind has a  sign highlighting  the   accommodation  class   distinction  in the city . The Bagot Aboriginal compound  has  huts ;  Housing  Commission  houses  are  hotboxes ;  public servants- represented by  the long white sock , which they wore -  have  tropically  designed houses on  stilts , hot water, come provided with  furniture  and  the rent is  low .     

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Over  more than a  century  there have   been many  marches –not  only  on May Day-in  the NT.   One    march  by  angry  unionists and  others   saw    Government  House  stormed  and  the  first  Administrator  appointed under  Commonwealth control ,  Dr Gilruth ,  hastily  leave  town on a gunboat.  The   situation  in  Darwin was  described as a rebellion .   A judge and   two  others  in  high office  were  also  ordered to leave town  by   the  next  boat,  which  they  did  .  An episode which inflamed the Territorians was  the revelation that there  was a proposal to sell the entire  NT  to  Vesteys , the   British  meat barons . Times have changed –the  whole of  Australia  is  just  about up  for   sale  today .

 Photographs  exist  of  early marches  in Darwin , one  involving   1000 ;  interestingly,   placards  carried  covered  various  concerns  , one being    an early medical scheme proposed by  a doctor  to  cover   workers.   The  Depression saw  many marches and  demonstrations, including a  wild clash with  police on  the  verandah of  the government  offices.

In more modern times , May Day   became a vehicle for airing  many issues ... Aboriginal land  rights , the  Vietnam War , the  Kulaluk  land  claim ,  uranium  mining,  East  Timor  freedom . The late  Brian   Manning’s  Bedford   truck , involved  in numerous  just  causes ,  was  used  in  many  May  Day  celebrations  and is   still  in  Darwin , its   future   uncertain .  

GRIM WARNING : FAIRIES FACING EXTINCTION IN AUSTRALIA

Is  this  gesticulating politician  unwittingly  guilty of  the  extra-judicial  killing  of  Peter Pan's  midget girlfriend ,  the   beloved  Tinkerbell ?.... If so,  should  he  be  fed  to  a  crocodile ?

Australia’s   fabulous  flock  of  fairies  is  being  decimated because  of  all  the  finger pointing  in   politics , according  to  the  battered   Fairy Godmother .  In an exclusive interview with  Little Darwin’s Fairy Correspondent , Narelle Goody-Twoshoes  , the   bedraggled Fairy  Godmother  explained  the  sad  situation  over  a  cup  of    latte  honey dew  in a   King’s  Cross  grotto.

The tearful  grand old lady  revealed that  due to  a Satanic  curse , a   fairy is  killed  each  time  somebody  points , the finger acting  like a  Death Ray gun .  Thus , she begged  all politicians  to  stop finger  pointing  in  parliament  and  on  accursed photo  opportunites  when  they  are  in  factories  or  on  building  sites. The recent epidemic of   finger  pointing  during the  rerun of the Senate election in Western Australia had  wiped  out  a  vast number of innocent  fairies in  that  state. There  were  now  more  blowflies  than  fairies  in  WA.

The  Tooth Fairy , she added , was  now on  stress  leave after  dodging  all the  finger   pointing  during  the   election  , and  as a result  gummy   kids  were  starting  to   doubt   that   fairies  even  exist .

Clutching her  broken wand , and modestly  covering a  rent  in her clothing near her  ample  bosom  ,  the  Fairy Godmother said she  had  experienced several  near death   finger  pointing  episodes .  She made  an  impassioned  plea  for  the  Federal Attorney-General ,  George Brandis,  a man handy with his  digits , to bring in  legislation   outlawing  finger pointing  throughout  the  land , especially near  magic mushroom fairy  rings   and   dingly  dells.

Our  reporter  Goody-Twoshoes    immediately  rang the  A-G’s office   for a   response.  His  media  consultant  said Brandis  was not available  because he   was still  trying  to  assemble  his  evil made in China   bookshelf  kit .   However, she said he  had  nothing  against   fairies . Indeed, some of  his  best  friends  were   fairies .

Mr  Brandis , she  continued ,  had  said  he would  now  do  a  Rudd  and  stick his  finger  up  his  nose  instead  of  point   at  members opposite. He fervently   wished  the  Fairy  Godmother   could  quickly  get  her  wand  panel beated  so  that  she  could  order  the  bookshelf  to  fall  into   place .

 

EDITOR’S NOTE : Goody Two-Shoes will be nominated for the top Australian  journalists’ accolade – Fairy  Floss  Churnalist  of  the  Year.

ABBOTT GOVERNMENT GOES INTO THE RED TO BOOST ABC FUNDS !!!

CANBERRA : Believe it or  not,  massive  additional funding  will be provided in  the  budget  so  that  the  ABC   can  open  a  new  bureau  in  Moscow . However,  the government  says   the  money will  only be provided   if  the  plush  office  is  run  by  patriotic Shaun  Micallef  , who  devilishly fronts   the  highly rated  Mad  As  Hell series .

A   running  dog  spokesman  for  the  Coalition ,  Itchy Yapper , today   said   President  Putin specifically   asked  PM Abbott   to send  Micallef  to Moscow as he  has  a  big surprise  for  him.

The PM , said  Yapper , was  naturally only  too happy to  oblige  a power - mad  leader. Little Darwin  understands Putin is furious   about  the treatment  he received  on  Mad As Hell  over  his   divorce  and   his new  girlfriend - said to be a   soccer   playing,  bouncing , pneumatic  gymnast .     

