OF SAILING SHIPS , STEAMBOATS

 Unusual  Shipping  Reporter  special   article .

A researcher on  Magnetic Island   received a package from  New  Zealand   which  included   nautical memorabilia  and  cuttings  about  a   wreck   and  a  swag  of  other  interesting  material .  In it was the  NZ  Federated Seamen's Union   membership   book ,  below ,  of    C. A. " Alf "  Osborne , his date of enrolment  July 1, 1897,  in  Auckland, North Island .  

 

In those  days , the  union's head office was in  Dunedin, in the South Island .  Branches  in  Australia included   Brisbane   and Townsville - the  agent  here  E.Y.Lowry .      

Born at Seven Oaks, Kent, England,  Osborne  came  to   New  Zealand  aboard   the sailing ship Canterbury  when  he was  23. He  became  an  able bodied seaman  aboard  the  coastal trading   three masted, one funnel ,   S.S.  Gairloch  ,  of  345 tons ,  wrecked on January 5 , 1903 , when it struck Oakura  Reef , three miles north of  Cape Egmont. To conserve coal , on  its maiden voyage   from  Glasgow  to New Zealand , the vessel  proceeded under sail  for  70 days  during the  ll5 day run in 1885 . 

 The Auckland Star columnist  Allan A. Kirk   who    wrote   Ships and  Sailormen  covered the Gairloch  in  an illustrated piece on June  16 , l970. 

The  union  book contains much  information about  the terms  and conditions under which  seamen  worked  . Of  particular  note  is  the above schedule setting out the  manning  numbers  for  vessels under sail  and  sea  going   steamships .

 

Giving up the sea , Osborne  became a grocer , then served as a member of the  Onehunga  Fire Brigade , Auckland , for   50 years ; still involved with the brigade at 88, treasurer of the  NZ United Fire Brigade Association since  1917,  he  was described as  New  Zealand's  oldest  fireman ,  died  at  93, the funeral cortege , which  included  three fire engines ,  was   one  and  a  half  miles long.   

Modern  Steamship

Bearing the name Steamship, one of the motor vessels reflected  in Townsville's Breakwater  Marina .  

DRUNKEN CLOCK INDICATES IT IS TIME FOR GOVERNMENT CHANGE

Townsville's tipsy former post office tower clock  is still unable to tell the correct time on all fronts . In slurred pub  test  jargon , a pissed chronometer means the incumbent  government is  not   full  bottle   and   sells  moonshine   and  dangerous  sly   grog   from   pork  barrels  to    voters  at  election   time.  It is therefore  time for a change.  In Darwin ,    ALP  Leader Bill  Shorten  was  selected   to  become the  next PM  in another  scientific  test  conducted  at  the crocodile   park .   A  leaping saurian  found  Bill  tastier  than  ScoMo.  

TOWNSVILLE BULLETIN AND SKY TELEVISION MISS MAJOR LOCAL, NATIONAL ELECTION STORY

 

The  above  smiling   foursome  in   which  one  is  holding a pineapple  appeared  at the head of a Townsville Bulletin  May 10  report  about  a " debate" involving only  two of  the  eight  candidates for  the  seat  of  Herbert .   It  shows  , from  the  left, Bulletin  editor  Jenna   Cairney , Katter's  Australia Party Nanette  Radeck , Liberal National  Party  Phil Thompson  and Sky News  presenter  Peter  Gleeson  clutching   the  pineapple .

It opened with  the  statement  that " two political hopefuls and a pineapple" vying  for   the   ultra marginal  seat  took  part   head-to-head  in a  fiery debate  tackling  the  issues of water security, Adani  and the  cost of living . 

 

 The incumbent  MHR for Herbert, Cathy O'Toole, readers were   told , was  unable to attend because  she was   with  Opposition Veterans  spokeswoman , Amanda Rishworth , launching "  Labor's  national  veterans  policy " at  the  time of  the  debate .  This,  one would think ,  was  certainly  a more  important  event  for O'Toole   to attend in the  garrison city ,she long closely  associated  with    local   military   support  groups , than   the  dubious  debate . 

