MILLIONAIRE BACHELOR WARNED ABOUT SMART WOMEN

Women  ruined Rome , New  York next .
 

The Little Darwin den is overwhelmed by  so many  items of interest, including emails  from correspondents containing  tips  and  photographic  treasures , scraps of  paper , books ,  garage sale oddities , the  finds  from  op  shop   trawling,  pestering Townsville's  James Cook University Special  Collections  staff   and  disturbing  the tranquillity of  its  reading room   that  it  is  hard  to  know  what  to   next  insert  in  our  bespoke online  hall  of   fame .

 

 Under this  extreme  pressure  , it is difficult to  sleep , one  giggles and  talks to oneself   from  time to time , utters  oaths  and  threatens  to beat  the computer a la Monty Python  with a palm  frond when it   refuses   to  keep  up , causing me to   make  garbled ,  annoying   statements  on  the  domestic  front  , misplace  for  the umpteenth  time  reading glasses ,  and  wonder  if   I  will  live long enough to  knock out  all  this  never  ending  cavalcade   of   golden  prose  .  Modesty  shows  through  .

By Peter  Simon , married  to  a  smart  Kiwi

The  latest  unexpected  acquisition is a  battered  bound in copy of  papers  read before the  Queensland Women's Historical  Association   at Newstead  in  1960 , full of  fabulous  material  about   early pioneers, interesting  observations about  Aborigines ,  bushrangers , convicts , massacres , tragedies , an  extensive  coverage of the history of libraries  , particularly the  Queensland  Parliamentary   Library .

Pounding  out  the  above paragraph , I   had  to suddenly stop as it was felt that a green ant or a spider  had run across my  foot , probably from the  jumble of books and  papers in boxes  and  papers  scattered  hereabouts  .  Could not see  a death adder about  to strike  old  ankle  , so  resumed  working  on  this  post  from    the  Queensland  Women's  Historical  Association  collection.

It involves pastoral millionaire "Jimmy" Tyson , MLC ,  a  fine figure of a man  , 6ft 31/2 inches tall, an outstanding 19th  century  pioneer,  who liked  kids , never married ,   died  at Felton Station homestead, on the   Queensland  Darling  Downs , on January 6,1898, aged 80 . Banjo Patterson wrote a poem  about him  entitled "T.Y.S.O.N."
 

The last verse had old Saint Peter   giving strict  instructions for  Tyson to be admitted  not through  the  straight and narrow  gate  reserved   for  wealthy men , but the  main welcoming  Big Gate  , opening  wide ,  as  there were many  good   hearted  things he had   done  that  nobody  knew  about .
 

The paper ,  delivered by  the late  Mr Horace  Flower , across  14  pages , provided  a fascinating  look at  Tyson who  built  up   large  pastoral  holdings across  Australia , bigger  than  that  of  the  so  called  Cattle King ,    Sir Sidney Kidman. His wealth was such that  he helped  Queensland  weather   the  financial crash of  the 1890s  by  buying 250,000 pounds  worth  of  Treasury Bills. 


 He also  donated  2000 pounds to the   New South Wales   Patriotic  Fund  for the   contingent  it   sent  to the Soudan War; in addition, he offered to finance and equip a mounted force of 200 men if the NSW  Premier was interested.

His "sense of humour " came through when he donated the  full amount for a proposed  new church on the Darling Downs . When almost completed , it was  found that  the cost of  a  lightning conductor  on top of the  building had not been  included , would he like to  write another   cheque?   He replied : "No! If  God should see fit to strike  your Church  with  lightning , I am certainly not going  to interfere  in  the  matter!"

While  regarded by some as " the miser of  all misers"  because of his wealth  , it  was  revealed that  he  donated to many charities , insisting his cheque   be  acknowledged as coming from " The Man in the Moon" , from " Smith " , or "something from a friend".

During a discussion  in a Toowoomba hotel with prominent  merchants, graziers  and agents , he was  asked  what  was the purpose of amassing such wealth  as he was a bachelor , had no family  to leave his money  to.  On reading  his response, you are reminded , strangely , of   the   Blues  Brothers .
.
 " I believe that God  plans everything !" he replied , quietly ." I firmly believe that I , James Tyson, have a mission from providence ; that I was sent upon this earth  for a special purpose . I believe I have a special  mission from providence  to improve properties upon the earth of  this  land of ours , and   to  make  them  productive . All my  life  has  been  devoted  to   that  object . "

It is  interesting   to    note   that  in  the current   severe  drought  spreading  across the nation , way back, Tyson , after  travelling widely through the  widespread and disastrous  drought of  1884 ,  offered  5000 pounds for a special college   at Winton, Central Queensland , to  train  hydraulic engineers .  The  official response was that  it could not support such a scientific institution  in a small town like Winton . He retorted that  while it was small , it was  a vital place  to teach  young educated   men  the vital work of   water conservation .  Those in large coastal cities should rough it in the interior  and  be taught  where  the  water  was   urgently and  vitally wanted . He put  down  bores  to tap artesian supplies of  water .

