A BLACK NORTH

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 129, 28 November 1923, Page 5

A BLACK NORTH

- MISSIONARY'S PROJECT

ABORIGINAL BUFFER STATE IN

AUSTRALIA.

(Htoa OUR OWN COBRESPOMDENI.)

SYDNEY, 22nd November

The problem of populating and developing Northern Australia has been attacked by theorists from many angles. Some have, with strong support, suggested a chartered company, with rights extending over a century or sbme cither lengthy period; others have proposed free grants of land to BritisE or Australian settlers with a specified minimum of capital giving them reasonable prospects of developing the areas; others, again, have suggested encouraging the settlement of Continental groups from Europe; such as, on a small scale, proved successful in the New Italy experiment in the north of New South Wales. Other interesting projects might be quoted, but it has been left to the Rev. Jj S. Needham, chairman of the Australian Board of Missions, of which the archbishops and bishops of Australia aiid manyprominent laymen form the membership, to put forward the most remarkable project of all. His solution of the problem, and incidentally his answer to those few who favour permitting immigration from the East, is the creation of a great northern buffer State peopled by Australia's own aboriginals. He declares that, loft to themselves and their own conditions, they increase in a greater ratio than do the whites in Queensland, and that they have both the right and the latent qualities to form a powerful race in the north. In developing the theory in a speech at an Anglican missionary exhibition in Bnshane, Mr. Needham said that it was commonly believed that the Australian aborigines were a dying race. "It will be a perpetual shame upon Australia," he declared in emphatic tones, "if .they are allowed to die out, because we can prevent that happening." He pointed out that if the aborigines were placed on reserves at a distance from the temptations of the white race, were trained to various forms of avocation under the supervision, of missionaries, and were given a religion in place of their own, they would increase and multiply exceedingly. In support of this, he quoted the Anglican mission station at Yarrabah, where, during the last ten years, the ratio of increase of the aboriginals and half-castes had been far greater than that. of the white population of Queensland. "Gold help Australia if the black man does die," he exclaimed in impassioned tones. Mr. Noedham proceeded to explain that in his opinion the attractions of the towns precluded the possibility of the northern half of Australia ever being effectively occupied by white Australians. If they drew a line from Cooktown to Carnarvon in Western Australia, they would cut off practically half of the continent which at the present time did not have a white population of 6000. The only way in which we could defend that part of Australia against the yellow heathen hordes, arid retain our purity of race, was to place 6ur blacks oh large reserves in that area under such conditions that they would increase and thus populate it. The 70,000 Australian blacks still remaining could be placed in the northern part of Australia, and would eventually create a buffer State against any yellow invader. That should be done even if it cost £100,000 a year. The missions would help, if the Government would pave the way. In this way we would save the blacks, and the blacks would save Australia.