The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-08-02
LETTER FROM MAJOR WoLTERS
Hard Times in Queensland Desolation
on the Logan, Albert and Tweed
Rivers,
BRISBANE, July 10, 1903

| 'At''@, JN'1 ~ iC1O'
EDITOR STAR:-AccordIng to prom
Use ] drop you few lines to let you
know that | arrived safe at my destna
ton, my old native home, by the
Miowera; but ! am sorry that l CAM
give you glowing account of things
here, as everything is gone, gone, and
still going.
AS you know, the bygone floods,
the bursting and failures of banks and
private institutions are producing great
havoc among the wealthy as well as the
poor. But the planting season is now
again at hand and the farmers and
plantation managers in general are be-
stirring themselves in getting a new
start for life along the northern coast
line, say from Bundeberg to Port
Mckay, and still further. They will
have splendid sugar season this year
that is, If nothing happens to their
crop before it is stored and in safety.
Around Brisbane, and as far north as
| marlborough, and south as far as the
Logan, Albert and Tweed rivers, moth
ing whatever can be produced this
season as the best of the soil together
with houses and mills have all dis
appeared by the floods, and it will take
years before they can get into swing
again. | took trip last week up the
Brisbane river as far as the junction of
the division of the Brisbane and Bremen
rivers, not far from Ipswich. All along
here, | recolleCt as a boy, on both sides
Of the banks to be nothing but fields OF
sugar cane and mills. But now you
can see nothing but here and there
some small novels as gentle reminder
of the place having once been occupied.
Of course you know the newspapers
here are doing all they can to help
along the new Canadian steamship line,
and they are trying to knock into the
farmers that they might grow fruit for
the Canadians, but how it can ever be
made to pay to ship fruit from here to
there remains puzzle to me; as all the
kinds of fruit that could be sent from
here as a paying business can be
obtained in Honolulu at cheaper rates,
and would, therefore, be useless as
Honolulu will no doubt outstrip any
thing in that line of expectation in
years to come, as distance will be
shorter, freight less and our goods from
Honolulu would arrive there in good
order; whereas shipping them from
here the fruit would only be, | suppose,
SO so.
A large sugar refinery has just been
built on the banks Of the Brisbane, and
they are thinking of making start
next month for refining. 1t is one of
the finest refneries that l have seen,
and will be able to do all the work that
can be obtained around here, without
having to send the raw material to
Sydney as heretofore,
The Sir Chas. Mcllwrsight Ministry
were last week within the ace of spades
of being defeat d, the casting vote Of
the chairman being his salvation how,
ever, he wished to resign, but the
Governor, Sir Henry Wylie Norman,
did not deem it proper to receive his
resignation, as he thought it impossible
to form another ministry that would be
any stronger than the present one !;
and by the looks of it | think he is
right.
! will send you some newspapers by
this mail. Hoping you will receive
them all right, remain
Yours sincerely,
EDw VOTERS.