WILL BLACKES

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1921, Page 1

WILL BLACKES

PERILS OF PIONEER I XL. SYDNEY. Let. 25

'|'h ( . country in the extreme iior'.h of Australia round the Lull ot Cari eutaria is still peopl' d «’itli tribes of a wild and ferocious diameter, and to the hardships of pioneering are added the menace nf attack. Mr J. T. Beckett, who. with h’s w ife, lias just arrived ftt Darwin I rod Yanderlin Island, just, off the Coast, related tluii the natives I rum the manland frequently make raids on the n(.,„,1s kiiuv.il,g that the police t-aimor bear nf them for n lung lime, and cannot. eel after them when they do. When Airs Beckett was alone on \ nnderlin Island a. plot was iormed hv tee natives to kill her, and her son whoi bo returned from another island, ami then loot their store. This was fritsplated bv a faithful lnbra, who was brutallv 'murdeied for telling Mrs Beckett, saved her own life by holding tbe murderer off with a pistol. The murderer escaped to the mainland. Encouraged, apparently, by this another native hacked his Libra’s head nearly off within n fcW' chains of th" j-olice station at Barroloola. Ft" and other law-breaking natives including Die celebrated “Murdering Tommy" who escaped from mud several times ami travelled hundreds of miles back to bis country, were brought to Darwin in I lie saiti" boat as Ml* Beckett.

Mi- Beckett states that the possibilities of obtaining oil in the Gulf country are good. Thermal springs ever flowing are found in the Sir Edward Ft lilew griii". of which Air Beckett. In,lds a miscellaneous lease, and oilbeering shale exists on the Alncarthur liver. Oil prospecting rights have been secured by a company. Natives report seepages of oil in certain localities.