DISAPPEARING RACE.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLVI, Issue 18, 29 August 1919, Page 7

DISAPPEARING RACE.

DOOMED TO EXTINCTION. Th» Australian • aborigines are dying out." They have been dyiDg out for more than 100 years—ever since they came in contact with the white uran. Queensland has prepared a scheme for the preservation "of the remnant, and it is> anticipated' that Parliament will give effect to it shortly. There is an erroneous impression that Australia has done little, if anything, l'or the preservation of the native race —the original inhabitants of the country. We hear more stories of deeds which go to prove an attempt to exterminate the blacks than we do of the magnificent attempts which have been made to preserve them from extinction. Despite what has .been done in the past, or any schemes which may be launched in the future, the Australian aboriginal is doomed to extinction. The native race may be given a more prolonged period of existence, but the time is not far off when the touch of eternal sleep will close- the eyes of the hist, black man—just as it closed the eves of Trugannini, the last survivor erf the Tasmanian race, in May, 1876. This woman survived 1 the last man by seven years, Lannay dying in February, ]5<W. THE 'BLACK WAR. It was not that no attempt was ma die t<> preserve the race. Everybody familiar with Australian history remember-! the famous "black war'' of 1830, which cost the 'Tasmanian Administration £70,000, and ended in fiasco. Colonel Arthur set out with 4000 armed men to round up the whole of the tribes like a lot of sheep, with the in- j teution of capturing them ami deporting the whole race to an island where they could live out their existence and leave the settlers- in, peace. The troops sneccededl in catching two old blackfellows who were too feeble to get out of the way. The blacks were still burning with a determination to shed' their last diop of blood rather than submit to the white* race when a truce was called, and George Augustus Robinson, a friend of the 'blacks and the first Protector ot' the Aborigines—a man to wkom a monument in white stone should be erected iu the capital city—asked' for permission to go out among them. He went unarmed, had) one short parley, and then led them all in like a lot of shy school children prepared to d'o anybody's bididin'g. GEO ROE' 3 HEAD SETTLEMENT. Long before an attempt was made to preserve the Tasnrauiaii' native race work was being done in a. similar direction in Sydney. The site on 1 which the great military hospital at George's Head now stands was the tiist grant of land made to the aboriginals. This was in 1815. It was only a small settlement at ■first—Hi men with their wives and families, under the famous chief Bun;;aree. They were provided' with clothes, agricultural implements, and seeds. They tilled the soil and hunted the wallaby on the rugged peninsula <Jn which Mosman now stands, Bungaree and his tribe, despite all >hat- was dknie for. them, passed into the dreamless dust. Somewhere in the vicinity of the old settlement the bones of the ancient race of men are encased by Mother Earth. BLACKTOW.Y FARM. Many years before this first- land was granted an attempt, was made to instruct the 'blacks in useful agricultural work. Blaektown, beyond Parramatta, Mill retains the name -tliat was- given to it in 1796, when Rev. Samuel Marsden established a farm and set the natives to work. Under proper direction they are. good workers and excellent agriculturists. In Robinson's Flinders Island settlement they not- only had a paddock of turnips, but they grew acres of strawberries. The natives of Blaektown are no wore. The name of the place is all that survives to remind us of attempts to preserve the race. Then again in ISIO a school for Aboriginal children- was established 1 at Parramatta. The presence of children there- in such numbers was due to one of those unfortunate outbreaks between the white andl the black races. A real battle was fought between a big tribe and a detachment of the 46th , Regiment. Many blackfel-lows were ; killed, aiwl others, with their lu'bras' and children, were captured! and brought into the settlement, where they were given aJI the accomplishments of civilisation. The whole tribe gradually ! died away. DOOM OF BACK. The native races, were never of a virile character. Their multiplication "ii»-ht not have 'been much greater than it was when Governor Phillip found' ili'm had thev 'been left alone until today. It has always been a case of the survival of the fittest. They have never believe d ia maintaining a greater population than there was food for. When- food has failed then cannibalism has been resorted' to by> some of the tribes, and then they have always sacriiieed their females—young girls Chiefly. We imigQit- have preserved the race lind one province been set apart for j them entirely and competent teachers sent among them' to teach them all that was necessary- for their good. To-day it is too 'late to- experiment. We can merely gather -them together, b't them enjoy the life they like, added »mo of more usefulness, and await the (lav when the last of the race will be gilt acred to his fathers. i When Governor Phillip lauded iu Australia he estimated that there- were Lb()it f OOO blacks iu the country. His wilculation showed that there were about 3000 on' the coast between Botany Bay and Broken Bay. In 1911 a Wnsiis was taken throughout Australia, 19j939 full-blooded) aboriginals Were counted.

■Still there were numerous tribes in t'ie north and centre of Australia which had never 'been reached. They are still ing in a primitive state. Authorities differ as to the exact n'umber of fullblcoded blacks there are in the country, but the nearest e*stimate\ is put down nt 100,000, of' which Queensland holds a fair number. LIGHT THAT FAILED. .Many efforts have been made in Queensland' to bring the races together, and to help them to lead' useful lives. There is the IBelinder Ker Mission, at Cairns, founded by Rev. J. B. Gribble, who establishedi the Warengesda Mission at Darlington' Point, on the Muri umbid'gee, in this State. Then there are. the numerous l establishments aroundi the Gulf of Carpentaria. Where is the effect of the work done by Rev. Benjamin Hurst's mission, at Port Phillip? He wrote as far back as 1842: "Judging from present appearances, it is evident that liyi the time the missionary shall have acquired the lauguage so an to 'be able to preach the Gospel, he will have no one to preach to." Many perished under the hand of the ruthless murderer, but the coming of the white man told the blackfellow that | it was the-end of his reign, and the race I has resigned itself to extinction by i natural causes. The blackfellow's work I has ended.