GRAVE ALLEGATIONS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 211, 19 June 1933, Page 5

GRAVE ALLEGATIONS

"NATIVES AKIN TO SLAVES."

TREATMENT IN AUSTRALIA.

DISCUSSION IN-LONDON.

(United Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, June 17.

. The.. conference of the British Commonwealth League discussed the position of the Australian aborigines in a debate lasting two days, and passed a resolution appealing to Australian women's societies to combine in* directing the attention of Governments to /the conditions akin to slavery under which detribalised aborigines and half- 1 castes are living.

The special points to which the resolution draws attention include infant betrothal, natives lending wives in exchange for material gain, marriage by polygamous husbands with girls who are sometimes Christians. The Federal Government is urged to provide a special department to deal with aboriginal offences. The Rev. John Jones, a former chairman of the Australian Board of Misions, averred the truth of Australian messages to the "London Daily Herald" alleging the kidnapping of native women Iby Japanese. It was a longstanding custom and was increasing, Owing to Japanese influence in the areas affected. Officials at Canberra describe the allegations of slavery conditions among aboriginals as absurd., The Government's policy is to preserve the aborigines in every .way possible, and the Chief Protector of Aborigines is clothed with wide powers to supervise both the moral and material welfare of full bloods and half-castes. Mr lon Idriess, the well-known Australian writer, spiritedly denies the allegations. He says that the native men are legitimately employed in many capacities, but never as slaves. There is no illegal recruiting.

A special writer in the "Sydney Sun" recently made scathing indictment of the white man's methods in Australia,,. Ho said:— ~-,'' We are at the moment- actively prosecuting a Avar of aggression on an inoffensive race. \ It has proceeded for upwards of a century. . ' The new squatter builds house .ana yards on, the best waterholes and fences off a few paddocks handy to the homestead. Wild game stay away from the place and the native goes short ot meat. The.cattle trample, out .and .eat his supply'of vegetable food. The big beasts are a handy target. The "tribe has a bellyful of good red beef and sits down to sing. .' ■' '" ' "' n The .police are notified, ■■' and swoop down on the camp and round;.up the culprits.. Those who run are shot to encourage the rest to stand;/ ■ The men who did the spear-throw-ino- the ' 'criminals," are., pointed out bv° their frantic fellow-tribesmen, their eight or.nine necks are chained .together and they are driven off toward the police court town, which might be one, two, or three hundred miles''away, and get six months' gaol.' ';; ; "" And what happens back at borne where the risrhts of the natives are being "respected?" The bodied men have signed on with the station, have learnt to ride, and to work stock better than the white man himself. . • ■ . Their voung wives get jobs about the station. One young stockman comes in and finds his wife has ■ been taken by the white cook. He puts a spear through them and goes bush., But the white man gets him, using trackers from another tribe. ;He is hanged,, so the rest learn. The white man is always right. On one place a black stockman wanted a holiday. He had been twelve months without a spell. The boss said he couldn't go, there was a muster coming on. Still, he went: His agreement was expired, no one had any claim on him. _ The police brought him back. Ihe manager thrashed him with a twisted cane bullock whip handle—cut him about the face and neck with it, and asked him would ho run away again. No, he would not do such a thing again. ■ '■;'. The local protector of aborigines signed him up for a further .twelve months. "Only thing they understand," the protector confided to me. "What's the use of pamperin' them in gaol?"