1900 Tantanoola Tiger

The Tantanoola tiger scare, which created much excitement in this district about three or four years ago, has again been revived owing to the statements made by Mr. John Bird, an ex-M.L.A., and a prominent resident of Scarsdale, that he met the animal of Thursday last, a little after midday, between Ross’s Creek and Scarsdale.

Mr. Bird was travelling on foot along a lonely track through very dense scrub, when he was stricken with amazement to see a full-grown tiger standing in a small dam about 30ft. away, and holding in its jaws the carcase of a newly-killed lamb. He remained long enough to thoroughly take in the animal’s appearance, and then beat a hasty retreat unmolested. His description of the animal is as follows:-

A tawny-coloured creature, with a dirty mottled skin; in general appearance like an immense cat; body 4ft. long, and of a uniform thickness from shoulder to hindquarters; in bulk equal to a very large pig. The legs were hidden in water. A similar animal is reported to have been seen recently near Canico, some miles away.

The first appearance of the tiger in this district was made on Sunday, December 13, 1896, on the Linton and Snake Valley Road, about two miles from the former township, when it was seen crossing the road by a young man named Christopher O’Sullivan, whose pony would not face the beast, and bolted with him back to Snake Valley. A fruit-hawker named Leach also saw the beast on another occasion, and examined its footprints, which resembled a doubled-up human hand pressed into the dust. On Sunday, March 7, 1897, it was again seen by Edward Henderson and family, of Snake Valley, crossing the road near the site of the first appearance. A few months afterwards a girl, who had just returned to the district, and knew nothing of the tiger scare, was followed from a neighbour’s at night by a strange animal, and, turning her lantern she was horrified to find a tiger crouching almost at her feet. All who saw the animal still aver that it was a tiger, and the descriptions tally in all important particulars.

Mr. John Bird, one of the members for Grenville, addressed his constituents at Linton, in the shire hall, on Monday evening There was a large attendance, Mr. Stewart Matthews in the chair.
Mr. Bird said it was his intention to review his Parliamentary career, and to explain the reasons which had induced him to adopt his course of political action. He had refrained from addressing his constituents before upon the subject of the political crisis, not because he was afraid to appeal before them, as has been stated, but because he felt that as young politician it would be indiscreet for him during a crisis like the present to be airing his views. (A Voice -"Tell us why you left Berry.”) He was quite ready to explain everything. The Berry Administration was making such bungles as no statesman or country could be proud of. (Groans, and three cheers for Mr Berry.) These Reform Leagues were also a curse to the country. (Uproar. A Voice - "You did not say so when you were elected.”) He had helped to establish the Grenville Reform League, and the two planks were reform of the constitution and a land tax, but the leagues now had dropped measures, and taken up men. A deputation of seven men had waited on him and had asked him to

to resign, without any authority but that they were from the Reform League. There were 17,000 people in Grenville, and 4,000 electors, and these men had the impudence to ask him to resign his seat. (Interruption. A Voice - "Do you call yourself a gentleman?”) As to his career in Parliament, he challenged them to show, out of 41 votes he had given one instance in which he had broken a single pledge made at the lost election. Sometimes he had voted with small minorities in order to keep pledges he had made on the platform at Grenville. (Cheers.) He had not voted because any one else did so, but because he thought it was right. He intended to be as honest in the future as he had been in the past. In times like these it was necessary, before entering into a struggle, to know clearly what they were to fight for. The result of the crisis already was that money had risen in value, that property had fallen in value and many would be compelled to file their schedules under the pressure of the crisis. The crisis was brought about by payment to members. This item had been placed in the Appropriation Bill instead of in a separate bill. (Great interruption and uproar, and cries of "Tell the whole truth.”) He (Mr Bird) had protested against the sum

being placed on the Estimates. When the Government found the amount was not likely to be passed, then they decided to introduce a bill to deal with the matter, but still kept the amount in the Appropriation Act. (Interruptions. A Voice – “No, they did not.”) Every one knew that it was against usage to tack a question of policy to an Appropriation Act. An authority on Parliamentary usage had said it was highly improper to tack a question of policy to an Appropriation Act, especially such as was known to be offensive to the other Chamber. Mr Berry and Mr Longmore both had declared payment of members to be a question of policy, and the question therefore should have been sent up in a separate bill, to be dealt with on its own merits. Every one must m the bottom of their hearts admit that this procedure was a threat and an act of coercion, though they might hiss if they liked (Great uproar ) Every one must know that the Council had the best of the argument, and this would be more fully seen when the answer came to the despatches sent home. (Interruption. A Voice - "Was the Governor right in passing the money?”) The answer already sent by the Secretary of State was worthy of a statesman. "Follow the advice of your advisers as long as they keep