After his death there was a  legal battle over  distribution of his estate ,  valued at   nearly two and half  million pounds  in  December  1898 , between 16-20 million in  1960 values . One  of his many letters  he  kept in a unique filing  system, originally  written by him on slates , then passed to his  secretary to write ,  was read out in   court . Dated  April 1,1891, it was  addressed  to   Humphrey Davey, of Glen Dee, near Hay , NSW , a  person he had  known  for some time, who was contemplating  " matrimony ". Tyson clearly advised  against   wedlock . His  letter  read :

Dear Sir .  I am in receipt of yours  dated March 13 , and regret you  take  an entirely wrong view of matters  touched upon in  this as well as  the previous letters on the same subject . It was , and  is now, far better  for me to be silent than offer  advice, when I know nothing  of the subject referred to. I am the last person  that  would  hazard an opinion  when  all  was darkness.   If  I knew how, I would advice, but knowing nothing  I would not risk advice to  the  one  I  have known so long , lest it be wrong, but this I will say  regarding  the sex  generally :-

They are , as now educated, unreliable, and if there is any purgatory some of our married   friends  are  up  to  their necks in it . When a man marries  a woman he marries his master. The meek little thing he dotes on  is a tiger in sheepskin , and according to what I have seen , a man is a slave ever after.

That is the simple truth , there is no doubt whatsoever. It is the women who are ruling the world   at the present time . It was the women and their  luxuries in ancient times   that ruined Rome .  It is said that women and luxury will ruin New York , and this thing bids  fair   to  ruin   all  places . 

There   is   to be  a  Young  Women's College   to educate them . They will then, I should presume , get into the legislature  and outvote  the  men ; indeed  it will be hard to say where  their power  will end , if they rule  as  at present  . The question arises: " What will they do if they get  educated up ? "  Having said this much , I am bewildered to  contemplate  the consequences  !!! It was signed : Your  faithful friend , Jas. Tyson . It would be interesting to know if Humphrey went ahead and got married  after this dire warning about   new age women . 

The paper said nine years elapsed before  the Queensland  Trustees were able to present the final balance sheet  of the   Tyson estate . During that period there  had been   11 distributions to about  30 beneficiaries .The   amazing  Jimmy Tyson built up a large personal  library ,   supported   schools and hospitals . He worked with convicts , ticket of leave men , employed   Aborigines  and   part of his wealth came  from  supplying  goldrush   diggers  with   tucker. 

TOWNSVILLE'S VICTORY IN PACIFIC ANNIVERSARY OUTRAGE

Putting the boot into  those who  fought in the Pacific.

 

With or  without  sauce in  the  Coral  Sea ?



During  the  week , across the  world , in  various parts  of  Australia, the 73rd anniversary of  Victory in  the  Pacific  was  marked, some with ceremonies  .   In Townsville , North Queensland, the  large  military garrison  city ,  its  inoperable ,  neglected  Victory in the  Pacific  Memorial Fountain  was   in a  new  disgraceful state , parts  of  a shoe , sticks , rubbish  and  pieces of  a  meat  pie   visible in  the  bottom chamber .   The  top  chamber, with  parts  missing and  bent , had a variety of rubbish  floating  about , the stonework stained by bird  droppings   and  fruit   from  a  nearby tree. 

   

 

The Townsville  ABC radio  station  cottoned onto  the fact , no doubt due to  the daily diary which  lists   dates  of  importance ,  that  August  15  was  the 73rd anniversary of Victory in the Pacific . To mark the anniversary , for some strange  reason , apparently  oblivious  to the fact  that Townsville has a  Victory in the Pacific  fountain and  it looks as if it has  been bombed ,  the ABC  contacted  the  Queensland  RSL president  in  far  away  Brisbane . Why not the local  RSL  whose  premises, armed to the teeth with pokies,   are   bigger  than   the combined   largest  three  forts  on   the  Maginot  Line ?  