As everybody knows, Putin is  a macho man   who regularly  wrestles  brown  bears , has rippling  muscles , strips down for  photo shoots , cleans his teeth  with  vodka  and  puts the boot  into  the  Ukraine on a daily basis.

It is understood he plans to send Micallef  to Crimea  so that troops can  use him for  AK47  rifle shooting  practice . His remains will  then  be  fed to   Arctic  wolves in Siberia .

MALAYS AGAIN OUT OF HIDING -Continuing biog of Crusading Editor," Big Jim " Bowditch

Zelman Cowen, later Governor-General, involved . 

 In Canberra, Northern Territory  MHR , Jock Nelson , (ALP) , made representations to  Immigration Minister   Downer  who agreed to stay the  deportation  order of  the Malays for seven days  if the  divers came out of  hiding and  bonds  of  250  pound ( $500) each  were signed by  responsible people .  Legal proceedings would  have  to be started  within  that  period  to  test  the  validity  of   the  deporation  orders.

 

The Stayput Malays  again came  out of hiding . A prominent  legal figure, Zelman Cowen , later  Governor-General of  Australia  ,  became involved  in the  case  . At the time  he was  Professor of  Law  at  Melbourne University  and  made representations  to  Immigration Minister   Downer   on behalf of  the  divers . 

At  another large public  rally   the  people of  Darwin    once more declared  their  support for the men . From  his  report  on the saga , it  seems clear  that the Immigration Department's  special representative ,  H. Gordon  Brooks , sent from Canberra ,  was  not  impressed  with  the  people  of   Darwin. 

Overall, in so  far as it can be judged, the general attitude of the Darwin  community  is one of apathy . It is an issue which is not fully understood , there  have been  no public statements  of  the other side of  the picture and there can be no doubt  that whatever views  are held have been influenced  by the very biased  news  sources available . Some of the more  responsible people of Darwin    privately  expessed support for the Government  , while others   have indicated that  apart from  the controversial  issue involved, “direct action”  outside the law  by a minority group  cannot be   tolerated.  All of such  persons, however, have  been reluctant   to make   any public  statements  in the matter .

He  also stated that  editor Bowditch   had conducted a  number of  Press campaigns against  “ authority ” in the past. In the case of the  Stayput Malays, he wrote  that   the editor’s  stance  had  been undoubtedly influenced  by the fact that he  was    “ married to a  mixed  blood girl ”. An officer in the  Prime Minister’s  Department wrongly asserted   that  the  NT News had carried on  its campaign against the  government  because its  editor was “ partly coloured ”.

 

GALBALLY  JOINS   FIGHT      

It  was announced that  leading Victorian  barrister Frank Galbally  had  been engaged to represent the Malays .  Galbally  subsequently obtained  a  writ  out of the High Court  against   the Immigration Minister  and  the Commonwealth  to block the deporation .  Mainly  based   on  constitutional  grounds,  the  writ : stated  the Malays were British subjects living in  Darwin; sued  Mr Downer ; sought  a declaration  the deportation  order  issued by  Downer  was null, void, illegal  and beyond the powers of  the Minister  and the Commonwealth  Government ; claimed the  men had never been  prohibited  immigrants within  the meaning of the Act;  sought an injunction  restraining the Minister or any other person  from attempting  to deport  or compel  the Malays  to leave Australia without  their  consent.

 

The Malays  flew south  with Bowditch  to confer with  Galbally .  At Melbourne  airport  the  Malays and Bowditch were greeted  on the tarmac   by nearly 200 university students  waving  banners  and singing  For They Are Jolly Good Fellows.  

The Melbourne University  Students’  Representative  Council  arranged  a reception for them   the  following  day .  At  that extraordinary meeting   it  was unanimiously  decided to protest against the deporation  orders  and  a   deputation of six was  appointed to  carry the protest  to the Immigration Minister.  The meeting said the deportion was based on  grounds of racial discrimination  and also  voted to  seek  a change  in the White Australia policy .

Doctor  F.  Knopfelmacher, psychology lecturer at  Melbourne University , said the  White Australia policy  cut across  Christian principles  and Australians   believed they  were  Christian.  The Bible showed , he said, Christ was an   Asian carpenter , the  son of  Asian parents of no fixed abode.  The Malays  thanked Melbourne  people for their support  and Bowditch also addressed the gathering. As  the High Court case was not to be heard  until  February , the  two men were given  employment by  a Melbourne businessman , Mr  David Wang,  in  the   furniture industry

It was the start of the federal election  ,  the  Stayput Malays  became an embarrassing   issue  for the  government  , brought up at  public   meetings of  the  PM  and   Downer  . At  one noisy meeting  , Downer  faced   more than  60 jeering   students , their  faces  blackened with boot polish ,  who  sang to  the tune of   Michael Row the Boat Ashore  :

Old Bob Menzies he ought to know, White Australia,

That  the divers they  shouldn’t go, No more White Australia  ,

Let’s be human, Let’s be  bold, White Australia,

A New  world  arises from  the  old , No  more White  Australia . 

 The  students   handed out pamphlets  urging changes to the White Australia policy .  During  a   speech, Downer said  the government had played a big part in  developing the north west of Australia  and  expanding export industries . An interjector responded: “ Yes, exporting  skin divers to  Malaya.” A report said the Minister lost control  at one stage during the  meeting . Newspapers and various community groups,including the  Australian Council of  Churches, called for the Malays to be  allowed to stay in Australia.  NEXT : Incredible  development sees Bowditch  involved in another  epic  struggle with international  connections .