Letter from Superintendent to Chief Protector of Aboriginals August 17 1905

Letter from Superintendent, Albert Tronson, to Mr WE Roth, Chief Protector of Aboriginals, about gambling on the settlement.

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Barambah Aboriginal Settlement
Murgon
17.8.05
Sir
Today several of the aboriginals
remained behind in the camp from their work,
and on my going through the camp, I found
several of them playing cards and tossing
up the pennies; commonly called Two up; during
the last two weeks I have frequently had to stop
them playing both games and have taken pennies
and no less than five packets of cards from them;
now that they have no more cards, they will go
on playing the pennies, whenever they get a
chance. I have stopped the rations, tea, and tobacco
of the offenders, but it has no effect. I can assure
you that it is far from a pleasant duty, trying to
stop this gambling, for when I tell them it
must be stopped, they turn around and tell me
I can’t stop them, for they are not playing Govern
-ment clothes, and can play their own money or
clothes, this gambling will have to be stopped,
at all hazards, and I can only see one way of
putting a stop to it, that is to have a few
charged with gambling on the Reserve.
I have the honour to be
Sir
Your obedient Servant
A.B.A. Tronson
Supt.
Mr WE Roth
Chief Protector of Aboriginals
Depatment of Public Lands
Brisbane

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