In her absence , the  dynamic  duo  of  Cairney /Gleeson,  joint hosts,  placed  the  pineapple on  a  seat  to represent her . The report   included  this  guff  :


Host Peter  Gleeson asked  the Ms ( sic)  O'Toole pineapple stand-in if it supported Adani . "We'll  take that as a  no ," he said after  the  fruit  failed  to respond .

 
 On  May  4 , the following  text  message  to the editor of the  Townsville Bulletin  raised a  vital  issue,  not  taken  up  by  the  paper  or  nationally  by other  Murdoch  outlets .
 

 By the time of  the fruity Townsville  mini  debate , May 9,  with  only two candidates and a    pineapple  participating ,  a current hot national  election  news  topic was  the   number of   people-five  then - forced to stand  down   or  be  disendorsed  due  to  offensive  statements in social  media.In  the case of  Queensland One Nation   Senator  Geoff  Dickson    , he resigned after  footage emerged of  him   in  an  American  stripclub .

 

 A  Coalition candidate in Tasmania  was   forced to go  after  making statements    about   Muslims on line .    PM  Morrison  at first   insinuated  her messages may have been   tampered  with ,  the  AFP    were  asked  to investigate in an obvious attempt to delay  real action . But  then  the  candidate  was  dropped  when  further information came to light . 

The Townsville Bulletin text message  to the editor had  raised  a valid question  which required  an answer ,  How come the LNP candidate for  Herbert ,Phillip Thompson , a former soldier,  who admitted having in 2012  made anti-Muslim statements on Facebook  which including  saying  give  him  a  M4 (carbine ) , send  him  to Sydney and he would do" the dishes" is  still   standing .

 BULLETIN  EARLY TREATMENT . 

On January 5 , 2019, the Townsville Bulletin ran  a P2 story  in which it   said  the  Herbert LNP candidate , Phillip  Thompson, admitted  an anti - Muslim  tirade  in 2012 , because   I  WAS  IN A  DARK PLACE , see  part below .  

The report  inappropriately contained  a  smiling   stock photograph  of reporter  Rachel  Riley. It  was no  smiling matter ,  but  poor subbing,  yet again , the  frequent use of stock smiling  staff  photos in  serious and tragic stories    has   been  going  on  for  years , pointed out by  this  blog , not  stopped  by editors  who  have  gone  and  come.   

That  report said  Thompson had "outed  himself " as the author of  controversial comments on  his  private Facebook account  .  They had been made , said  the   article , in response  to violent protests in Sydney triggered by  a US film , Innocent of the Muslims, which portrayed  the  prophet Mohammed as a womaniser  and  paedophile .

It continued ...His comments  were subsequently  leaked   to the media but he was not named  at  the time . It went  on to explain that  Thompson had  reacted to a sign  which  called for  the beheading   of all  those who insulted the prophet .

One of his Army mates  had been killed in Afghanistan  a few days before   and the sight of extremists protesting  had  led him into a dark place . It was pointed out  he had  been medically discharged  from the Australian Army after being injured by an IED in Afghanistan in  2009.  He was not making excuses  for the offensive remarks . In   his statement to  the  Bulletin he said he  dedicated his life   to  helping   others  find  their way out of  the darkness  and live  life to the full .

The newspaper  said : It's understood  Prime Minister Scott Morrison's office is also aware of Mr Thompson's  comments  and his  desire  to publicly own up  to them . In 2018  he  had been named Queensland   Young   Australian of the  Year .

THE    PINEAPPLE " DEBATE "

So by the   time of  the  above  faux debate  ,  the  inappropriate statements and actions  by  a growing number  of  candidates in various parties  was a  hot issue . In addition ,the  monstrous  massacre by an Australian  in  Christchurch mosques  had   taken   place   and   further   drew  attention    to  Thompson's  unique  case .


