67: 



What Western Australia is Doing for the Aborigines. 



Mr. C F Gale. 



Undt'r tlie provisions of the Aborigines Act 190o. the 

 Bum of £1I),(X)() is annually placed at the disposal of 

 the .\l)ori<rines Department out of the Consolidated 

 Revcnui' Fund, and such further moneys as may 1)8 

 provided by Parliament to be expended in promoting 

 the uelfare of the al>origines, providing tlieni with 

 food, clothing antl medical attendance where they 

 would oiherwise be destitute; providing for the educa- 

 tion of the aliorijiinal children, and assisting an the 

 preservation and well-being of the aborigines. The 

 total aii'ount appearing on the Estimates for the year 

 ending June 30. 1!)12, to carry on the above work, i.s 

 £'27,99.'i. which includes tlO.ODO provided by statute. 



During the year UK)8 Lock HospitJils for aborigines 

 suffering from venereal di.sea.ses were .started on two 

 i.<iland.s wesi of Carnarvon. Up to the end of last 

 Knancial vear the total expenditure incurred in con- 

 nection therewith was £22,967, exclusive of the cost 

 of erecting all buildings. 



During the last decade, ending June, 1911. the sum 

 of t^iKl.lM-") lias l)een «'Xpended in jiromoting the 

 general welfare of aborigines. Seven aboriginal insti- 

 tutions have been .sulisidised to t.hi> extent of £'1II.7.')S 

 during the la.vt •'5 years to provide for tlu' e<lucati(in of 

 native children, and £62,011 was expended during the 

 same pitiiod in providing for the sick, infirm and indi- 

 gent natives. 



During the la.tt year the sum of t'2lAA~ 8». 'n\. was 

 expen<l«'<l in the purchase of cattle stations, which are 

 formed into one wntral native .settlement. »hen> 

 natives coming wiiliin its inflm-ncc can tin<l a home 

 for theuLselves and children, and obtain food when ri- 

 quired. In ud<iiiion to carinn for those natives resid- 

 ing within til" four 'ornerH of civilisation. Iiii.sh natives 

 of the Ka.<rt Kimberley division who have nev<'r bts'ii in 

 clos<' toiK-li with Killer races have not beon forgot^ten, 

 inasiiUK'li thai iindi'r the ]>rovisioiis of "The I'erma- 

 iient Ue.servi' .Vit IH!)9." an area covering approxi- 

 mately 4,(J<J0,(MW iu;rca luUL beeu .set ajjarl as u rewrvo 

 for the ii.se of aborinines and cliussified a,< C'las.^ A. 



which renders it necessary for Parliament to sanctio: 

 the resumption of the reserve for any other purpose. 



In face of the above ex])enditure and consideratio 

 given to alxirigines, no accusations of neglect in pr< 

 viding for their welfare ouii be laid at the door of th 

 present or past Governments, who have in a mos 

 practical manner recognasod their obligations and r« 

 .sponsibility to the original po-sseissors of the soil. 



Statute and Parliament having entrusted to th 

 .Vborigines Department such a liberal yearly allowauc 

 TO promote the welfare of the native race, it woul 

 li(> unrea.sonable to suppose that every precaution i 

 ' not taken that they are treate<l humanely, and give 

 everj' consideration by those who employ their servic 

 or come in contact with them. Travelling Protoctoi 

 have been appointed, who are continually movin 

 about the country enquiring into the condition of th 

 alHirigines, and .seeing that the provisions of the .Vc 

 are enforced, and Honorary Protectors to the numbe 

 iif 64 have been appointed. 



When dealing with the native question generally, o 

 any accusation made of ill-treatment, it must b 

 remembered that Western Au.stralia embraces an are 

 of 1.000.000 .square milas, with, approximately, 30C 

 miles of coast line, and could include within its are 

 the greater iMirtion of Western Europe; therefore, i 

 mu.st be obvious that a clo.se .supervision over all th 

 native race is almost imjiossible. but every effoft i 

 made to keep in touch witli those witliiii the fou 

 cornel's of civilisation. 



^^■itll regard to the statement made to Mr. .Stea 

 from someone representing an alwriginal institution i 

 this State, to the effect that people would subscrib 

 to a fund to shoot natives down, I can't believe 

 word of it, and it appears to me that it ^vas mad 

 more with the object of gaining symi)atliy than nit 

 a view of conveying the true sentiments of those wh 

 are in dail.v contact with our natives. 



Individual ca.ses of cruelty have undoubtedly bee 

 committed in the past, and possibly will be in th 

 future, but whenever a charge is sheeted home th 

 offender has Iwen severely dealt with. (Jeneral charge 

 of ill-treatment without specific data are sometime 

 ilifficult of refutation, and letters often appear in th 

 pre.ss making accu.sations against employers and other 

 of tile want of consideration for the native race, am 

 the imiiressiou is conveyed to many minds that ; 

 .M-stem of .semi-slavery is existing in the northern por 

 tion of our .State, and that the community, whos 

 mi.sfortiune it is to be coni|)elled to live in all the dis 

 comfort of a tro|iical climate, are wanting in conimoi 

 Inimaiiity towards an inferior race. Statements an 

 often made by irresi)onsible persons, who perhaiw d< 

 not know all the con<litions aii<l circumstances of tin 

 subject-matter of whi<li tiny comjilaiti. 



During the year 1910 l" travelled over .siune 2001 

 miles of country in the Kimberleys. visiting as man; 

 .stations en route as possible, .and have recently re 

 turned from a long journey of nearly equal distanci 

 in what is called the nortli-west division of the State 

 »ii<l I can a.ssnredly .state that throughout my travels 1 

 came acro.ss no in.siaiice of cruelty, or more than the 

 ordinary bush liar(Ulii|>s, among natives on stations oi 

 el.sewhere. On the contrary. 1 can ronfideiitly statt 

 that as a general rule natives in employment are wel 

 and humanely treated, aii<l given all the eon.si<leratior 

 dun to them, and in many instances the sick and aueti 

 r.liitives of cmployies are ei|ually as well cared for. 



(Signed) C. !•'. (i.\I,K, Chief Protector of .\bori 

 I'.iniK. I7'4.'12. 



