A Prism Paradise in Pacific

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 532, 8 December 1928, Page 26

A Prism Paradise in Pacific

THE QUEENSLAND "ABO” WRONGDOERS HAVE EASY LIFE ON ISLAND OFF TOWNSVILLE

(WRITTEN for THE SUN by R. C. MACFHERSOX, Jnr. ) ; RISON fife is not usually extolled as a life of happiness and ease*, unless, of course, the '. criminal is lucky I enough tor should one say unlucky enough?) to be interned in an institution -where -wealth and influence are the “open sesame” to ■

the material comforts and luxuries of life with a minimum of discomfort. There is, however, one prison under British jurisdiction where the inmates enjoy a care-free existence without the confinement of stone walls and barred cells, and they are, none of them wealthy, either. This is the Palm Island penal settlement for aborigines. Palm Island lies within a few hours’ sail of Townsville, North Queensland. It is one of the many gloriously beautiful “specks” off the coast. On one side of .the island is a tourist holiday camp; on the other side, the penal settlement. Should an “abo.” inadvertently puncture a rival with a spear he is put away on “the island” for a time until his warlike ardour wears off. To a family man, committal to Palm Island does not mean the breaking up of the home circle. He can take his lubra and /piccaninnies with him into his temporary retirement from the social life of the tribe. In the settle-

i ment he finds employment in , k cultivation of the farm plots to sunli tho institution with vegetables work really constitutes the punish ment. for if there is anything disuSt' ful to "Jacky it is to have to earn keep by the sweat of his brow \ hs ployment is found for the They are kept busy with the work of the station and are al so hir» ri otit to do the heavy work at the tourts, camp. The children are sent ! school and altogether the whole tamo benefits by the “holiday.conditions on the island are reali? much more healthy and sanitarv tb,„ in the camps of the blacks living liberty. Besides the superintendent his assistant and their families th» only other white person in the settle, ment is the resident nurse and school teacher. 1 his plucky young woman's position is no sinecure. She has sola charge of the institution's hospital

where she ministers to the ills of her simple patients and, in addition teaches the youngsters iu the school Everything on the island is spick and span and radiates an air of clean liness. The large huts with their thatched sides and roofs are spotlessl) clean, being well swept and aired daily, in marked contrast to the slovenly “maimais” of the ordinary black's camp. Fruit grows in abuudance on the island and the prisoners are kept in good health with plenty of f’-esh food and air. The islanders are allowed a mat mum of freedom so far as recreation and sport are concerned. They hold their corroborees and other pa,;an. ceremonies regularly and, in addition, enjoy fishing and boomerang and spear-throwing contests. Of late years, too, they have taken up fooiball (League, of course in North Queensland) and have several teams playing on the island regularly.