Why then  did   these  two experienced   reporters not  ask Thompson for his thoughts about  the fact that  he   is still  running   in   Herbert    and   others  have been   dropped .  If they had apologised and withdrawn the  comments, like he had  , should they have been allowed to remain?  If there were extenuating    circumstances  in his case , what  were they   ? Could  it not be argued  that while  he may have been in a dark place at  the time he made his statements on  Facebook , others in  dark , murderous places, may  also  have  read  them  leading  to   possible   undesirable  acts ?

Finally, Cairney and  Gleeson   could  have asked  Thompson- not  the pineapple - is it a fact  that  Cathy O'Toole  gave   Thompson  a  job  in her office to  help  him  emerge  from  the  dark   place? 

This is not the first time that  the Murdoch  machine has belittled Cathy O'Toole .  When  Paul Murray  of Sky  lobbed  in  Townsville   to  hold  a pub talk with "real people " ,  he   said  there was an empty chair  present  because   Cathy O'Toole  did not come along as she knew  One Nation's  Pauline Hanson  would  be   present .


 Fact check  :   O'Toole  was in Singapore  gathering  info  about  how  Townsville   could  expand   economic, tourism   and   cultural  links , especially as Singapore is  expanding its   military   operations  with   North Queensland .Murray seems  to be  a Hanson fan , as he showed footage of  himself   struggling with a tent  at  the Birdsville   races, saying he  had  been  there  with  the  ragged   Hanson  troupe . 


Who, dear reader , do you think   should receive the rough end of the   Golden Circle  pineapple  award  for  flim  flam   election   reporting ? Mind you there is strong  competition , the  Murdoch  Brisbane Courier Mail , in the battleground state of  Queensland  , on  Tuesday,  with  only  days to go before the election ,  had  a  large  poster   promoting   Nigella's   secrets  for cooking  chicken. A  parson's  nose , possibly done in the KFC style,  will  be  added  to  the   Golden Circle   recycled   sliced  ring   award.

ANCIENT WEAPON CUTS THE MUSTARD- NOT POLITICAL MALARKEY

Ye olde early Magnetic Island  souvenir   mustard  spoon  unearthed  by a  Little Darwin  archaeologist in the ruins of an op shop . You  can hot up your  life with this device , but it  is no good  for  trying to  shovel  away  the  mountain  of   Morrison  and  Murdoch  election  hogwash .  

MORE MAYHEM IN NORTH AUSTRALIA'S BERMUDA TRIANGLE

No sooner  had  this  blog  asked   if  Townsville's  waterfront area  known  as the Duck Pond   was  becoming a  Bermuda  Triangle because  of  yachts  coming to grief  there ,  than   there  was   a  loud  explosion  on  another one  and  it sank  an hour later .     Local media  ran  footage of  the evidence  apparently  because  members of  the public captured  the  burning vessel on  smartphones .    The  garbled  reporting  did  not  explain why  the"sailing boat ", not named,  was  supposedly  adrift , the name of its owner,  what   may  have  caused   propane  gas   bottles   to   explode .

 During the energetic  Mother's Day events  , our Shipping Reporter  took this action  photograph of brave local women  paddling  through  the  dangerous  Duck  Pond  not far  from where the mystery  yacht had  exploded the day before .  Motor vessel Lady Jane in the background  enjoyed  breakfast  in   bed  and just swinging at anchor the rest of the day.  Could  it possibly  be  that   another   vessel,  below ,   got into  difficulties  in the  Duck Pond   and   hit  the  rocks on the sabbath ?  

GRIM FUTURE AFTER CHAINSAW OPERATION IN PARK

Townsville   identity  in   near  death  state .

Looking battered  and down in the mouth -with  justification - is  well known Townsville identity ,Billy Bombax, the  so called genial  Giant   of  Sustainability   in  Anderson   Park  Botanic  Gardens .Why  is  he  so  downcast?

