USC21_0001

1907.
QUEENSLAND .

Legislative Assembly

PAPERS RELATING TO CAPTAIN KENT
AND FRASER ISLAND.
Laid upon the Table of the Legislative Assembly, by Command, and Ordered to be Printed,
1st November, 1907.

(No. 1.)

WILSON, HART , AND Co., LTD ., to THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC LANDS.

Maryborough, 12th July, 1907.
Dear Sir,-We enclose a newspaper cutting referring to a suggested undertaking in connection
with fish-canning and sisal culture at Fraser Island. We give you the information for what it is worth,
but, should any proposals be made to the Department, we would ask that the interests of the timber
industry be not overlooked. Some thousands of pounds have been spent on the island, and operations
have been carried on from time to time on all parts of the island, and it is hoped that every protection
will be given to those who are engaged in this enterprise, in preference to the granting or leasing of land
for other purposes. The revenue from the timber is considerable, and there are probably on the island
other bodies of timber besides the blocks now held.

We are, yours truly,
J. GREEN, Manager]],
For Wilson, Hart, and Co., Ltd.

[Enclosure with No.1.]

FRASER ISLAND ENTERPRISE.

Maryborough Chronicle, 4th July, 1907.

FISH-CANNING AND SISAL CULTURE-INTRODUCTION OF PEARL OYSTER.
Captain H . C. Kent, R.N.R., who some time ago was locally well known as the superintendent of
the Fraser Island Aboriginal Mission Settlement, has arrived in Maryborough again from the South,
accompanied by his wife, and tbey intend to take up their residence in our midst again. Capt. Kent is
now engaged upon an undertaking which shows that he paid close attention to his material surroundings
when stationed on Fraser Island. 'l'he project now on foot, which Captain Kent informs us has a very
substantial Southern backing, is to gather together all the district aboriginals and place them on Fraser
Island, where they will be engaged in developing the resources of land and water. This will be entirely
a commercial and not a missionary work, and all creeds will be at liberty to minister to the blacks
as they please; there will be no church monopoly. It is proposed to go in extensively for fish preserving
and canning, the production of oil from dugong and porpoise and also for sisal hemp cultivation
on the island, in which industries the labour of the aboriginals will be utilised as far as possible.
Application is being made to the State Government for a certain grant of country on the island. The
various activities contemplated, while absorbing the aboriginal population, will give employment to a large
body of white men in more responsible and expert positions. The pearl and edible oyster will also
receive the attention of the company. Professor Sydney Jackson, who with some of the directors will
shortly visit Fraser Island, has patented a method for the cultivation of the pearl and table oyster, which
it is proposed to put in operation in Hervey's Bay and the straits. He appears to be sanguine that the
pearl oyster can be brought down from Torres Straits and successfully introduced to our waters. It will
A.20-1907