within the law." He (Mr Bird) believed the Ministry would have to resign, or the Governor would be recalled. The Council had been treated in the old bushranging style, "Your money or your life." With one hand they were given the Payment of Members Bill, but in the other hand was presented the Appropriation Act. No choice was given to them, and under the circumstances the Council was justified in acting as they had done. (Interruptions ) He would now tell them why he had left the Berry party in the first place, because of the way they had gone about the reform of the constitution. (Interruptions. ) He had been returned to Parliament to support a reform of the constitution, but to his astonishment the Government had left it out of the programme submitted in the address at the opening of Parliament. The consequence of not introducing the measure when both Houses were prepared to discuss the matter fairly was that now, the Upper House having been provoked and goaded - (laughter) - neither House was in a state to deal with the question. Another reason which had weighed with him was the action of the Government in the dismissal of the judges, the police magistrates, and the turning a lot of poor civil servants on the streets. It

should never be said that "John Bird” was a party to this miserable despicable revolution. (Cheers. ) He had told them he would reform the constitution in a constitutional manner, but he would have nothing to do with revolution. He was a law-and-order man. They could return him to Parliament again or not, he did not care, and if they did not know how to appreciate an honest man, they would find it out when they had lost him. (Cheers and interruption. A Voice. - "You were promised something.” ) He challenged any one to show that he had been offered a farthing to do as he had done. He had risked his seat, the favours of the Ministry, and the breaking up of old friend ships, because he was right. He had left them because they had promised the people a free breakfast table, and given instead taxation higher than before. Upon articles of luxury the taxation had been reduced, and instead taxes had been placed on stock, on cornbags, on children’s boots, and on other articles of common use. The people had been sold, and so they would find out - perhaps when too late. He disapproved of the vote lately taken in the Assembly to pay money on the 45th section without the Assembly, believing that the money was to be

spent subject to the conditions of the Audit Act, that had been passed since the Constitution Act. In conclusion, he expressed his hope that the Upper House now would not give way, that neither party would give way, but let the battle be fought to the bitter end, and let the country decide who was right. (Cheers.)
     Mr. Wise moved, and Mr. Drew seconded a motion - "That this meeting approves of the action taken by Mr. Bird in opposing the unconstitutional action of Mr. Berry.”
     Mr. Tully moved an amendment - “That this meeting disapproves of the action taken by Mr. Bird.”
     Upon the question being put to the meeting, the chairman declared the voting equal.

The Tantanoola Tiger has once more emerged from, its inaccessible fastness in the imaginations of the idiotic to enable the jaded writer of these paragraphs to find a subject. The Tantanoola tiger was first seen about five years ago by a traveller, who hadn't "got 'em" exactly, but expected them every minute. The ferocious beast at that time was holding the carcass of a newly-killed lamb in his jaws, and the traveller sat down and talked to it and tried to bring it back to a better way of life. The tiger replied intelligently, but sarcastically, and terminated an interesting interview by offering to chew the traveller up into the finest pulp on the shortest time on record if he did not immediately make off. On that occasion he betrayed a treacherous and bloodthirsty disposition, and we quite sympathise with the traveller, who afterwards spoke disrespectfully of the tiger's personal appearance. After thinking over things for a couple of years or so, the tiger came out again in the open and chased a young man named O'Sullivan for miles - the said O'Sullivan was certain it was a tiger, because his pony bolted back with him to Snake Valley. Afterwards the Henderson family saw the tiger, which had grown considerably by this time, and was then larger than a full sized cat, and was so ferocious that he resented stroking. Soon after this the animal followed a young lady to her home, and only desisted from his unmannerly attentions when she turned the lantern full in his face and threatened to tell her brother. Just about this time the Dora Dora blacks came on the scene, and started to chase the tiger, and it is believed that they met at last, and arranged a transmigration of bodies, so to speak, and became the Breelong blacks; but this journal does not care much, having got its paragraph.

The Ballarat "Star" of December 7 contains the following:—

The Tantanoola tiger - according to a Newton correspondent - has again been seen. He writes stating that an employee of the East Jubilee mine on Tuesday evening, while proceeding home, was horrified to see the tiger tight in his track. He describes the animal as being a tammy beast, about 4 ft. in length, and with ears like a cat. It stood and looked at the wayfarer from about 50 yards, distance, and after giving a loud snarl, it made off in the direction of the Jubilee mine.

… Altogether it seems as though the superstitions of the century are going to die hard.

There's a golden time approaching on this bright Australian shore,
When the Tantanoola tiger shall be seen on earth no more;
For in future in the darkness of the bush he will be missed
By the Parliamentary member and the local bicyclist.
In the opening of the century he'll sneak away and die;
No more he'll frighten country folks, and make the kiddies cry;
And as we vainly listen for that fierce fictitious roar,
We'll thankfully ejaculate, "Adieu, not au revoir."