Poor old  Billy  has  had another   limb    chopped from  his  trunk  and  is rotting away  in  places ,  becoming  unbalanced  , showing  signs  of   terrible  disfigurement .

Be warned,   the  following before and after   photographs are   disturbing and if viewed by  children   could give them  nightmares .  Thankfully , the  local  media , as usual ,  failed to  pick up  this important,   long running  story , so the  public are unaware  of  the  sad    condition   of  this    fine old  fellow  who  means so much to the   nearby  Mundingburra State School, a pupil responsible  for  naming  him .   .

Last year, Little Darwin exclusively reported that there appeared to be a nasty canker growing on  his  back .  Since then ,  it has  expanded , and on Mother's Day , this was the  pitiful   sight , below ,  presented  to  the  public , especially impressionable , unsuspecting   children  walking  in  the  park on his trail .

 

It reveals another  limb  had  been removed with a chainsaw , the  black plague  canker , bigger , some  of it  under  his armpit and elsewhere , crumbling , pieces on  the   ground .  

 

The prognosis is not good when you view  Billy from  the  side ; he is a  shadow of his  former  happy  , healthy  self   when compared with   the  nearby  sign . 



AUSTRALIAN YACHTIE PREPARED FOR ANY GLOBAL DISASTER

Shipping  Reporter  discovers  Kevin  Costner  Queensland   sequel.

One of  the   thousand and  one  stories   not  picked  up  by  the Townsville media  landlubbers  involves this  stand  out   vessel , Tarnica,   in  the Breakwater Marina ,  which seems  equipped  to cope with  any situation, including the  melting  of  the  polar icecaps .

 Our   rare   waterfront   roundsman     declares    Tarnica     must  be  part of   a  sequel to   the   1995  American  post  apocalyptic   science  fiction  movie   ,Waterworld, which starred  Kevin  Costner  and  Jeanne Tripplehorn .  In that movie ,  most  polar  icecaps  had melted ,  seas rising  7600 metres , 25,000  feet , covering  most  of   Earth .

Costner, going under the  name  Mariner  , had  gills  like  a  mullet  ,  sailed  the  watery domain  in  a  trimaran .  Townsville   police  confirm  several  people have    been    acting  like stunned  mullet recently  in the  nearby nightclub   precinct , which  adds  weight  to  this  exciting  film sequel   theory - they  could be extras  in  the   movie .  Who  cares  if  they are going to make an Elvis  film   down  Brisbane  way  if  Townsville  can  be  washed  away  by  Hollywood  ?

 The  Shipping Reporter, who has a  pair of  flippers and  a snorkel tube , is available  for   major  film  roles .Tarnica , he points out , is a Polish crown peak in the  Bleszczady Mountains , a  good spot to land on after a Biblical flood . The jam packed vessel of this name  has solar  and wind  power , assorted ladders ,  a fish trap , several  smaller  vessels , one with an outboard motor, another  for underwater viewing of  Magnetic Island when it is underwater in 2500  , possibly   three   kitchen sinks , enough   electronic   gear  to   control a   lunar landing .    

A short distance away is another interestingly named  yacht  , Blitz, complete with  bicycles  and  a  Weber ? ,  no air  raid  warden  tin  helmets  visible ,  which would  surely  make  a  good yarn .    Many more  untold  waterfront  yarns  are to come   from   the   kitbag  of   the  Shipping  Reporter, the only one north of  Bunnerong, New  South  Wales. 

SCOOP  YACHTING  NEWS

 

Well  known  Magnetic  Island  landscaper and  environmentalist ,Charlie McColl  , above , is  about  to  set  sail  from  the  Gold  Coast  in  a  flotilla   bound for   New Caledonia .  Charlie is an experienced sailor , one  voyage from Singapore  to  North  America.  Early on  a   steamy New Year  day on Magnetic Island, Little Darwin  spotted   Charlie, who  once  contested  the Townsville mayoralty,  toiling  away on  the  side of  a  road  removing  noxious  weeds  and  feral  non natives.