Lest  the  civic and  military organisations  forget  the Victory  in  the Pacific   fountain . 

Far flung readers of this  blog  know we  have  repeatedly pointed  out  the fountain  and  other   war  memorials in this city are  badly  neglected . It takes a  long time   to get  local  mugwumps to  respond . It  took a constant barrage by the  S(h)ipping Reporter and his pal Admiral Harry Harris , through this   blog,  to  get  remedial  action  to    fix up  the  neglected  giant anchor off  a  US aircraft carrier  which had been presented to  the  city of Townsville by the United  States of  America . 

 

 In the case of  the Victory in the Pacific  fountain , it is  No.1 on the city's Civic Pride  Trail. There is certainly nothing to be proud  about  in respect of  it and the surrounds . The   Townsville  media  pack,  sun-bleached  for longer than  the  Great Barrier   Reef ,  has  failed  to   notice   this   situation . In the case of the Murdoch Townsville  Bulletin, the fountain is a  short walk  from  its office , the paper recently  announced  its  reporters were going to get out  and  about  in  the city. Trot along  to  the   fountain  scribes  and   reveal  Townsville's long running  shame.

This  blog's S(h)ipping Reporter, the only one north of Kangaroo Island, uttered a  salty oath  when  he  also  heard  the ABC interview  with the  RSL official  . While there was  mention of  Townsville   being involved in the WWll  struggle,  the  ABC  did not  raise  the  disgraceful condition  of   Townsville's  own  Victory  in  the  Pacific  Memorial   Fountain .

 

Listeners  were  told   by the  RSL spokesman   he   thought it was desirable  that  the  sacrifice  of  all  and sundry in the  great conflicts  be made known to the community, spread  through  RSL sub branches . Townsville,  he assured , would  see   massive ceremonies  to  mark  the centenary   of   the  Armistice  in  November . The  question must be asked , will  the  fountain  be  cleaned up , operating  by  then ?

At the nearby bus shelter  there  were empty drink  containers  in the rafters , more and  more graffiti , rubbish  and  unsightly  stains  near  the  seating .

The overall  picture  is  a  Townsville disgrace  which  demands  prompt  action .

ENGULFED BY THE GULF

On  the  road  to Normanton with  Abra  


Driving away from   Queensland mining town of  Mount  Isa  on the way to  Cloncurry, heading  for  the  Gulf  of  Carpentaria .



Normanton link with the past, Mrs  Loy's  Store .



 

NORMANTON  CLOUD   STREET

 

COALITION SPLEEN-AGE NINJA TURTLES SLAUGHTERED AFTER SUPER SATURDAY BLOODBATH

AUSTRALIAN FASCISTS / COLD WAR / REDFERN INSPIRATION/ POETS / UNIVERSITY DISSENT

Published annually   by  University of  Queensland  students , the above   weather battered   1945 edition    of  Galmahra , Aboriginal  for   "spokesman of a tribe ", recently  hit  the  desk  and  led  to   a  follow up  of  interest   .  Historian Sally Percival Wood   , in Dissent The Student Press  in 1960s Australia , pointed out that  Brisbane,  rather surprisingly , took the lead in  acknowledging  Aboriginal people  when  in 1921   the university publication  was  named  Galmahra . 

She went on to  write  that its  first editor, Percy Reginald "Inky" Stephensen , covered previously in this  blog  in  connection with  Gandhi,  D. H. Lawrence   and   Australian   author  Xavier  Herbert who wrote the award winning novels   Capricornia and Poor Fellow My Country ,  had challenged censorship and  the  university's  authority by  publishing two pages  of erotic poems by Jack  Lindsay in   Galmahra , the   magazine  withdrawn .

Galmahra, she added , had  eventually been  replaced by  Semper Floreat ,on which  author  David Malouf and  Zell Rabin had been  co-editors .  Rabin  moved to Sydney , worked as a  reporter  on The  Sun,  went to   New York  for  Rupert Murdoch,  with  whom  he  had  a  close  association .    

