There is always an element of truth in every rumour.
Since Queensland then and into the future was all about the sugar industry, a high labour industry, a reliable supply of cheap labour was always a crying need.

Calling this slave labour Is the point where reality morphs into phantasy.
But since at that time in history, sugar cane was grown on plantations, plantation owners sure had the runs on the board for recruiting free labour. IE slaves.

I think no side is completely honest here.

Dan

I have spent time in the State Library looking at Blackbirders & found that yes, there were some in the very early days but the greater bulk of cane workers came via approved Visa & by request from themselves.
When I tried to return for more reading some years later, the papers were not available anymore.

Interesting bit of history.
Also interesting is the military significance of Eastern Papua.
The Japaneses a long time after had the same assessment.
In view of China's Belt and Roads interest in PNG perhaps we should act.

Individual.

As the rain tumbled down this morning, the boat remains at anchor since the crew don’t want to get wet, I read this intriguing history of the Australian sugar industry from a most unlikely source, * light railway research society of Australia Inc.,*

This article brims full of facts and figures astounding.
It’s an incredible story with references to the perceived need at the time, for a *White Australia Policy”.
Yes, Queensland features large in that history, and all because of the Queensland sugar industry, none less. Along with the influence of Unionised labour force.

I find it interesting that the Labour Party were the initiators of the White Australia Policy then, and how succinct it’s the Labor party now attempting to wash away their past repugnance with a designed activism of “equality”.
Doesn’t fool me!

Link:

http://www.lrrsa.org.au/LRR_SGRa.htm

Dan

diver dan,
Prof. Steve Mullins wrote an interesting book called
'Torres Strait : a history of colonial occupation and culture contact, 1864-1897 / Steve Mullins.

Many of the involutary/volutary migrants form the Pacific have morphed into Indigenous now & are making up a substantial number of the "indigenous' population..

diver dan,
was this white Australia policy an actual Govt Policy or was it that the Govt simply desired Europeans whose expertise in those days was imperative to establish a colony ?
Who in the then New South Wales would have benefitted from non-European migrants ?