Bøker av Paul Dillon

Dillon's latest book investigates, with keen attention to detail, colonial Queensland's role in the development of British New Guinea. It reveals the rising importance of Torres Strait and its international steamship traffic, the contest with Germany in 1883 for the easterly or non-Dutch portion of New Guinea and the attractive islands of New Britain and New Ireland. Without the determination of Queensland, Britain would never have set up a government house at Port Moresby in 1888. Dillon reminds us that, in the eyes of some major politicians, the nearer parts of New Guinea were almost as essential as Tasmania. In essence, "New Guinea and the adjacent groups of Pacific Islands must form part of the future Australian nation."It is especially Dillon's skill in weighing evidence, and in cross-examining long-dead witnesses, that makes him a historian worth reading. That he ventures into new territory is a bonus.-- Geoffrey Blainey, from the Foreword.Paul Dillon is a Sunshine Coast-based author of Frederick Walker, Commandant of the Native Police and many other titles. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Australian National University. Paul joined the Commonwealth Public Service in 1965. On 23 May 1986, he was called to the Bar of New South Wales and practised as a barrister in the Criminal Division of the superior courts of Queensland as counsel for the defence.

Bêche-de-mer is an edible sea creature used to make soup. These primitive sea creatures are a popular food in several Asian cultures, especially Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese cuisines. During the colonial period of Queensland's history, Aboriginals were employed to harvest the animals at low tide amongst the coral reefs of Torres Strait and the Great Barrier Reef. Many hands were required to hunt the exposed reefs and shoals, to wade the rock pools and dive the shallow waters of the fringing reefs.After a day of harvesting the animals, the work parties would return to the employer's bêche-de-mer station, located on the nearest island, and begin the equally labour-intensive process of bringing the product to a marketable condition so that it might be sold in Hong Kong.These island work camps or "sit-down country" proved to be locations of dissatisfaction where the Aboriginal workforce would, it appears, acutely experience or develop an intense feeling of isolation and disgruntlement through pining and fretting for their tribal country. Consequently, the imperative to return to their tribal haunts and habitats, drove them on occasion to steal vessels and even to murder their overseers. Employing Aboriginals or Binghis, as they were known, proved to be a challenging task knowing that their unpredictability might at any time lead to an outburst of violence, which would not only terminate the contract of labour but also the life of the employer.

On the evening of 18 October 1884, a group of at least five Aborigines, were sitting round a camp fire boiling the billy and yarning in blackfellow talk when they were fusilladed. Tommy jumped up and ran for it; followed by the thwacks and zings of the bullets as they whizzed after him. The others stayed where they fell. The next day, Alicky, a town blackboy spoke to John Moffat, a leading citizen about the incident, who asked to be shown the campsite.On reaching the camp, a gruesome scene of partially burnt Aborigines confronted the eyes of Moffat. Driven by curiosity and trepidation, he examined the bodies. One was the body of an old blackfellow, the two others were adult females and one was a picaninny whose sex was unknown. The bodies were lying side by side. Two with their heads one way and the other two in the opposite direction. The fire being in the middle of them. There were no observable marks of violence on the bodies other than that caused by the fire. The faces were turned somewhat downwards and it could not be established whether they were disfigured or not.Mr. Mowbray, the Police Magistrate at Herberton was notified. On 23 October 1884, when he arrived in Irvinebank to conduct an inquest on the bodies of the four Aborigines, all that he found was the remains of a large fire. The fire was still smouldering but no bodies were found. Constable Moroney raked the fire and several pieces of bone were recovered from the ashes. But nothing could be identified. Nevertheless, Mowbray held an inquest and suspicion fell on the native police who were in Irvinebank at the time.The Attorney-General then requested the police to investigate the matter. They arrested the Nigger Creek native police including Sub-Inspector William Nichols, and the rest is history.

This book is an attempt to tell that story as best one can with the information that still exists. It's a simple story but the problem nowadays is by what yardstick should it be told. Should we see it as the loss of a pioneer attempting to settle the Australian outback, attempting to advance Australia. Or is the real story the relentless march of the white man's livestock trampling the flora and fauna and encroaching on koori country. Who should come first the wool or the environment? John Dowling had a job to do. He never expected to be killed in carrying out the ambitions and aspirations of the white citizens of Queensland. On the other hand, the intrusion of foreign squatters onto the fields and streams of the outback has left a lasting trail of regret in the minds of some.

Each day and night a magical musical symphony is performed under the stars, the sun, and the moon.Each of the animals in the Balbirooroo wetland has a different voice and sound to make in their mysterious orchestra. Every day Sticky Webster, the symphony conductor, weave's a spider's web for each animal in her old gum tree. In the morning the sparkling dew drops settle on each web, and they become the musical notes that each animal is to sing in their part of the symphony.But...... the symphony is suddenly silenced when the oldest frog in the wetland The Balbirooroo Guru informs all the creatures that their water has been poisoned and all of the Pobblebonk frogs have left. Can Five girl's a nosy blue dragonfly, a banjo playing cockatoo, and a young hero frog called Kobi save the Balbirooroo wetland and the symphony........... If not it could even reach you humans too!!'' Wow, that story would make a great film" Yusuf {Cat Stevens}

The origins of Liuhebafa (also called Water Boxing) can be traced back to the Daoist sage Chen Tuan (c. 871-989 A.D.). Chen is a mystical figure whose advice and perspective was sought by ancient Chinese Emperors.Liuhebafa was the last of the internal methods to be taught outside China. Even inside China, Liuhebafa had an almost mythic quality. Among the groups of inner circle students, Liuhebafa was graduate study in the internal arts.Liuhebafa's Five Character Secrets (of Li Dong Feng) are the original precepts of this rare internal martial art known as Huayue Xinyi Liuhebafaquan. Li Dong Feng discovered aged manuscripts of Chen Tuan, during an expedition to Chen's ancient mountain home. Realizing the importance of what he had found, Li remained on Mount Hua until he mastered the material in the manuscripts.Li returned to his home and then recorded all he had learned on Mount Hua in one hundred and thirty-four verses now known as The Five Character Secrets of Li Dong Feng. This is the only existing treatise on the original principles of Liuhebafa.This book contains the original Chinese treatise of Li Dong Feng, Pinyin Romanization of the Chinese characters, word for word translation, literal translation, interpretive translation and the author's commentary on the meaning of each verse.There is more here than meets the eye. It is wise to approach the Secrets with a beginner's mind. Imagine being beckoned to sit by the fire. Lean a little closer to better hear the master as he recites the lines that will open the doors of your mind and heart.