Page:Advanced Australia.djvu/117

 find time heavy on their hands and seek to kill it by indulgence in petty agricultural crime, are insufficiently checked by a magistracy drawn from the storekeepers with whom they deal. The Gatton tragedy, again, drew attention, by some of its attendant circumstances, to another danger affecting the isolated homesteads of the bush—the prevalence of crimes against the female person. This is a matter seldom spoken of in the colonies, though it is at the bottom of the universal prejudice against Indian and Syrian hawkers. It finds its natural parallel in the putting away—seldom discovered and still more seldom brought home to the murderer—of the solitary "hatter," or of the prospector by his mate.

The leaflet published by the Agent-General for Queensland is interesting, and shows, in the very incoherency of its punctuation and grammar, a strong desire to attract immigrants.

"More People Wanted for Queensland," it is headed; "Free Passages for Farm Labourers and Single Women (Domestic Servants). Assistance towards actual Money Cost of Passage is now granted by the Agent-General of this British Colony to Farmers, Dairymen, Market Gardeners, Orchardists, etc., and their Families, where {sic) they may obtain Freehold Homes in a Sunny Land!

"The Queensland Government is now granting free passages to farm labourers. Single men must be between the ages of 17 and 35—married men under 45. Must be ploughmen, shepherds, and generally competent farm labourers or servants. Single women (domestic servants) must be between the ages of 17 and 35 and of good character. An application form must be filled up and signed.

"Each applicant must be approved by the AgentGeneral, and when approved for a passage will be re-