 

The editor of the above  1945 production of Galmahra  ,  A. M. Hertzberg,  member of a prominent Queensland  Hebrew  family ,  wrote  that   all editors  are inveterate preachers. Readers must  decide  if   Galmahra   was   provocative   and original ..."There is poetry and prose , some factual and imaginative; much about the sombre sweetness of  death, the  dark agonies  of  love, and  the ugliness  of  life. "

As a  central  theme  for the publication,  tolerance would   be perfect , the magazine standing for  the  whole student body , the nucleus  of  educated  youth . The magazine would  be the  student body's  "spokesman" if it be  coherent and representative  only  when   all  had  " ungummed  our  minds . " 
 

In the past , he said , the magazine had been criticised   for a lack of humour; it was easy to see why  in the last few  years  that serious topics had largely  exceeded the  frivolous in number. ..." We are living in one of those periods when a multitude of problems , shelved for years, cry out for  solution. Men start to think earnestly . Humour in wartime-the kind that people in Britain  displayed  and men in the field everywhere -is usually what  Leacock  called  'brave defiance in adverse  fate '. Humour is an essential  quality ; it should be at hand to ward  off  stolidity , but it  functions best  in  less urgent  times." 

The magazine included    three  poems by Thea Astley, who became  a prominent  author ,   a  review of  the recently  published  100 poems of Kenneth Slessor and a short  poem , Redfern Reminiscences , in  which  the  poet , identified as   Moss , looked at the slum area of  Sydney , a  sight  enough to make one  shudder and flee , yet ...

Fascism-What  it Means 
This  is  the  title on a   two page  contribution   by  George Watson, later a prominent  linguist , writer   and  scholar ,  who  graduated    in  English   at the University of  Queensland   in 1948 , went to  Cambridge , where he became a lecturer  in  English  in  1959. His piece in Galmahra ended thus :

Fascism is a political disease , most Australians are agreed , because  under its rule unpopular ideas are imposed upon the  masses  without their approval . The disease is moreover  highly  infectious; in  thirty years it spread to  Germany,Italy, Austria, Spain, Russia (to name only the  leading victims ), and it found a  foothold  in  France and  England .

And what of Australia? Are there minority groups  striving to gain unconstitutional  power, academicians  who deny  the "one man one vote "principle, or any who agitate   for strong  rule to "make miners and other disruptive elements toe the  line "? That  is  for  you  to judge . 
   
Watson  contributed to  the Cold War intellectual  publication, Encounter,which was funded by the Central Intelligence Agency and  MI6.  Wikipedia states he argued that  Hitler was  a Marxist, and that socialism promoted genocide .

Also, he featured in the conservative documentary  The Soviet Story  in 2008 in which he claimed  Karl Marx was responsible for coming up with the idea of genocide. He was criticised  for  this . It  was  claimed  Watson's views were based on  mistranslation  and distortion  reflecting  his  ideological bias. 

According to Wikipedia, the  translation of Völkerabfälle as "racial trash" lay at the centre of this , with defenders of Marx and Engels saying that a proper translation would  be "residual fragments of  peoples".

Active in the British Liberal Party ,  Watson stood for election  and   was treasurer of the  Cambridge University Liberal Party from 1978 to  1992 ;  he died  in 2013  , aged  85 , and  left  nearly one  million  pounds  to  the Liberal  Democrats . 

RATS IN THE RANKS ,RAFTERS AND RAVAGED RURAL REGIONS

Round the rugged  rocks , ragged   Coalition   runs .

Brilliant cartoonist  , David Rowe , of the  Australian Financial Review , whose mother was frightened by a marauding  bunyip  during  the   artist's  five year  gestation  period , captured  , above,  the   vermin   in the   attic   at  the  PM's  seaside  mansion .  Turnbull , depicted  more like another  dead  loss   Liberal PM, Billy " Big  Ears " McMahon ,  is   anxiously asking    Energy  Minister,  Josh "Burn  the candle at  both  ends "   Frydenberg ,   if  he can  also check out the  NBN  nibbled  fibre  to  the  node .

 

In another  telling  moment ,   Saturday  Paper journalist   Mike  Seccombe, on the  ABC  TV  Insiders , expressed sympathy for the plight  of  farmers  affected by  the   severe   drought in NSW and   Queensland, but asked why they kept  on  electing  National  Party   pollies  who deny  climate  change ,  cook  the  planet .

It is clear  that   a   large  sprinkling  of   Thalrat  in  the  federal election  boxes  is  the  only  answer  to  the  rodent  rampage  afflicting  the  nation. Crime writers Ngaio Marsh and  Agatha Christie  are just  a few authors who used thallium to  kill  off   people . In the case of  Kiwi Marsh , her detective  novel was  called Final Curtain , an  apt title for  the Turnbull  Coalition's  last  stand   at  the  next election. 

POLITICAL POSTAL HISTORY

First  in  a  philatelic series .