NORTHERN QUEENSLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 1418, 25 January 1879, Page 5

NORTHERN QUEENSLAND.

The Melbourne Age's own correspondent writes from Queensland :— After journeying for four months among the goldfields of Northern Queensland, and mixing with the mining population, the ideas of the traveller will become considerably changed, if his information has hitherto been gathered from the looal papers. Everywhere he goea the same depressing influence seems to hang like a gloomy cloud over everything. Even ia the reefing districts, where it might be expected that business would be brisk and a cheerful aspect pervade tho community, all is listless and dispiriting. One township is the counterpart of another, except in its size. Each publiohouse would seem to be empty and deserted all day long, but for the appearance of the proprietor lolling under his verandah or bough shed, and a Chinaman flitting about the back premises. The storekeepers lounge into each other's locations to talk the smallest of small talk, and lament the dullness of the times. The streets are deserted all day and every day till Saturday, when the diggers bring in their gold or wages and carry out supplies for the ensuing week. ' Recreation of any kind is unknown, the nearest approach to it being what in diggers' parlance is called a " jolly good drunk." ,