Cartoons of Australian Federation
on CD-ROM

'The Bothering of Barton'

Federal & State Politics

Source: Melbourne Punch, January 31, 1901.
Source: Melbourne Punch, January 31, 1901.

This illustration is the introduction to a seven-part cartoon
titled 'The Bothering of Barton'.
It is a little like a modern-day comic strip, and depicts Australia's first Prime Minister,
Edmund Barton (also known affectionately as "Toby" because of his fondness for wine),
being chased all around the country by people looking for a job
with the new Commonwealth Service. At the conclusion of the cartoon
Barton tries to hide in the safety deposit vault of a bank, but even there
he is woken up in the middle of the night by an eager nightwatchman.
The entire cartoon is presented on the CD-ROM.

The text of this cartoon has been removed and re-written word for word
in a font size more suited to on-screen viewing.